Darwin (Australia): Rishi Dhawan (56) and Akshar Patel(45) put up a splendid rearguard action under pressure as India A clinched the Quadrangular series trophy with a narrow four-wicket win over Australia 'A', here today,
Chasing 275, India A were in a spot of bother after losing their top-order for a mere 51 runs and then reeling at 182 for six but Dhawan and Patel combined for a match-winning 93-run stand for the unbeaten seventh wicket. Dhawan scored 56 off 55 balls while Patel hit 45 off 38 balls as India A chased the target with just eight balls to spare.
Before that stand, Kedar Jadhav (78 off 73) and Manoj Tiwary (50 off 75) had kept the Indian team in the hunt with their fighting half-centuries before being scalped by Ben Cutting (3/46).
For the hosts, skipper Cameron White smashed his way to a magnificent 137 that set up Australia's challenging total. White and his opening partner Phillip Hughes (51) had rattled up a 146-run stand to provide the hosts a solid start after deciding to bat.
Once Huges was dismissed by Dhawal Kulkarni (3/51), India kept getting wickets at regular intervals and that helped them restrict Australia to a gettable total. Alex Doolan (24) in the top and Ben Cutting in the lower order batted well for the hosts.
BCCI congratulate India A:
BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel, on behalf of the Indian board, congratulated the entire India 'A' squad for the quadrangular series win. The victory marked the culmination of a memorable competition, wherein the Robin Uthappa-led team won five of its six league matches.
