Cricket

Australia A emerged victorious in the four-day match against India A in Mackay, despite a controversial ball-change incident that marred the start of the final day.India A were left fuming after umpire Shawn Craig announced that the ball had been replaced due to scratches, a decision that wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan labeled as "stupid." Craig explained that the ball had been changed to prevent further damage, but Kishan's dissent earned him a report for inappropriate behavior.Despite the controversy, Australia A resumed their chase with Nathan McSweeney and Beau Webster at the crease. McSweeney, who is vying for a spot in Australia's Test squad, played a composed innings, finishing unbeaten on 88. Webster provided solid support, scoring 61 not out as the pair put on an unbroken 141-run partnership for the fourth wicket.India A's bowlers struggled to make inroads on the final morning, with Sai Sudharsan's six overs of spin proving particularly ineffective. The match ended with Australia A securing a comfortable victory, having bowled out India A for 107 and 312 in their two innings.The ball-change incident has raised questions about the umpiring decisions in the match. According to Law 41.3.4, umpires are required to award five penalty runs to the opposing side if they believe the ball has been unfairly changed. However, no such penalty was imposed in this case.Cricket Australia has been contacted for comment on the incident, which has added an unexpected layer of drama to the closing stages of the match.

Australia A, chasing 225, are on the cusp of victory against India A, needing just 86 more runs with seven wickets in hand. Nathan McSweeney, batting at No. 4, has impressed with an unbeaten 47, bolstering his case for a Test debut.Ricky Ponting, Australia's former captain, has endorsed McSweeney for the vacant opening spot in the Test line-up, citing his experience and adaptability. McSweeney has faced over 200 deliveries in the ongoing match, showcasing his ability to handle challenging conditions.Despite starts from Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, and Marcus Harris, none could convert them into substantial scores. Konstas was dismissed for 15, while Bancroft and Harris fell for 18 and 36, respectively.India A's innings ended on 312, with Sai Sudharsan scoring a century and Devdutt Padikkal contributing 88. Todd Murphy was the standout bowler for Australia A, claiming three wickets, including Sudharsan and Padikkal.Fergus O'Neill also impressed with three wickets, while Beau Webster and Murphy picked up one each. India A lost their last eight wickets for 86 runs, handing Australia A the advantage.With the second match of the series set to take place in Melbourne next week, the performance of McSweeney and the other opening contenders will be closely scrutinized as Australia seeks to finalize their Test squad.

Australia A's opening batting woes continued on the first day of their four-day match against India A in Mackay, with Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft, and Marcus Harris all failing to make a significant impact. Konstas and Bancroft were dismissed for ducks, while Harris reached 14 before being caught behind.Nathan McSweeney, batting at No. 4, provided some stability with a solid 29 off 110 balls, further fueling speculation that he could be the solution to Australia's top-order problems.India A, after being inserted by McSweeney, were bowled out for 107, thanks to a career-best 6 for 15 from South Australia quick Brendan Doggett. Doggett, who was only in the side as a second reserve, troubled the batters with his full length and accuracy.India A captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was brilliantly caught down the leg side first ball by Josh Philippe, while Jordan Buckingham removed Abhimanyu Easwaran with a lovely delivery. Sai Sudharsan made a promising start before edging behind against Doggett, who then went on to dismiss Ishan Kishan, Devdutt Padikkal, Manav Suthar, and Prasidh Krishna.Navdeep Saini (23) managed to lift the total into three figures, but India A were ultimately bowled out for a below-par score.Australia A will resume their innings on day two, trailing by eight runs. The match is being played as a warm-up for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series between Australia and India.

India A's tour of Australia commenced with a disappointing start in Mackay on Thursday. The two uncapped players selected for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, Abhimanyu Easwaran and Nitish Kumar Reddy, failed to make an impact on the opening day of their four-day match against Australia A at the Great Barrier Reef Arena.Australia A captain Alex Carey won the toss and elected to field, a decision that proved fruitful. Right-arm fast bowler Jordan Buckingham dismissed openers Easwaran and Ruturaj Gaikwad for 7 and a golden duck, respectively. Brendan Doggett then wreaked havoc on the Indian batting lineup, claiming a five-wicket haul.Easwaran, who has been picked as a backup opener for the five-Test series against Australia, failed to justify his selection. Sai Sudharsan (21) showed some promise, but Doggett ended his innings. Ishan Kishan (9), who is vying for a spot in the Indian team, also fell victim to Doggett.Devdutt Padikkal (36) provided some stability, but he witnessed the dismissal of Baba Indrajith (9) to Australia's Test off-spinner Todd Murphy. Nitish Kumar Reddy, an all-rounder selected for the Border Gavaskar Trophy, had a forgettable outing, dismissed for a six-ball duck by Doggett.Padikkal's dismissal for 36 left India A reeling at 78 for 6. Doggett continued his dominance, claiming the wickets of Manav Suthar (1) and Rajat Patidar (1). At the time of writing, India A were struggling at 86 for 8, with only two wickets remaining.The match serves as a crucial test for the Indian players hoping to impress the selectors ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The performance of Easwaran and Reddy, in particular, will be closely scrutinized.

India A's upcoming four-day match against Australia A will serve as a crucial test for three players vying for spots in the Indian Test squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.Abhimanyu Easwaran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Prasidh Krishna have all been included in the India A squad and will be eager to impress the selectors. Easwaran, in particular, is seen as a potential replacement for Rohit Sharma if the Indian captain misses any matches due to personal reasons.Easwaran has a wealth of experience in First-Class cricket, having played 99 matches and scored over 7,600 runs. He has also been part of the Indian squad in the past and has been in impressive form recently, scoring centuries in the Duleep Trophy, Irani Trophy, and Ranji Trophy.Nitish Kumar Reddy, on the other hand, has less impressive First-Class numbers but has been drafted into the squad for his all-round abilities. He is a pace-bowling all-rounder with batting being his stronger suit.Prasidh Krishna is a late addition to the India A squad and will be looking to find some rhythm after returning from injury. He has picked up just seven wickets in his last seven innings across various domestic tournaments.Other players in the India A squad who will be looking to impress include skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, top-order batter B Sai Sudharsan, pacers Yash Dayal and Navdeep Saini, and middle-order batter Devdutt Padikkal.The match against Australia A will provide these players with an opportunity to showcase their skills in Australian conditions and stake their claim for a place in the Indian Test squad.

Ishan Kishan, the explosive left-handed batter, is set to make a comeback to the India A team after being dropped from the BCCI central contracts earlier this year. Kishan's return to the domestic circuit as captain of Jharkhand has paved the way for his inclusion in the India A squad for two four-day "Tests" against Australia A and an intra-squad match with the senior team.Kishan's omission from the central contracts raised concerns about his prioritization of the Indian Premier League (IPL) over domestic cricket. However, his recent performances for Jharkhand have demonstrated his commitment to the domestic game.The two "Tests" against Australia A will be held at McKay from October 31 to November 3 and at the MCG from November 7 to 10. While the BCCI has yet to announce the official squad, Ruturaj Gaikwad or Abhimanyu Easwaran is expected to lead the side.Easwaran, who has scored four centuries in his last four first-class matches, could also be called up as a backup opener for the senior team. Skipper Rohit Sharma is set to take a break during one of the first two Tests due to personal reasons.Bengal will be represented in the India A squad by seamer Mukesh Kumar and keeper-batter Abhishek Porel. The likely squad includes:* Ruturaj Gaikwad* Abhimanyu Easwaran* Devdutt Padikkal* Sai Sudharsan* B Indrajith* Abishek Porel (wk)* Ishan Kishan (wk)* Mukesh Kumar* Ricky Bhui* Nitish Kumar Reddy* Manav Suthar* Navdeep Saini* Khaleel Ahmed* Tanush Kotian* Yash DayalKishan's return to the India A team is a testament to his talent and determination. It also highlights the importance of domestic cricket in the development of Indian players.

Teenaged batting prodigy Sam Konstas has earned a coveted opportunity to showcase his talents on the international stage, as he has been named in the Australia A squad for the upcoming red-ball series against India A. This selection marks a significant milestone in Konstas' burgeoning career, as he aims to impress the national selectors and secure a Test debut.Konstas' inclusion in the 17-man squad is a testament to his exceptional performances in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield. The 19-year-old opener lit up the domestic circuit with twin centuries against South Australia, becoming the first teenager to achieve this feat since Ricky Ponting in 1993.With allrounder Cameron Green ruled out of the summer due to injury and Steven Smith likely to move back to his preferred position at No. 4, Konstas has emerged as a potential contender for the first Test against India in Perth. The squad also includes experienced Test players Marcus Harris and Cameron Bancroft, but Matt Renshaw has been omitted.Harris has started the season strongly with a century and a half-century, while Bancroft and Renshaw have struggled in recent matches. South Australia skipper Nathan McSweeney will captain Australia A, a role he has fulfilled on several previous occasions.Allrounder Beau Webster, the reigning Shield player of the season, is also in the mix for Test selection. Fringe Test quicks Scott Boland and Michael Neser have been selected, along with Victoria quick Fergus O'Neill. Offspinners Todd Murphy and Corey Rocchiccioli are also in the squad and will be vying for a spot on Australia's Test tour of Sri Lanka early next year.Cooper Connolly, who made his ODI debut in England, is the only player named in both the ODI and Australia A squads. Josh Philippe and Jimmy Peirson will serve as wicketkeepers.The first four-day game in Mackay ends on November 3, followed by the first ODI on November 4. The second four-day game at the MCG runs from November 7-10, with the second and third ODIs scheduled for November 8 and 10.Australia's national selector, George Bailey, expressed excitement about the squad, particularly given the impressive performances in the early stages of the Sheffield Shield season. He emphasized that the selection process aimed to identify players who could contribute to the upcoming Test summer and reward strong domestic form.

Australia A emerged victorious in the four-day match against India A, securing a 45-run victory after a thrilling final day. The match marked the conclusion of India A's tour, which included three formats.On the final day, India A resumed their chase of 289 with a promising start, as Raghvi Bist and Uma Chetry forged a 79-run partnership for the seventh wicket. However, the momentum shifted when Tess Flintoff dismissed Chetry and Bist in quick succession, leaving India A reeling.Mannat Kashyap's dismissal to Maitlan Brown further dented India A's hopes, and despite a late resistance from the lower order, Australia A wrapped up the victory with Charlie Knott claiming the final wicket.Australia A's victory was built on key performances throughout the match. Georgia Voll's opening-day 71 and Kate Peterson's five-wicket haul gave them a narrow lead. Maddy Darke's second-innings century and Grace Parsons' all-round display, including 70 runs and two wickets, proved crucial."We only won by 40-something runs in the end so without those [runs] we wouldn't have got over the line," said Knott.India A's tour had been a tale of improvement, with the team performing better as the trip progressed. They lost the T20s 3-0 and the one-dayers 2-1, but showed resilience and determination in the four-day match.

India A's hopes of securing a victory in the unofficial one-off women's Test against Australia A are dwindling after the visitors faced a batting collapse in their second innings. Resuming on 164 for 7, Australia A managed to post a respectable 260, thanks to an unbeaten 105 from Maddy Darke. However, India A's chase of 289 has been severely hampered by the Australian spinners.Chasing the target, India A openers Priya Punia and Shweta Sehrawat provided a solid start with a 37-run partnership. However, the introduction of spin proved to be India A's undoing. Charli Knott, Grace Parsons, and Lilly Mills wreaked havoc, claiming six wickets between them. Punia (36) and Shubha Satheesh (45) were the only batters to offer some resistance, but their dismissals left India A reeling at 130 for 5.The visitors' hopes were further dented when Parsons dismissed Tejal Hasabnis and Tess Flintoff removed Satheesh. India A skipper Minnu Mani became the fifth wicket to fall, leaving the team in dire straits. Parsons then struck again, dismissing Sajeevan Sajana, as Australia A tightened their grip on the match.At stumps, Raghvi Bist (16) and Uma Chetry (10) were at the crease, with India A still needing 140 runs to win with four wickets in hand. The hosts will be confident of completing a victory on the fourth day, while India A face an uphill task to salvage a draw.