India A strengthened its grip on the one-off unofficial Test against Australia A after amassing a dominant 322-run lead at the end of day 2 at the IS Bindra Cricket Stadium in MohaliI on Wednesday.
The host added just 13 runs to its overnight score of 351/9 but followed up with a stellar show with the ball, with Australia folding for just 176 in response. An imperious six-wicket haul by Vaishnavi Sharma proved to be the visitors’ undoing, with the last five wickets falling for just 28 runs.
Rachael Trenaman and Tahlia Wilson stitched a 66-run opening stand.
Nikki Prasad accounted for both of them, first leaving Wilson’s stumps in disarray before trapping Trenaman leg before.Vaishnavi then proceeded to maul through the middle and lower order, with Shuchi Upadhyay chipping in with two wickets to leave Australia 188 runs short after the first innings.
Vaishnavi’s six-fer is the latest addition to a run of commendable performances in this A tour. The left-arm spinner took two wickets in the lone T20 fixture she played and took eight wickets across three one-day fixtures, taking more than three wickets on two occasions.
India closed the day on 134 for 2, Lilly Mills having dismissed openers Priya Punia (59 off 77 balls) and Shubha Satheesh (27 off 50 balls). Priya fell off the final ball of the day when stumps were called. Skipper Yastika Bhatia is unbeaten on 33 off 40 balls and will hope to build on the 322-run lead the host amassed by the end of day’s play.
