India A 73 for five (Jurel 19*, Webster 2-14, McAndrew 2-22) lead Australia A 223 (Harris 74, Prasidh 4-50, Mukesh 3-41) by 11 runs
Harris’ innings turned increasingly spectacular the longer the day went. The 32-year-old has been arguably the main candidate for Australia’s vacant Take a look at opener’s spot however had not been capable of solidify his case following a sequence of begins in his earlier 4 innings after scoring 143 and 52 within the first Sheffield Defend sport of the summer time.
Having begun the day unbeaten on 26 after seeing fellow Take a look at contender Nathan McSweeney and Cameron Bancroft fall cheaply on the opening evening, Harris watched from the non-striker’s finish as Sam Konstas, Ollie Davies and Webster all fell cheaply.
Left-armer Khaleel Ahmed pinned Konstas plumb lbw from across the wicket. Davies got here and went for a brisk 13, gifting his wicket to Krishna by holing out to midwicket, making an attempt to heave him over large on from an excellent size.
Webster nicked Mukesh to second slip to depart Australia A in serious trouble at 84 for five. However Harris remained resolute alongside Peirson. The pair needed to sit by two prolonged rain delays that had the potential to interrupt their focus.
Harris was compact, enjoying effectively beneath his eyeline with management. He didn’t attempt to over-hit the ball and solely scored one boundary on the second day, having struck 4 on the opening evening.
He did have loads of luck. After nicking one on the primary night that landed in need of wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, he survived an enormous enchantment off Tanush Kotian. Bowling from across the wicket, the offspinner pitched one outdoors leg and Harris closed the face to attempt to work it leg facet. The ball deflected to slide and India A had been satisfied it got here off the bat however umpire Michael Graham-Smith remained unmoved. The umpire believed it deflected off pad solely and Harris gestured as a lot when the India A gamers stood round him bewildered by the choice.
He picked up his scoring shortly after reaching 50, with Nitish Kumar Reddy not fairly as frugal as the opposite three quicks along with his lengths and contours.
Peirson additionally performed with positivity, hanging 5 boundaries in his 30 together with a superb reverse sweep in opposition to the offspinner. However Krishna returned to interrupt the partnership and proceed his spectacular tour. He had Peirson caught behind off the underside edge as he tried to tug a again of a size ball from outdoors off.
Shortly after, Harris sparred at one he should not have, pushing effectively away from his physique to edge behind. His detractors will be aware it was one other instance of his propensity for making begins with out kicking onto massive scores however undoubtedly the selectors will maintain this 74 as worthy of a three-figure rating giving how troublesome batting has been.
However Rocchiccioli and McAndrew produced a superb and entertaining 56-run final wicket stand in lower than 9 overs that might show the distinction within the sport.
Rocchiccioli, clearly stung by batting under Boland within the line-up, performed some outrageous pictures in his 28-ball 35. He shovelled a ball over the keeper’s head and he launched two huge sixes off Krishna and Kotian. McAndrew performed properly too, including an unbeaten 26 earlier than Rocchiccioli lastly nicked one at hand Mukesh his third for the innings.
India A’s second began solidly in opposition to the brand new ball regardless of the pitch nonetheless providing loads for the seamers. They reached 25 with out loss earlier than Abhimanyu Easwaran sliced a catch to the gully off McAndrew. That set in movement a collapse the place India A misplaced 5 for 31.
Sai Sudharsan edged Webster to second slip the place Bancroft held a wonderful low catch. Ruturaj Gaikwad seemed in good contact earlier than lacking a supply from McAndrew that nipped in and thundered into his pad. The umpire gave him lbw. The road was not a difficulty however Gaikwad might need questioned concerning the peak as he paused earlier than departing.
Rahul had nobody in charge however himself. Rocchiccioli’s first ball of the day was an innocuous off break that was taking place leg. There was a brief leg in place which brought about Rahul to withdraw from enjoying a shot. However he didn’t have his pads collectively as he tried to kick it away. It sneaked by the small hole in his thighs and ricocheted onto the stumps. Rahul’s returns of 4 and 10 for the match weren’t what India’s selectors would have hoped for having despatched him to play on this sport forward of a doable recall within the first Take a look at in Perth as a substitute for Rohit Sharma.
Webster struck once more within the shadows as Devdutt Padikkal’s 19-ball keep ended with only one run when he nicked the allrounder to first slip.
It was left to Jurel once more to carry the innings collectively as he and Reddy noticed India A to stumps.
Alex Malcolm is an affiliate editor at ESPNcricinfo