Cricket: Mandeep and Chahal spur Indian 'A' to 57-run victory

Mackay - Visitors out play hosts Australia 'A' for series title

A match-winning knock from Mandeep Singh (95, 108 balls, 11 4s) saw India 'A' bag the Quadrangular 'A' Series title for the third successive year, defeating hosts Australia 'A' by 57 runs in Mackay. 
Mandeep alongside series-leading run-scorer Manish Pandey (61, 71 balls, two 4s)), helped the tourist post 266 for 4.

Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (4-34) then ran through Australia A's lower and middle order. The home side were bowled out for 209, with Dhawal Kulkarni, Karun Nair and Axar Patel also picking up two wickets apiece.Under the tutelage of cricket legend Rahul Dravid, the Indian side came into the bout the lower-ranked side after the group matches, but claimed wins where it counted leading into the final.
The victory came just five days after Australia A claimed victory over the champions by one run, with Kurtis Patterson (19) and Nic Maddinson (31) unable to replicate their century-making feats in the final.

After Kedar Jadhav (25no) and Patel (22no) finished off India A's innings to set Australia A an imposing target, the hosts got off to a good start.Their first wicket partnership yielded 31 before Kurtis Patterson was dismissed by a fired-up Kulkarni.Cameron Bancroft (34) and Nic Maddinson (31) then consolidated, able to pick off the quicks and found the ropes six times between them, but the introduction of part-spin off-spinner Karun Nair undid both batsmen, starting a run of wickets in the middle overs.
Handscomb and Alex Ross (34) played handy innings in the latter stages of the chase.Ross displayed his usual array of sweeps and reverse-sweeps, while Handscomb looked assured and for a while, the pair looked to have their side on track during the middle overs.
But when the Australia A skipper was caught on the boundary off Patel, it sparked a collapse of 6-26 as Australia A's lower-order crumbled, handing India A a deserved victory.