Australia A win tri series with a flourish

Chennai, Sep 26 (UNI) India A batsmen put up a pathetic show collapsing for 147 while chasing a 303-run target enabling Australia-A to emerge the victor in the ODI Tri Series final at the M A Chidambaram Stadium here today.

The Aussies, for whom fast bowlers Mark Cameroon (1-21), Ashley Noffice (2-31) andDavid Hussey(2-14) struck vital blows, won with 28 overs to spare.

Australian pace bowler Shane Tait triggered the collapse of the India A innings when he had opener Dinesh Karthick castled with a yorker for a duck.

After this, none of the India A batsmen put up a brave show barring Rohit Sharma who top scored with 46 runs off 37 balls with six fours and a six. His 40-run stand with Wriddhiman Saha for the seventh wicket in six overs was the only high point in the innings. But that proved to be of no avail.

India A's top batsman Robin Uthappa, afer an initial flourish, fell for 11, Suresh Raina, the skipper, for 9 off 32 balls and Yusuf Pathan for 1. Ifran Pathan made 11 off 15 balls.

Wriddhiman Saha remained not out on 27 off 59 balls with one four. India A's pathetic batting display disappointed a crowd of 15000, mostly youth who came in to watch the game much to the surprise of the host TNCA.

By the time Yusuf got out in the 12th over, they hod started leaving the stadium.

Earlier, when India A's reply began chasing a formidable target, the game was held up for 15 minutes after the first ball was bowled by Shaun Tait as the youngsters in one of the stands started throwing orange peels and a water bottle towards an Aussie fielder at third man fence.

The only other bright spots in India A's innings were a 27-run stand between Raobin Uthappa and Ravi Teja for the third wicket and a 29-run stand for the fifth wicket between Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina.

New Zealand ,the third team in the Tri series failed to qualify for the final.However, India A and New Zealand A will next play two four- day unofficial tests from September 28 to October 2 and October 3 to 6.

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