CHENNAI, Sept 12: Australia warmed up for the limited-overs series against India in style by crushing Board President�s (BP) XI by 103 runs in the lone practice match, here today.
Marcus Stoinis hammered a 60-ball 76 to build on half centuries by Travis Head (65), David Warner (64) and captain Steve Smith (55) to power the visitors to a formidable 347 for 7 after winning the toss and electing to bat.
Young all-rounder Washington Sundar impressed with the ball for India, picking up 2 wickets for 23 in his eight overs.
In reply, young left-arm spinner Ashton Agar returned with figures of 4 for 44 as Australia bowled out BP XI for 244 in 48.2 overs.
The home team, consisting mostly of rookies, was never in the hunt despite a 79-run partnership for the second wicket between opener Shreevats Goswami (43) and Mayank Agarwal (42).
After the early exit of opener Rahul Tripathi (7), Goswami and Agarwal struggled to force the pace against some accurate bowling from the Australians.
The duo took 15 overs to add 79 runs as the required run-rate kept climbing.
Agarwal, who was dropped early in his innings by Glenn Maxwell, fell for 42 while going for a big hit against leg- spinner Adam Zampa, caught in the deep by Warner.
The BP XI�s innings floundered after Agarwal�s exit as wickets kept falling at regular intervals.
Goswami followed soon, bowled by Stoinis.
Nitish Rana, who had a good IPL season for Mumbai Indians, showed some sense of urgency and struck three fours but was run-out in a mix-up with captain Gurkeerat Mann.
Shivam Chaudhary, Mann, Govind Poddar and Sundar were dismissed in the space of 18 runs as Australia took hold over the game.
SCORECARD
Australia: David Warner c Goswami b Patel 64, Hilton Cartwright c Mann b Avesh Khan 0, Steven Smith c Mann b Sundar 55, Travis Head c Sandeep Sharma b Karnewar 65, Glenn Maxwell c & b Sundar 14, Marcus Stoinis c Tripathi b Khejroliya 76, Matthew Wade b Patel 45, James Faulkner not out 8, Ashton Agar not out 8. Extras: (NB-1, W-3, B-0, LB-8) 12. Total: (for 7 wickets in 50 overs) 347. Bowler: Sandeep Sharma 6-1-46-0, Avesh Khan 6-0-40-1, Kulwant Khejroliya 5-0-37-1, KD Patel 6-0-58-2, Washington Sundar 8-1-23-2, Rahil Shah 7-0-32-0, AK Karnewar 6-0-59-1, Gurkeerat Mann 6-0-44-0.
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-106, 3-134, 4-158, 5-246, 6-331, 7-331.
Board President�s XI: Shreevats Goswami b Stoinis 43, Rahul Tripathi c Wade b Richardson 7, Mayank Agarwal c Warner b Zampa 42, Nitish Rana run out Smith 19, Gurkeerat Mann c Faulkner b Agar 27, Shivam Chaudhary c Wade b Agar 4, Washington Sundar c Agar b Richardson 11, Govinda Poddar c Smith b Agar 0, AK Karnewar c Maxwell b Faulkner 40, KD Patel not out 41, Rahil Shah c Cartwright b Agar 3. Extras: (NB-1, W-4, B-0, LB-2) 7. Total: (all out in 48.2 overs) 244. Bowler: Nathan Coulter-Nile 7-1-16-0, Kane Richardson 6-0-36-2, Travis Head 4-0-24-0, James Faulkner 7-0-35-1, Adam Zampa 8-0-59-1, Marcus Stoinis 4-0-13-1, Ashton Agar 8.2-1-44-4, Pat Cummins 4-0-15-0. Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-89, 3-102 , 4-130, 5-143, 6-148, 7-148, 8-156, 9-222, 10-244. � PTI
