CHANDIGARH: After being outplayed for the better part of the first two days, there was some consolation for the Board President's XI on Tuesday, with their bowlers coming good and Ajinkya Rahane hitting a fluent ton as the three-day tour game against Australia ended in a draw.
However, Australia more then served their purpose of getting a feel of conditions ahead of the first Test, with Shane Watson getting centuries in both innings, the top order firing in unison and the faster bowlers too getting into rhythm.
India opener Gautam Gambhir, who was hit on his wrist by a rising Ben Hilfenhaus bouncer on Sunday, did not take the field, raising doubts over his fitness. However, the doctor attending him here said it was just a precautionary measure and there was nothing to worry about.
In the morning, Australian seamer Ben Hilfenhaus scalped 5-47 to skittle BP XI out for a paltry 177. Gambhir's men could only add 34 runs to their overnight total before the Aussie pacers ran through the tail. Piyush Chawla's brisk 82 (103b; 10x4, 3x6) was the only saving grace in their effort.
Batting second, Australia couldn't quite make use of the time they earned by dismissing BP XI cheaply. Promoting himself to open with Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting (9) struck two crisp bounderies before mistiming a pull shot off Jaidev Unadkat to Umesh Yadav at square leg. After their poor show in the first innings, the Indian bowlers came up with an improved performance, not allowing the Australian batsmen to score freely.
However, Shane Watson continued his good form and slammed his second century of the match. The Queenslander clobbered an unbeaten 104 (121b; 18x4) which should give the Indians enough reason to worry.
Piyush Chawla finally extracted good turn from the flat turf to scalp 3-64 while Pragyan Ojha, Jaidev Unadkat and Umesh Yadav picked up one wicket each as the visitors declared at 187/6. Chasing an improbable target of 516 runs in 41 overs, BP XI scored 174 without losing any wicket as Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara frustrated the Australian bowlers.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan (5) retired hurt after a Hilfenhaus bouncer hit him close to his ear, but thereafter Rahane and Pujara stitched 165 runs together as the Aussie bowlers failed to repeat their first-innings performance. Rahane remained unbeaten on a classy 113 (141b; 18x4, 1x6), clobbering the Aussie spinners, while Pujara justified his selection in the Test squad by scoring 52 with the help of nine boundaries.
Brief scores: Australians 505/8 decl (Watson 115, Katich 104 retd*, North 124 retd*) and 187/6 decl (Watson 104*, Chawla 3-64) drew with Board President's XI 177 (Chawla 82, Hilfenhaus 5-47) and 174 for 0 (Rahane 113*, Pujara 52*)
TOI
However, Australia more then served their purpose of getting a feel of conditions ahead of the first Test, with Shane Watson getting centuries in both innings, the top order firing in unison and the faster bowlers too getting into rhythm.
India opener Gautam Gambhir, who was hit on his wrist by a rising Ben Hilfenhaus bouncer on Sunday, did not take the field, raising doubts over his fitness. However, the doctor attending him here said it was just a precautionary measure and there was nothing to worry about.
In the morning, Australian seamer Ben Hilfenhaus scalped 5-47 to skittle BP XI out for a paltry 177. Gambhir's men could only add 34 runs to their overnight total before the Aussie pacers ran through the tail. Piyush Chawla's brisk 82 (103b; 10x4, 3x6) was the only saving grace in their effort.
Batting second, Australia couldn't quite make use of the time they earned by dismissing BP XI cheaply. Promoting himself to open with Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting (9) struck two crisp bounderies before mistiming a pull shot off Jaidev Unadkat to Umesh Yadav at square leg. After their poor show in the first innings, the Indian bowlers came up with an improved performance, not allowing the Australian batsmen to score freely.
However, Shane Watson continued his good form and slammed his second century of the match. The Queenslander clobbered an unbeaten 104 (121b; 18x4) which should give the Indians enough reason to worry.
Piyush Chawla finally extracted good turn from the flat turf to scalp 3-64 while Pragyan Ojha, Jaidev Unadkat and Umesh Yadav picked up one wicket each as the visitors declared at 187/6. Chasing an improbable target of 516 runs in 41 overs, BP XI scored 174 without losing any wicket as Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara frustrated the Australian bowlers.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan (5) retired hurt after a Hilfenhaus bouncer hit him close to his ear, but thereafter Rahane and Pujara stitched 165 runs together as the Aussie bowlers failed to repeat their first-innings performance. Rahane remained unbeaten on a classy 113 (141b; 18x4, 1x6), clobbering the Aussie spinners, while Pujara justified his selection in the Test squad by scoring 52 with the help of nine boundaries.
Brief scores: Australians 505/8 decl (Watson 115, Katich 104 retd*, North 124 retd*) and 187/6 decl (Watson 104*, Chawla 3-64) drew with Board President's XI 177 (Chawla 82, Hilfenhaus 5-47) and 174 for 0 (Rahane 113*, Pujara 52*)
TOI
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