India A suffer narrow loss against Australia A

Brisbane: Indian bowlers' efforts at making a match of it went in vain as Australia A pulled off a three-wicket win in a tight chase on the fourth and final day of the first four-day Quadrangular A series game at the AB Field here on Sunday. Despite a delayed start to the day due to a wet outfield following heavy rain, the hosts chased down the 159-run target set by India A. Opener Cameron Bancroft top scored with an unbeaten 58 off 151 balls to seal the win for Australia. Bancroft knock was laced with half a dozen fours. Beau Webster returned to the crease today with Bancroft, scoring 30 off 87 balls, before being trapped LBW by Varun Aaron. Play was abandoned on Saturday due to rain with Australia A requiring 100 runs to secure a victory and six wickets still in hand. Earlier on day three, the hosts bowled India A out for 156 to end their second innings just before the lunch break. Australia's three pace bowlers (David Moody, Chadd Sayers and Daniel Worrall) snared three wickets each, with Mitch Swepson grabbing the other to accumulate five for the match. For India, Shardul Thakur picked up 3 wickets, while Aaron chipped in with 2 scalps. Australia A captain Peter Handscomb was named Player of the Match following his first innings performance of 87 runs off 93 balls. The second four-day match will commence at AB Field in Brisbane on Thursday. Brief Scores India A: 230 (Manish Pandey 77, Mitchell Swepson 4/78, David Moody 3/26) and 156 (Jayant Yadav 46, Daniel Worrall 3/43, Chadd Sayers 3/21, David Moody 3/64). Australia A: 228 (Joe Burns 78, Peter Handscomb 87, Varun Aaron 3/41, Jayant Yadav 3/44) and 161/7 in 57.3 overs (Cameron Bancroft 58 not out, Shardul Thakur 3/42).