Australia A 54 for 2 trail India A 162 (Jurel 80, Neser 4-27, Webster 3-19) by 108 runs
Dhruv Jurel proved he could be picked as a middle-order batter in Australia with an outstanding 80 while KL Rahul and Nathan McSweeney’s hopes of playing in the first Test as openers for their respective countries were dented on a day of rich storylines at the MCG where the seam bowlers dominated.
Australia’s Test back-up seamer Michael Neser was a key part of the drama, ripping through India A’s top order taking 4 for 27, including two in the first over of the day, to help bowl them out for just 161. But he limped off with a hamstring injury and has been ruled out of bowling again in the match.
Rahul wasn’t one of Neser’s victims but he fell for just 4 in the second over of the day to Scott Boland. Fellow Test hopeful Abhimanyu Easwaran was Neser’s first scalp in the opening over of the day for a duck.
But Jurel, who like Rahul had been flown in at short notice to play for India A, showed he has the game and the temperament to handle high-quality seam bowling in Australian conditions making a classy 80 after walking out to bat at 11 for 4 in the third over.
Later in the afternoon, all eyes were on McSweeney in Australia A’s reply as he opened for the first time in his first-class career with a Test spot on the line. And while he started brightly with a crisp pull shot off Khaleel Ahmed, he was caught at second slip for just 14, squared up on the back foot pushing at a good delivery from Mukesh Kumar that a more experienced opener might have left.
Marcus Harris, meanwhile, proved why the Australia selectors believe he is the most reliable opening option of those in the mix, surviving a tricky 17.1 overs under lights to finish unbeaten on 26 before rain ended the day early with Australia A 53 for 2.
It was carnage for India A’s top order on the opening morning. After being sent in on a green, bouncy pitch, they slumped to 65 for 5 at lunch with Neser claiming 4 for 16 from eight overs including a double-wicket maiden in the opening over of the day.
As expected, Rahul opened the batting but watched from the non-striker’s as Neser had Abhimanyu caught in the gully. He was squared up trying to defend off the back foot to a rising delivery that was not express pace but it seamed and bounced to catch the shoulder of the bat.
Next ball, Sai Sudharsan, fresh off a century in Mackay, was caught at second slip in a similar manner. He was squared up on the crease and unsure whether to play or leave a ball that rose across him. Again, it wasn’t express pace but rather bounce and seam movement that caused him to run it off the face of the bat to slip.
Rahul then took strike to another of Australia’s reserve Test quicks in Boland. He got off the mark with a lovely on-drive first ball but three balls later Boland pulled the length back a touch, angled into off and seamed away to catch the edge and send Rahul on his way for four.
Neser then bowled a peach to Ruturaj Gaikwad. From wider of the crease he angled into off, the right-hander had to play, it seamed away late to take the edge and Cameron Bancroft took his second catch at second slip diving forward.
Jurel and Devdutt Padikkal steadied in the face some high-quality seam bowling. When Neser and Boland were given a rest they were not under as much pressure from Nathan McAndrew and Beau Webster.
McSweeney turned back to his main pair before lunch and Neser broke the 43-run stand with another superb delivery. Bowling around the wicket to Padikkal, he pitched short and wide with the left-hander thinking a cut shot was on. The ball swerved back at him late to cramp him completely and he sliced a thick edge to Corey Rocchiccioli in the gully.
Having held firm in the first session, Jurel expanded in the second. He looked rock solid in defence and picked off the rare scoring opportunities when they presented. While his team-mates struggled to handle the bounce and seam movement, Jurel was compact and sharp on his feet. He cut and pulled well, taking on two men behind square on several occasions with great success. He never looked flustered at any stage despite watching team-mates come and go at the other end, striking six fours and two sixes in his 186-ball innings.
He found an ally briefly in fellow Test squad member Nitish Kumar Reddy. The pair shared a 39-run stand but Reddy never really settled. On 16, he skipped down the track to Webster who dug the ball in short in response. Reddy flapped a cut shot and got a thin edge to the keeper. In the same over, Tanush Kotian shouldered arms and lost his off stump. Webster had 3 for 15 when Khaleel was caught at slip as India A slumped to 119 for 8.
But Jurel shepherded Prasidh Krishna and the pair added 36 for the ninth wicket as the ball lost it’s hardness and Neser limped off. But both men holed out to spin just after tea.
Australia A had just under two hours to bat in the evening session and while conditions were easier than the morning, it was still difficult against the new ball as McSweeney found out.
Harris rode his luck. He played and missed twice in a row off Krishna with loose attempted drives outside off. He also nicked Khaleel short of a diving Jurel. But in between times he played some neat strokes including a trademark cut and a textbook off drive.
Cameron Bancroft’s shocking run of form continued adding just 3 runs to his season first-class tally of just 29 from seven innings before picking out forward square with a well-timed pull shot.