On a day when Team India pacers Mohd Siraj and Prasidh Krishna seemed struggling for wickets for India A, young slow left-arm spinner Manav Suthar made full use of the opportunity with a five-wicket haul, his fifth in first-class cricket.
It was a perfect opportunity for both Siraj and Krishna to make an impact before the forthcoming two-Test home series against West Indies starting October 2 at Ahmedabad. However, both were found struggling for wickets on the mixed soil pitch of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Tuesday.
Siraj, who was one of the key bowlers for Team India during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test series in England with 23 wickets, could get the wicket of key Australian opener Sam Konstos only after conceding 73 runs in his 13 overs spell as visitors finished the day at 350/9 in 84 overs. Krishna, on the other hand, bowled 14 overs and took the wicket of opener Campbell Kellaway in his second over of the day after conceding 63 runs at 4.50 runs per over.
Besides these two pacers, Gurnoor Brar came up with some fine pace bowling to take 2/71 in his 13 overs spell for the day, but it was Rajasthan’s Suthar, who hogged the limelight with his slow deliveries, bagging 5/93 at 3.32 runs per over. With this five-wicket haul, Suthar also completed his 100 wickets in first-class cricket.
Pacer Nitish Kumar Reddy, who also holds a good chance to make it to the Team India for the West Indies series, was consistent in his eight-over spell, conceding just 16 runs with two maidens, but remained wicket-less. Part-timer Ayush Badoni gave away 25 runs in eight overs but did not get any wicket.
A consistent spinner in the domestic circuit in all three formats of the game, Suthar took the wickets of Oliver Peake (29, 39b, 6×4), Copper Connolly (0), keeper-batter Josh Philippe (39, 33b, 5×4), Will Sutherland (10, 27b, 1×4) and Corey Rocchiccioli (2). Suthar took an amazing return catch on his bowling while jumping into the air to his left to send Philippe packing.
In fact, he turned out to be the partnerships’ breaker for India A as even after losing Kellaway (9) early in the game, Australia A batters, especially Konstos and skipper Nathan McSweeney, kept rotating the strike at a good pace, but as soon as Suthar came into action from the pavilion end and put the brakes on the rivals.
McSweeney, who scored 162-ball 74 with the help of 10 boundaries, added 87 runs for the opening wicket with Konstos (49, 91b, 7×4), who was caught by stand-in keeper N Jagadeesan, who also dropped McSweeney off Krishna when he was batting at 40. Jack Edwards remained the star performer for Australia A, hitting 78-ball 88 with the help of 11 boundaries and a six before being caught by Krishna off Brar.