Konstas, Bancroft and Harris fall early as McSweeney battles through difficult period for Australia A

UPDATE

The much-anticipated bat-off for the vacant Test opening position got off to a rocky start on Day 1 of the Australia A v India A match in Mackay.

In response to India A’s first innings score of 107, the home side finished on 4/99 at Stumps with several key wickets falling early in the third session before the side finished strongly.

At the start of the innings, Sam Konstas and Marcus Harris strode to the crease hoping to make a big score to put their name up in lights for Test selection.

The first wicket to fall was 19-year-old Konstas in the opening over for nought, caught behind off the bowling of Mukesh Kumar on the third ball of the innings.

That wicket brought Cameron Bancroft to the crease and he was also dismissed without scoring with the No. 3 given out caught down the leg side, although the ball appeared to come off his thigh pad.

With two fellow Test hopefuls in the sheds, Harris also couldn’t make the most of his opportunity, making his way to 17 caught in the slips off the bowling of Prasidh Krishna. The other wicket to fall for Australia A was Beau Webster on 33 from 44 delivers.

That early glut of wickets brought Nathan McSweeney to the crease, and the final contender for the vacant Test opening role made his way to a hard-fought 29 not out at Stumps from 110 deliveries.

The other not-out batsman after Day 1 is Cooper Connolly who finished on 14 from 35 balls.

Australia A return to the crease on Day 2 trailing India by eight runs.

Play begins in Mackay on the second day of the match at 11:00 am (AEDT) and 10:00 am local time.

EARLIER

Australia A has gotten off to a brilliant start in their two-match series against India A, bowling the visitors out for just 107 on Day 1 of the first match in Mackay.

While many were tuning into the match with their eyes at the top of the Aussie batting order, captain Nathan McSweeney won the toss and elected to bowl on a wicket that gave the seamers a bit of movement at Great Barrier Reef Arena.

It wasn’t the worst start for India A either, as they got to 3-70 just before the Lunch break with number three Sai Sudharsan (21) and number four Devdutt Padikkal (36) going about their work in reasonable fashion.

Unfortunately for the visitors, they fell in a heap thereafter with South Australia’s Brendan Doggett having a field day in the second session, taking five quick wickets after Lunch in a period where India A went from 4-77 to 9-86.

Doggett finished with astonishing figures of 6/15 from 11 overs - smashing his previous First Class best of 5/77, while Jordan Buckingham (2/18), Fergus O'Neill (1/29) and Todd Murphy (1/26) also got amongst the wickets.

Australia A will now head to the crease with the bat as Marcus Harris and Sam Konstas open up with their eyes on the vacant Test slot.