2nd One Day: Australia A level series despite Tilak''s gritty 94

Kanpur, Oct 3 (PTI) Tilak Varma made a strong claim for selection in India's 50-over format with an attractive 94 but Australia A came back strongly winning the rain-affected second List A game by nine wickets here on Friday.

Riding on the high of his match-winning knock in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, Tilak enhanced his credentials as a quality one-day batter in India A's modest total of 246.

However, after a three-hour rain delay, Australia A were set a target of 160 in 25 overs via Duckworth-Lewis method.

The Aussies had gone into the rain-break at 48 for no loss in 5.5 overs.

Once they came out after the break, the batting became easier and Mckenzie Harvey (70 not out off 49 balls) and Cooper Connolly (50 of 31 balls) did the needful without much fuss even after Jake-Fraser McGurk (36 off 20 balls) was out dismissed having provided a blazing start.

The chase was completed in 16.4 overs. The three-match series now stands at 1-1, and the decider will be played on Sunday.

Indian bowlers were hit for 22 fours and six sixes during the chase with pacer Arshdeep Singh being smashed for 44 in four overs.

The national selectors included flavour of the season Abhishek Sharma and Tilak as they are looking at long term one-day options at opening and middle-order.

While Abhishek was holed out off right-arm medium pacer Jack Edwards' first delivery without troubling the scorers, Tilak stood tall amid ruins with his 122-ball knock with five fours and four sixes.

Skipper Shreyas Iyer also didn't last long scoring only eight as India A were reduced to 17 for 3 at one stage.

However, Tilak and another youngster Riyan Parag (58 off 54 balls) added 101 runs for the fourth wicket to stem the rot.

The other significant stand was the 34 for the ninth wicket between Tilak and Ravi Bishnoi, followed by 28 for the last wicket between him and Arshdeep.

Tilak was the last man to be dismissed six short of what would have been a well deserved ton. For Australia A, Edwards took four wickets. PTI KHS KHS UNG