Canberra, December 1 (IANS). Thanks to a dangerous spell by fast bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana (4-44), India bowled out Australian PM11 for 240 runs in 43.2 overs in a practice match played with pink ball at Manuka Oval on Sunday.
After the first day of the two-day pink ball match was washed out due to rain, India decided to bowl first in the limited overs 50-over contest. Young batsman Sam Constance shone with a century in 90 balls, which increased the pressure on Australia’s out-of-form batsman Marnus Labuschagne and new opener Nathan McSweeney, who did not do much on debut in Perth.
But Rana took four wickets in six balls to ensure India kept the PM11 score 10 runs short of 250. Opener Matthew Renshaw was out at second slip off Mohammed Siraj after scoring just five runs, and Jaden Goodwin then had Aakash Deep caught behind the wicket by the keeper, reducing PM11’s score to 22/5 in 5.5 overs. 2 done.
The match was reduced to 46-overs due to rain. But Constas looked strong with his excellent stroke-play.
Overall, he scored 107 runs off 97 balls which included 14 fours and a six and had a strike rate of 110.3, while sharing a partnership of 109 runs with Jack Clayton (40). But Rana brought India back into the match by dismissing Clayton, Ollie Davis, Jack Edwards and Sam Harper and took PM XI’s score to 138/7.
Constance found a good partner in Hanno Jacobs and the two added 67 runs for the eighth wicket. After scoring a century, Constance was eventually caught in the deep off the bowling of Akash Deep, while Jacobs was dismissed by Washington Sundar for 61 to end PM11’s innings.
–IANS
AMJ/RR
