Rain cut short Day 1 of the multi-day red-ball game with India A 93/5. On Day 2, a superb rescue act from Raghvi Bist (93) with support from VJ Joshitha (51) pushed India to 299. India then hit back with the ball to leave Australia A 158/5 overnight.
Australia A 1st innings – Faltum & Ginger turn 108/5 into 305
Resuming at 158/5, Australia A were steadied by Nicole Faltum’s 54 (91) and Sianna Ginger’s 103 off 138, the backbone of the reply—and a gritty lower-order effort.
Together with Faltum, Ginger added 102 for the sixth wicket (from 108/5 to 210/6), before Ginger stitched handy stands with the tail: 44 with Maitlan Brown (22 off 32), and 41 with Amy Edgar (13 off 20). Australia A were eventually all out for 305 in 76.2 overs, a lead of 6.
India A’s wickets were shared: Saima Thakor 3/31 (10.2), Radha Yadav 2/68 (24), Minnu Mani 2/110 (20), Titas Sadhu 1/39 (12) and Tanusree Sarkar 1/0 (1).
India A 2nd innings – Bist and Shafali set the tempo, Edgar hits back
With a 6-run deficit, Shafali Verma launched the reply with a brisk 52 (58), striking 2 fours and 2 sixes. After Nandini Kashyap (12) and Dhara Gujjar (20), Shafali’s counterpunch took India to 115/3. From there, Raghvi Bist—doubling down on her Day-2 heroics—crafted a polished 86 (119) which included 13 fours.
She built stands of 25 with Tejal Hasabnis (39) and a pivotal 68 with Tanusree Sarkar (25) to push the lead beyond 200. Late in the day, Australia A struck in clusters: Minnu Mani (0) and Radha Yadav (10) departed, and Bist finally fell at 249/8.
By stumps, India A were 260/8 in 73 overs, a lead of 254 with VJ Joshitha (9* off 32) and Titas Sadhu (2* off 22) unbeaten.
Australia A’s bowling was led by Amy Edgar, who produced a classy four-for (4/53); Georgia Prestwidge claimed two (2/42), while Sianna Ginger (1/21) and Maitlan Brown (1/22) picked up one each.
From 93/5 on a soggy Day 1 to a commanding lead by the end of Day 3, India A have owned the turnaround—first through Bist’s twin masterpieces and then with disciplined bowling and timely counterattacks.
With 254 in the bank and two wickets intact, they hold the aces heading into Day 4, while Australia A will look to strike early and keep the chase within reach.
