Ojha stars again in India A’s draw Down Under

Brisbane, July 9:

The first of the two four-day matches between India A and Australia A ended in a draw after the visitors finished at 285/5 in their second innings on the last day of the game at the Allan Border Field here Wednesday.

Australia A resumed play at 522/9 and were dismissed for 534 in their first innings, in reply to India A’s first innings total of 475/9 dec.

Naman Ojha, who scored a brilliant 219 not out in the first innings, scored another unbeaten century along with Ambati Rayudu, who hit his 15th first class hundred, to see off any threat from the Australian bowlers.

The hosts put on another 12 runs in the first 2.1 overs of the morning before Cameron Boyce was caught behind for 27, following Tuesday’s record-breaking 371-run stand between Mitchell Marsh (211) and Sam Whiteman (174). Boyce’s wicket gave pacer Jasprit Bumrah his third five-wicket haul of his first class career (5/132 from 40.1 overs).

The Aussies needed to get early wickets if a result on the fourth and last day was expected and Whiteman provided the first spark, taking a spectacular catch to dismiss Robin Uthappa (15) off the bowling of Ben Cutting (1/50).

Another great piece of keeping down leg-side from Whiteman sent Jiwanjot Singh on his way for 19 as Moises Henriques (1/11) continued his tidy bowling performance.

A good first session by Australia A was capped with a third wicket. Chadd Sayers trapped captain Manoj Tiwary in front of the wicket for a duck and India A went to lunch at 64/3.

Sayers (3/48) struck again straight after lunch with the two quick wickets of Karun Nair (5) and Lokesh Rahul (34) to put the visitors in trouble at 86/5.

But first-innings double centurion Naman Ojha (101 not out) and Rayudu (100 not out) dug in for the visitors, putting on an unbeaten 199-run sixth wicket partnership.

India A finished at 285/5 as Rayudu brought up his century with consecutive sixes before play was called off and the match was declared a draw.

The second and the final four-day match will be played at the same venue between July 13-16.

(IANS)