India-A must win second one-dayer in Puducherry to force decider

India-A will attempt to level the series and force a deciding one-day match when they face Australia-A in the second one-dayer at the Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Stadium on Friday; the match begins at 9 a.m. India-A were comprehensively beaten in the series opener after being bundled out for 149 while chasing a target of 275.

Chasing 275 under the lights in the first game, India-A’s top order was undone by the pace and hard lengths of Mahli Beardman. A partial recovery came through a partnership between Rajat Patidar and Nishant Sindhu, with Rajat Patidar the lone India-A batter to hit a fifty in the series opener. Despite batting deep, India-A were dismissed in the 32nd over for 149.

Australia-A reached 274 thanks to contributions from Nathan McSweeney and captain Will Sutherland, but their batters also faced difficulties when the ball reared from back-of-a-length. Bowlers from both sides found some reverse swing with the old ball towards the end of the second PowerPlay in both innings.

Beardman was the principal threat with the new-ball pace and hard lengths that unsettled India-A’s top order. Beardman told after the game that the ball was moving more prodigiously under lights so it remains to be seen if the same assistance will be available in a day game.

Spinners Nishant Sindhu, Anukul Roy and Vipraj Nigam bowled in the nets on the eve of the second match. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad will hope to rely on the trio to prise out wickets through the middle overs, the phase where India-A let the opener slip away from their grasp.

Australia-A will have areas to reflect on despite their win, having been pushed by conditions that produced uneven bounce and late movement. Both sides will confront different conditions in daylight for the next match.

The second one-dayer at the Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Stadium is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. on Friday; India-A must win that day game to force a series decider.