Australia A 5 for 103 (C Overton 2-24) trail England Lions 428 (Lawrence 125, Sibley 116, Bracey 65, Steketee 4-75) by 325 runs
The touring England Lions put on another strong showing at the MCG, extending their first innings to 428 through James Bracey‘s half-century and then making good use of the pink ball under lights to remove a Test-strength Australia A top five cheaply.
The Lions new-ball pair of Ollie Robinson and Craig Overton picked up two wickets apiece, with Usman Khawaja the only player to offering sustained resistance with 30 off 79 balls at opener. His partner, Marcus Harris, failed to push his case for a Test recall by edging to fourth slip for just 6, while Kurtis Patterson, who made a hundred in his second Test last year, also fell in the cordon for 11.
“We’re really pleased with our day’s work, pushing on past 400 runs and making great inroads with the ball to put us in a strong position going into the second half of the match,” Lions captain, Keaton Jennings, said.
“James Bracey batted really well with the lower order to help us to a good first innings total and to pass 400 for the second time in two matches. Then our seamers were excellent against a high-quality and experienced Australian top-five. The match is set up for a good final couple of days and we’ll be looking to continue our strong start with early wickets tomorrow.”
Robinson made the breakthrough for the Lions, and Overton then trapped Nic Maddinson lbw in the next over. Brydon Carse, on at first change, chipped out Patterson, and there was a brace of catches for Bracey behind the stumps as Khawaja and Moises Henriques departed before stumps.
Having seen the Lions move to a commanding 3 for 274 on the back of Dom Sibley and Dan Lawrence hundreds, Australia A had begun the second day well. Mark Steketee struck in his first over, having Lawrence caught behind without addition to the score, and Sibley only managed another eight runs before falling in similar fashion.
Tom Abell became Steketee’s third wicket, leaving the Lions on 6 for 305, but a solid stand of 64 between Bracey and Dom Bess steadied the innings, before the last-wicket pair of Carse and Robinson took the score past 400.
Source: ESPN Crickinfo