Manav Suthar normally ambles in diagonally earlier than floating the ball up simply sufficient to seed doubt within the batter’s thoughts. On Tuesday, although, the left-arm spinner went faster by way of the air with out dropping his chew, and it labored simply as nicely.
Suthar completed with a five-wicket haul on the opening day of the second unofficial Take a look at between India A and Australia A right here on the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, guaranteeing the visiting facet was held to 350 for 9 regardless of Nathan McSweeney’s calm 74 and Jack Edwards’ counterpunching 88 off 78 balls.
Edwards, batting at No.7, was the one one who regarded comfy in opposition to Suthar. The 25-year-old launched him over long-on for six and repeatedly employed sweeps and reverse sweeps to maintain the scoreboard ticking. He reserved his greatest for Mohammed Siraj, punishing something in his vary and racing to a fifty in 46 deliveries. Simply as 100 loomed, Edwards miscued a vanguard off Gurnoor Brar to mid-off.
For the remaining, Suthar proved a handful on the mixed-soil pitch. His first strike got here when he spun one again by way of Oliver Peake’s gate after the left-hander had impressed with six crisp boundaries in his 29. Within the very subsequent over, he had Cooper Connolly edging behind, caught in two minds on the crease. Josh Philippe briefly countered with three boundaries in a single over however was undone quickly after, chipping a return catch to present Suthar his third.
The spinner saved the stumps in play, and captain Dhruv Jurel’s transfer to station himself at leg slip paid off when Will Sutherland glanced straight to him. Suthar wrapped up his five-for by coaxing Corey Rocchiccioli right into a miscued reverse slog that was held at first slip.
Even McSweeney, Australia A’s skipper, was compelled into retreat in opposition to Suthar, defending stoutly and attacking the opposite bowlers as an alternative. He compiled partnerships of 86 with Sam Konstas, 46 with Peake, and 52 with Philippe earlier than falling to Brar for 74, pulling to midwicket.
Konstas, who had dominated within the earlier match, was unusually restrained for his 49 off 91 balls till Siraj discovered his outdoors edge.
Earlier, Prasidh Krishna had dismissed Campbell Kellaway cheaply and, alongside Siraj, saved the openers quiet with disciplined new-ball spells. But it surely was Suthar’s sustained risk that outlined the day, guaranteeing India A went to Stumps with the higher hand regardless of Edwards’ flourish.
Printed on Sep 23, 2025