Nathan McSweeney has become the latest Australian Test hopeful to falter in his push for the top-order vacancy, denied a half-century in Australia A’s first match with India A.
After rivals for selection Sam Konstas, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris all failed on day one, the stage appeared set for dark horse McSweeney to stake his claim in Mackay.
In at No.4, the in-form South Australia captain had anchored the innings with a patient display, building intrigue as to his potential for a shift to the top of the Test order against India.
But McSweeney lasted just less than an hour at the crease on Friday before clipping Test hopeful Nitish Kumar Reddy to gully after Cooper Connolly (37 from 60 balls) and Josh Phillippe (4) fell in quick succession.
McSweeney’s 39 runs from 131 runs was nevertheless the top score on a deck that gave both sides grief in the first innings.
Former Test spinner Todd Murphy threatened to embarrass his top-order teammates by posting the most runs for Australia, despite averaging only 14.86 in first-class cricket.
Murphy (33 from 47 balls) came in at No.9 and bludgeoned the only six of the innings over deep backward square leg as he flagged his intentions to go big at the death.
But the 23-year-old holed out to mid off to end Australia A’s innings with the hosts – 195 all out – 88 runs ahead of India A (107).
Murphy had become Mukesh Kumar’s final victim as the paceman firmed as pick of India A’s bowlers with impressive figures of 6-46.
A travelling reserve for the Border-Gavaskar trophy, Kumar set carnage in motion on day two by dismissing Connolly following the young West Australian’s positive start.
Connolly (37 from 60) had notably clubbed Test hopeful Prasidh Krishna for four on three occasions in the same over before Kumar had him caught at square leg.
