India vs Australia 2020-21: Shami and Saini send Aussies packing for 108 on Day 1 of warm-up
Team India is taking on Australia A in a three-day day-night warm-up clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The visitors are coming off a competitive 1-2 loss in the One-Day Internationals, but turned things around in the Twenty20 Internationals, winning 2-1.
In what has turned out to be a thrilling warm-up clash, visitors India have come up with a strong bowling performance to rattle the Australians on Day 1 of the day-night tie at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Friday. While India were bundled for 194 initially, Australia succumbed and were bowled out for mere 108.
Winning the toss, Indian skipper Ajinkya Rahane elected to bat first, as they were off to a strong start. However, it was pacers Sean Abbott and Jack Wildermuth, whose three-wicket hauls each allowed Australia to bundle the Indians for a paltry score of 192. At the same time, Jasprit Bumrah's knock of an unbeaten 55 was praiseworthy.
As for the Australians, they began their innings on a shaky note, losing opener Joe Burns for an unfortunate duck to seamer Mohammed Shami at the score of six. It was followed by a 40-run stand between fellow opener Marcus Harris and Nic Maddinson before the former departed for 26 to Shami, along with Ben McDermott, who fell for an unfortunate duck to the same man.
It was skipper Alex Carey, who then played a brave knock of 32. However, in due course, his side lost Maddinson (19), Sean Abbott (0) and Wildermuth (12) in quick successions.
Reeling at the score of 83/6, the tail-enders could hardly do enough, as they all fell in single digits, while the side was bowled out for mere 108. Among the Indian bowlers, Shami claimed 3/29, while fellow pacer Navdeep Saini was the best, claiming 3/19, as India lead by 86 runs at stumps on Day 1.
Brief scores: India 194 (Bumrah 55; Wildermuth 3/13, Abbott 3/46) lead Australia 108 (Carey 32; Saini 3/19, Shami 3/29) by 86 runs.