1st Warm-Up: Umesh, Ashwin make their case, Green ton takes Aus A to 286/8
Sydney, Dec 7: Senior pros Umesh Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin staked strong claims to be included in India's playing XI for the first Test with impressive performances against Australia A, which scored 286 for 8 on the second day, riding on Cameron Green's unbeaten century.
Australia now have a 39-run lead after India A declared their innings at 247 for 9 in the first hour of the second day, with skipper Ajinkya Rahane remaining unbeaten on 117.
With Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah being automatic choices, Umesh (18-3-44-3), fighting for third pacer's slot, certainly looked more penetrative compared to Mohammed Siraj (19-4-71-2) with the new ball.
The 'Vidarbha Express' removed both rival Test team openers Will Pucovski (1) and Joe Burns (4) in his third and fourth over with the new ball to make initial inroads.
Ashwin (19-2-58-2) also did his Test chances no harm as he reminded old timers of Australian off-spinner of 80's Greg Mathews (hero of 'Madras' tied Test) bowling with his cap on.
Only that Mathews was protecting himself from Chennai heat while Ashwin was reluctant to give it to fellow fielders.
For Australia A, the giant all-rounder Green continued his rich vein of Sheffield Shield form with an unbeaten 114 off 173 that had 10 fours and a six.
He showed good temperament against the Indian attack while adding 104 runs for the sixth wicket with his national skipper Tim Paine (44) after being reduced to 98 for 5.
Another 49 for the eighth wicket with paceman Michael Neser (33) ensured that Australia A recovered well from a batting collapse.
India started well with the new ball as Umesh maintained a good channel outside off-stump as Pucovski trying to cut a back-of length delivery gave a simple catch to Shubman Gill at point.
Burns edged one that moved a shade away to wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha behind the stumps.
Skipper Travis Head (18) and Marcus Harris (35) then added 55 runs to steady the innings before Siraj got into the act, cleaning up the Australia A skipper in the 21st over.
Siraj, who is also trying to seal a place in the Tests, troubled Harris (35) a lot with semi-new ball before Ashwin ended his stay with Rahane snapping one in the slip cordon.
The experienced off-spinner was again in action in the 31st over when he trapped Nic Maddinson (23) with a delivery that kept straight.
Green and Tim Paine then scripted another recovery act to take Australia A to 186 for 5 at tea.
After the break, Umesh peppered Paine with bouncers with one hitting him on the helmet. The strategy worked as Paine pulled one only to be brilliantly caught by Prithvi Shaw at backward square leg, ending their 104-run stand.
Siraj then got his second scalp in the 67th over, removing James Pattinson (3) but Michael Neser (33) frustrated India A before being run-out in 80th over.
Green, who was dropped on 24 by Hanuma Vihari in second slip and then on 78 by Wriddhiman Saha, completed his hundred with a four in the 81st over.
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Seven killed, three injured in separate road accidents in UP
Mainpuri/Muzaffarnagar/Deoria (UP) (PTI): Seven people were killed and three others injured in separate road accidents in Mainpuri, Muzaffarnagar and Deoria districts of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Wednesday.
All incidents took place on Tuesday night.
In Mainpuri, three persons, including a couple, were killed near the Shitala Devi Temple on Devi Road under Kotwali police circle when a pickup vehicle hit a motorcycle head-on, Superintendent of Police Ganesh Saha said.
The victims, Dharmendra Singh (50), his wife Baby (48), both residents of Ferozabad, and Sanjay Singh (40) of Tavepur village, were on the two-wheeler and were on their way to attend the cremation of a relative when the incident took place.
According to police, the pickup and a Wagon R car were attempting to overtake each other when the former went out of control and rammed into the motorcycle, killing all three riders on the spot. Police rushed to the scene and sent the bodies for post-mortem examination, Saha added.
In Muzaffarnagar's Charthawal town, a 30-year-old woman, identified as Imrana, was killed while another woman was injured after a speeding car hit them on Rajbaha Road.
Circle Officer Ravishankar said the victims were walking when the car struck them, throwing Imrana into a canal. She was declared dead by the doctors.
Following the incident, villagers staged a protest demanding action against the driver, who fled the spot without the vehicle. Police said efforts are underway to trace and arrest the accused.
In another incident in Deoria district, three persons were killed, and two others seriously injured when a car crashed into a tree in the Baghochghat area late Tuesday night, police said.
The accident occurred near Haji Market when a Bihar-registered Swift car coming from Pakaha went out of control and rammed into a roadside tree, leaving the vehicle badly mangled.
Police said five people were travelling in the car. Three of them died on the spot, while two injured persons were admitted to Maharshi Devaraha Baba Medical College in Deoria.
The deceased have been identified as Karan Kushwaha, a resident of Gopalganj district in Bihar, and Pintu Kumar of Dulharpur village under Phulwaria police station. The identity of the third deceased is yet to be established.
The injured have been identified as Govind Kushwaha (18) of Sisai village in Kushinagar and Bhola Srivastava alias Sonu (22). Police said the occupants had visited a relative's place in Kushinagar and were returning after attending a wedding function when the accident occurred.
Station House Officer Anil Tiwari said police had to use a gas cutter to rescue the victims trapped inside the vehicle.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, and further legal proceedings are underway, he added.
