India A vs Australia warm-up match, Day 2 lunch report: Visitors pile up big score

Australia bowlers will like to flex their muscles and trouble the India A line-up which is filled with domestic stars.

Day Two of the solitary tour game for Australia against India A started with visitors ticking all boxes in first session. Resuming from 327 for 5, visitors cruised along in the morning session by losing only one wicket in form of Matthew Wade. Wade fell for 64 off Akhil Herwadkar after striking a long partnership with Mitchell Marsh. The pair of Marsh and Glenn Maxwell  is currently out in the middle at the stroke of lunch with the score  reading 436 for 6. India A bowlers again looked toothless to take wickets and dent the flow of runs from visitors’ blade. Steven Smith’s side will like to declare and ask their bowlers to flex their muscles before the all-important four- match Test series against India begins. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs Australia 1st Test at Pune

On Day One, David Warner and Matt Renshaw opened the innings after India A’s skipper Hardik Pandya opted to field. Warner departed for a quickfire 30-ball 25 and Renshaw went for 11. Nonetheless, Smith and Shaun Marsh took center stage and struck a fluent 156 run-stand as Pandya and co. looked perplexed in the middle. Welcoming Australians on a green top, Pandya rotated his pacers for long but did not get regular breakthroughs. The spinners, Shahbaz Nadeem and Herwadkar, were introduced late in the attack but the Marsh-Smith pair played them without any discomfort. Reaching to their respective centuries, both Marsh and Smith retired out to give others a chance in the contest. Smith made 107 (54 runs coming in boundaries) and Marsh added 104 runs (50 runs coming in boundaries) to the scoreboard.

Wade and Marsh remained unbeaten to see the day off, which belonged to the visitors. Till now, everything has fallen in place for Smith’s side and they will like to continue to maintain the momentum going forward. Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Steven O’ Keefe and Jackson Bird will be itching to test the domestic stars present in India A camp.

A good outing against some promising names from India’s domestic circuit will keep them in good stead ahead of the clash against the national side. On the other hand, India A do not lag behind and have enough firepower in their batting arsenal. With the likes of Pandya, Priyank Panchal, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Ankit Bawne in their line-up, they will like to shine with the willow. If Australians are playing hard to show their current mindset ahead of clash with Team India, India A players will be wary being under limelight. A good performance against the mighty Australians will send riveting signals to India’s camp of their bench strength.

Brief scores:

Australia 436 for 6 (Steven Smith 107 retd out, Shaun Marsh 104 retd out, Mitchell Marsh 64; Navdeep Saini 2 for 47) vs India A.