The nine-wicket romp over South Africa ‘A’ came with a bonus point after they hunted down the target of 172 with 19 overs to spare
Australia 'A' team Skipper Usman Khawaja plays a shot during the first unofficial match of "India A Team Triangular Series" against South Africa 'A' at MAC Stadium in Chennai. (Photo: AP)
Chennai: Australia ‘A’ continued to flourish under the sub-continental conditions as they swiftly switched gear from the four-day format to one-day with a clinical victory in the first match of the tri-series at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Wednesday. The nine-wicket romp over South Africa ‘A’ came with a bonus point after they hunted down the target of 172 with 19 overs to spare.
Aussie openers Usman Khawaja (73) and Joe Burns (63 not out), who were involved in a 142-run stand, made the chase look like a child’s play on a surface that offered imposing bounce for the pacers and substantial turn for the spinners. “The first few overs were kind of tough work with the ball bouncing like it was on a trampoline. We just stayed positive and scored boundaries to turn the heat on the bowlers,” said skipper Khawaja.
On the other hand, the fact that SA bowlers conceded as many as seven no-balls added insult to injury. Though Eddie Leie was introduced when Aussies were already in cruise control, it must be said that the wrist-spinner was utterly ineffective.
Earlier, South Africa’s middle-order was guilty of failing to convert their openers’ decent start (73 in 14.3 overs) into a competitive total after electing to bat. It turned out to be a one-way traffic from the minute Aussie leg-spinner Cameron Boyce dismissed SA skipper Dean Elgar for 28. Trying to chip the ball, the left-hander gave a simple coach to long-on fielder James Pattinson.
As Khawaja said at the post-match interaction, the Aussies didn’t do anything special except - as the cliché goes - sticking to the basics. “Our bowlers hit good length. I am not trying to sledge the South Africans. To be honest, they weren’t at their best. I am sure we can’t expect to bowl them out like this every day,” he added.
SCOREBOARD
South Africa ‘A’ innings: R. Hendricks c Ferguson b Agar 43, D. Elgar c Pattinson b Boyce 28, T. de Bruyn c Ferguson b Boyce 17, C. Chetty b Abbott 8, K. Zondo cWade b Coulter-Nile 21, D. Vilas c Wade b Coulter-Nile 8, W. Parnell c Wade b Pattinson 10, H. Viljoen b Coulter-Nile 4, B. Hendricks c & b Agar 0, E. Leie (not out) 5, L. Tsotsobe c Burns b Pattinson 4. Extras (b4, lb10, w9) 23. Total (in 48.4 overs) 171.
FoW: 1-73, 2-102, 3-104, 4-117, 5-141, 6-142, 7-159, 8-160, 9-164.
Bowling: Pattinson 9.4-1-41-2, Coulter-Nile 10-1-31-3, Boyce 10-0-34-2, Abbott 9-0-25-1, Agar 10-1-26-2.
Australia ‘A’ innings: U. Khawaja b Viljoen 73, J. Burns (not out) 63, T. Head (not out) 27. Extras (lb1, w4, nb7) 12. Total (for one wicket in 31 overs) 175.
FoW: 1-142.
Bowling: Tsotsobe 4-0-18-0, Viljoen 7-0-54-1, Hendricks 6-0-39-0, Parnell 5-0-23-0, Leie 4-0-21-0, Elgar 5-0-19-0.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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