The Australian spinners picked up seven wickets between them, but finished with economy rates higher than four in the tour game against India A in Mumbai
ESPNcricinfo staff19-Feb-2017
ScorecardThe Australian spinners got through a heavy workload – 28.5 overs for Nathan Lyon and 24 overs for Steve O’Keefe – and picked up seven wickets between them. But there might still be some issues to address. Both men could manage only three maidens each and finished with unflattering economy rates – Lyon’s was 5.61 and O’Keefe’s 4.20.A major reason for their troubles was Shreyas Iyer, who smashed his highest first-class score of 202 in only 210 balls with 27 fours and seven sixes, that’s 150 runs in boundaries. A minor reason could be that the pitch at Brabourne stadium was quite batting friendly. There were 982 runs scored for the loss of only 21 wickets over the three days of the tour game, which ended in a draw.There were a few high-profile players who couldn’t contribute much to that bounty. David Warner was dismissed for 25 in the first innings and 35 in the second. His opening partner Matt Renshaw had similarly low returns – 10 and 11. Glenn Maxwell – fighting for the allrounder’s spot in the Test XI – made 16 not out at No. 8 but when he was promoted to No. 3 on Sunday he was bowled for 1.Against this backdrop though, two of the India A players made their career best scores. Iyer was unbeaten, spending more than five hours at the crease. Plenty of that time was in the company of Karnataka offspinner K Gowtham, who made 74 off 68 balls with 10 fours and four sixes, that’s 64 runs in boundaries. They put on 138 for the seventh wicket at 6.08 per over. It was the second-highest partnership of the match behind Steven Smith and Shaun Marsh’s 156 in the first innings.