India ‘A’ collapsed to 163 all out on a turning track as left-arm spinner Jon Holland took a six-wicket haul to set up a 98-run victory for Australia A in the first unofficial Test at the Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Jon Holland

Bangalore:

Holland bagged nine wickets in the match, surpassing his previous best of 8 for 68 in the longer format of the game. In the second innings, he bagged six wickets for 81 runs.

Australia A made a brilliant comeback in the match after it had been skittled out for 243 after the devastating bowling performance by pacer Mohammed Siraj, who ended up with a career-best figures of 8 for 59 in the first innings.

The visitor then restricted India A to 274 all out in its first innings with Michael Neser and Holland, sharing seven wickets between themselves.

Though conceding 31 runs lead, Australia did well to post 292 all out in its second innings, setting a 262-run target, after Travis Head made a crucial 87 on a wearing track.

Resuming at overnight 63 for 2 on fourth and final day’s play, India ‘A’ lost wickets at regular intervals before it folded its second innings at 163.

Opener Mayank Agarwal, who was batting at overnight score of 25, scored a plucky 80. He was the only batsman who weathered Australian attack led by Holland.

At 106 for three after Ankit Bawne’s departure (25), India ‘A’ lost three quick wickets, including Srikar Bharat and Krishnappa Gowtham’s, who failed to open their accounts.

Holland and Brendan Doggett ran through the lower order batsmen by sharing four wickets among themselves, as India A slumped from 126 for 6 to 163 all out.

India A coach Rahul Dravid said that in-form batsman Ankit Bawne’s wicket was probably the turning point of the game.

“May be, Ankit’s wicket could have been the turning point. It was unfortunate that the way he got out. If Mayank and Bawne had batted a bit longer, who knows,” he told reporters at the post-match press conference.

Dravid also felt the team’s batting could have been better as except Mayank Agarwal and Ankit Bawne, no other batsmen managed to cope with the turning ball on a deteriorating pitch.

“It was not an easy wicket to bat on. Ankit (91 in first innings) and Mayank (80 in second innings) showed how to get runs. Unfortunately, not more than a couple of our guys did that. But overall, it was a good challenge and learning experience for our players,” Dravid said.

Dravid, however, praised the bowlers, especially Siraj who restricted Australia A to 243 in first innings.