India A suffer huge eight-wicket loss against Australia A

India A suffered a humiliating eight-wicket defeat against Australia A in the second match of the Quadrangular A-Team One-Day Series at the Tony Ireland stadium on Sunday. The most disheartening thing for the Indians were that they were bowled out for a mere 55 runs after just 15.4 overs. For the visitors only all-rounder Axar Patel was able to get into double figures, as he top scored with 15.

With the Indians being bowled out for only 55 it was a just a matter of time before Australia reached the target. Though they lost Marcus Stoinis (19) and Chris Lynn (0) early, the hosts got over the line in 17.1 overs.For India, Yuzvendra Chahal and Axar grabbed a wicket each returning figures of 1/17 and 1/8 respectively.

Kurtis Patterson and Marcus Stoinis had opened the batting for the Aussies. They got off to a steady start with the Indian bowlers failing to make early inroads. The stand lasted for 37 runs and then Chahal got one to sneak through Stoinis’(19) defence in the 9th over.Axar raised a few Indian hopes by getting rid of captain Lynn but Peter Handscomb (11) and Patterson (23) made sure Australia got to the target without further setbacks.

Earlier, fast bowler Chris Tremain wrecked havoc within the Indian batting order with his pace and swing. In the third over he sent Karun Nair (7), Mandeep Singh (0) and Manish Pandey (0) packing with India tottering at 10/3. There was no looking back for India after such a disastrous start and Tremain was in no mood to let the visitors go off the hook too. In his next over, the pacer got rid of opener Faiz Fazal (3) and then castled youngster Sanju Samson (4).

Next, it was Daniel Worrall’s turn to feast on wickets. The right-arm pacer first sent back Kedar Jadhav (3) and then cleaned up the tail in quick time.Tremain finished with figures of 5/25 from his seven whereas Worall’s figures read: 7.4-1-26-4. The only remaining wicket was pocketed Michael Neser who got Axar out.

India A are presently bottom on the points table with one loss from a game and a run-rate of -2.162. Australia A are the number one placed team followed by National Performance Squad.India have two days time to rectify their mistakes as they lock horns with South Africa on August 17 at this very venue.