India A vs Australia A 1st Unofficial Match: The first unofficial Test between India A and Australia A ended in a draw at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Friday, September 19.
Both teams put up a remarkable show, and Australia scored 56/0 in their second innings on the fourth day of the match before the game ended. Both the openers, Sam Konstas (27) and Campbell Kellaway (24), remained unbeaten.
After opting to bat first, Australia A posted a mammoth total of 532/6 in their first innings in 98 overs before declaring. Konstas (109) and Josh Philippe smashed magnificent centuries. Philippe remained unbeaten on 123 runs in 87 balls, hitting 18 fours and four sixes. Kellaway, on the other hand, played an impactful knock of 88 runs, whereas Liam Scott scored 81 runs.
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For India A, Harsh Dubey was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, whereas Gurnoon Brar found a couple of scalps.
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In reply, the hosts also produced a batting masterclass. The top order impressed with a promising start as Abhimanyu Easwaran (44), N Jagadeesan (64) and Sai Sudharsan (73) came up with commendable efforts before Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel ended up their respective centuries. Padikkal was the top run-getter with a 150-run knock in 281 balls, hitting 14 fours and a six, whereas Jurel scored 140 runs.
Corey Rocchiccioli picked up three wickets for the visitors while Fergus O Neill, Xavier Bartlett, Liam Scott and Cooper Connolly took a wicket each.
The two teams will now square off in the second unofficial Test, which will start on September 23 at the same venue.
India A vs Australia A Playing XIs, 1st Unofficial Test
India A: Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, N Jagadeesan, Shreyas Iyer (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Tanush Kotian, Harsh Dubey, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar
Australia A: Sam Konstas, Campbell Kellaway, Nathan McSweeney (c), Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe (wk), Cooper Connolly, Liam Scott, Xavier Bartlett, Fergus O Neill, Corey Rocchiccioli, Todd Murphy
