New Delhi: Left-arm spinner Manav Suthar bagged five wickets to break the back of Australia A’s batting, as India A restricted the visitors to 350 for nine on the opening day of their second four-day unofficial Test here on Tuesday.
Suthar bowled with precision to take wickets at regular intervals to return 28-4-93-5, while pacer Gurnoor Brar took 2 for 71 whereas India pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna bagged one wicket apiece.
Dhruv Jurel led India A as Shreyas Iyer pulled out from this match, but Siraj and KL Rahul returned to action ahead of the two-Test series at home against the West Indies early next month.
Siraj sent down 13 overs (1/73), while Prasidh was a little more tight with his lines in his 14 overs (1/63) which also included four maidens.
Prasidh provided the first breakthrough, dismissing Campbell Kellaway for 9 in the fourth over, but it was Siraj who got the first unofficial Test’s centurion and Australia opener Sam Konstas for 49 (91 balls, 7 fours), caught by N Jagadeesan.
While Konstas missed a personal milestone after a bright start, the other opening batter in fray, Nathan McSweeney produced a resolute effort at No. 3 as he made 74 off 162 balls with 10 fours.
Australia A were placed comfortably at 144 for two at one stage, but Suthar caused the damage with regular strikes.
The left-arm spinner from Rajasthan cleaned up No. 4 Oliver Peake for 29, got Cooper Connolly caught by Jagadeesan for a second-ball duck and took a sharp return catch from Josh Philippe (39) to end the batter’s charge.
Jack Edwards dropped the anchor to forge two key partnerships to take Australia A past the 300-run mark, adding 52 runs for the sixth wicket with Philippe and another 52 runs for the eighth wicket with Will Sutherland.
Edwards looked set for a triple figure score but it was Brar who had him caught by Prasidh for a quick 78-ball 88 which featured 11 fours and a six.
Suthar then claimed two more wickets of Sutherland (10) and Corey Rocchiccioli (2) to complete his five-wicket haul, with the visitors reaching 350 for nine when stumps were drawn.
Brief scores: Australia A 350/9 in 84 overs (Sam Konstas 49, Nathan McSweeney 74, Jack Edwards 88; Manav Suthar 5/93) vs India A.