Australia A made a disastrous begin within the second innings of their conflict with India A, heaping extra intrigue into the controversy about who ought to associate Usman Khawaja within the Check crew.
Opener Marcus Harris was caught behind for a golden duck after lunch on Saturday on the MCG and out-of-sorts No.3 Cameron Bancroft went the following ball, trapped lbw.
Younger gun and fellow Check hopeful Sam Konstas survived the hat-trick ball from India A opening bowler Pradish Krishna.
Chasing 168 for victory, Australia have been 4-114 late on day three, after Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney was dismissed for 25 and Oliver Davies (21) additionally made a begin however did not convert it into a giant rating.
NSW younger gun Sam Konstas is unbeaten on 45 with Tasmanian allrounder Beau Webster (19) with the house facet in sight of the victory goal of 168 with six wickets remaining.
McSweeney was elevated to the opener’s function for this recreation so Check selectors might consider him however he didn’t hearth in both innings.
Bancroft is badly off form, having scored simply 29 runs in his eight first-class innings thus far this summer time.
Harris was given out caught behind after launching right into a drive off Krishna however he was clearly unimpressed with the umpire’s resolution with replays suggesting he might have hit the bottom as a substitute of the ball.
Earlier on Saturday, lusty late-order hitting from India A meant one other alternative for the Australian Check opener candidates to impress nationwide selectors.
Resuming at 5-73, India A have been dismissed for 229, shedding their final three wickets shortly after lunch.
The favored pondering is that McSweeney will open with Khawaja for the primary Check towards India.
However he made solely 14 within the first innings, whereas Harris did no hurt to his claims for a Check recall with a prime rating of 74.
Bancroft and Konstas have been dismissed within the first innings for 3 apiece.
After 25 wickets fell on the primary two days, the MCG wicket appeared to have misplaced a few of its venom on Saturday and the India A tailenders went to work.
Marcus Harris and Nathan McSweeney put together to bat. (Picture by Darrian Traynor/Getty Photos)
No.6 Dhruv Jurel was dropped on 25 and he made the house facet pay, reaching 68 earlier than spinner Corey Rocchiccioli had him caught within the deep.
He placed on 94 for the sixth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy to make sure the match would proceed nicely into the afternoon.
Reddy made 38 earlier than Beau Webster claimed his third wicket of the innings, with the batsman caught behind making an attempt a hook shot.
Tanush Kotian (44) and Krishna (29) placed on 49 for the eighth wicket, earlier than an impressive catch by Konstas within the deep off Rocchiccioli eliminated Krishna.
Rocchiccioli took 4-74 and all-rounder Webster continued his robust type with 3-49.
© AAP
