Usman Khawaja, Joe Burns Power Australia A to Emphatic Win vs South Africa A
Chasing 172 for a win, Usman Khawaja and Joe Burns struck a fifty each to help Australia A thrash South Africa A in the first match of the tri-series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Follow highlights here.
In-form Usman Khawaja leads Australia A to a crushing nine-wicket win overs South Africa A in the tri-series opener. Follow highlights here:
* That's it! Australia A post a comfortable victory over South Africa A in the first match of the tri-series. Usman Khawaja (73) and Joe Burns (63 not out) helped the Aussies flatten Saffers by nine wickets.
* Khawaja (73) falls to Viljoen. Australia A (142/1) need 30 more runs to win off 23.4 overs.
© AFP
* FIFTY! Captain Usman Khawaja reaches his fifty. Australia A are 104/0 in 18 overs. They require another 68 to win.
* Australia A are 70/0 in 11.4 overs chasing 172 vs the Proteas. Khawaja 36 no, Burns 29 no
* Australia A openers Khawaja and Burns solid - 48/0 in 7.1 overs, chasing 172.
* South Africa are 171 all out after Coulter-Nile takes three wickets and Agar finished with two wickets.
* Agar picked his second wicket - SA 'A' are struggling at 162/8 after 45 overs.
* Coulter-Nile picked his third wicket, removing Viljoen (4) and South Africa A are 159/7 after 43 overs.
* Villas (8) falls to Coulter-Nile and SA 'A' 141/5 in 38.1 overs. Wayne Parnell out in the middle now and he would look to hit some big ones in the slog overs.
* Sean Abbott removes Cody Chetty for 8 and SA 'A' are 117/4 in 30.2 overs.
* South Africa jolted again with Ashton Agar removing a well-settled Hendricks for 43 off 64 balls. South Africa A are 105/3 in 25.1 overs.
© BCCI
* Boyce strikes again to remove de Bruyn for 17 and SA 'A' are 102/2 in 24.4 overs against the Proteas
* Hendricks and de Bruyn look solid but fail to accelerate against a disciplined Aussie attack.
* Elgar (28) c Pattinson b Boyce. South Africa A 73/1 in 14.4 overs.
* Dean Elgar and Reeza Hendricks get South Africa A off to a solid start after opting to bat first in Chennai
The Aussies have been generally poor travlers to the sub-continent - their senior team was whitewashed 4-0 in a Test series in India in 2013 and their batsmen were found wanting against quality spinners on turning tracks. But this bunch of Baggy Greens have been very impressive and got the better of an India A side that had the likes of Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Lokesh Rahul in the side. Australia A drew the first match and then defeated India A by 10 wickets in the second.
Australia A batsman Callum Ferguson has said the new generation of cricketers emerging out of Australia will learn to play spin better in the future due to hybrid pitches prepared by Cricket Australia in Brisbane. He said the team's preparation on these pitches helped Australia combat the conditions in the recent first-class games against India A in Chennai.