Sam Whiteman and Mitchell Marsh shared a record-breaking 371-run partnership as Australia A took a lead of 47 runs on the third day of the four-day match on Tuesday.
Marsh scored 211 off 294 balls while No. 8 Whiteman smashed a 278-ball 174 in a scintillating run-fest as the pair hit 47 fours and 11 sixes and the host finished the day at 522 for nine here. The partnership off 86.4 overs is the highest for the seventh-wicket by Australia in first class history and the second-best in any first class match.
Scintillating stand Resuming at 126 for six, Marsh and Whiteman rescued the host with a scintillating partnership. They milked the Indian bowlers, scoring at more than four per over. Spinner Karun Nair finally broke the partnership when he had Whiteman caught by Jasprit Bumrah as Australia A lost its first wicket of the day.
Four overs later, pacer Bumrah cleaned up Ben Cutting. Marsh, too, was sent packing during the fag end with Robin Uthappa running him out.
Earlier resuming at 18, Marsh started the day’s proceedings with a couple of boundaries off Umesh Yadav but it was Whiteman who was more dominating, racing away to his fifty with a four off Pragyan Ojha in the 62nd over.
Marsh also got into the rhythm quickly, blasting a four and a six in the next two overs off Bumrah and Ojha respectively to reach his half-century.
Marsh dominated the post-lunch session, reaching his hundred with successive fours off Kulkarni. Whiteman also brought up his century with a boundary.
The scores: India A 475 for nine decl. vs Australia A 522 for nine in 138 overs (Mitchell Marsh 211, Sam Whiteman 174, Jaspreet Bumrah four for 128).
