India A 28/1 At Stumps, Need 337 More Runs To Beat Australia A In Second Four-Day Match

Australia A took a firm hold of their second four-day fixture against India A, establishing a solid 364-run lead on the third day of the contest on Thursday. At close, India A were 28 for one, still needing 337 runs for an improbable win or required to bat out an entire day for a draw. Hosts are leading the two-match series 1-0. Opener Sam Konstas hit 40, Nathan McSweeney 36 and Jason Sangha remained unbeaten 44 as the visitors declared their second innings at 173 for four an hour before close to set India A an improbable target of 365.

India A, which won the opening match by 162 runs, were 28/1 at stumps, with Aayush Pandey (11) and night watchman Tushar Deshpande (4) at the crease.

Off-spinner Todd Murphy dismissed opener Sai Sudharsan for 12.

In the morning, resuming their first innings at 122/5, India A lost their last five wickets for just 10 runs after the overnight pair of Shaik Rasheed (42, 167b, 2x4) and Tanush Kotian (33, 46b, 3x4, 1x6) extended their sixth-wicket stand to 46.

After pacer Liam Hatcher bowled Rasheed, fast bowler Jhye Richardson and off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli took two wickets each to bowl out India A for 167 before lunch.

Konstas put on 53 for the opening wicket with Josh Philippe (26) and 40 for the next with McSweeney before off-spinner Kotian dismissed Konstas and skipper Peter Handscomb in quick succession, the latter managing a pair in this match.

Pacer Praful Hinge, substituting for Anshul Kamboj who has been called up to replace injured Prasidh Krishna for the final ODI against West Indies, dismissed McSweeney.

Sangha and Liam Scott (13) put on 40 for the unfinished fifth wicket before the visitors declared.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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