McSweeney's Career-Best 123 Powers Australia A to 125-Run Rout of India A

Australia A opened their one-day series in India with a statement performance, brushing aside India A by 125 runs in the first unofficial ODI at the Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Ground on Tuesday.

Put in to bat, the tourists wobbled early, slumping to 30 for 3 as Yash Thakur ripped out the top order. Trouble deepened at 87 for 5 before Nathan McSweeney and captain Will Sutherland turned the innings around with a 141-run stand. McSweeney finished with a superb 123 off 135 balls — his second List A century and a career best — while Sutherland smashed 77 from just 68 deliveries, including four sixes, three of them back-to-back off Anukul Roy. Suryansh Shedge's 4 for 40 dragged India A back in late, but Australia A still reached 274 all out.

The chase never got started. Twenty-one-year-old quick Mahli Beardman, bowling at 140kph-plus, ripped through the top order to leave India A reeling at 24 for 3 inside four overs, removing Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal and Prabhsimran Singh. Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad fell to Spencer Johnson, and though Rajat Patidar struck a lone 53, India A were bowled out for 149 in 31.4 overs. Beardman finished with career-best figures of 4 for 23, while Spencer Johnson took 2 for 36.

The second match of the three-game series is scheduled for October 9 in Puducherry.