Josh Philippe took full benefit of his call-up to the Australia A squad by posting a spirited century towards New Zealand A, simply because the vacationers threatened to grab the initiative of their four-day match in Mackay.
The wicketkeeper-batter got here to the crease with the hosts in all types of bother on day two of the day-night contest at 4-65, in reply to the Kiwis’ 277 all out, however then blasted his method to information the hosts to 275.
Philippe struck 105 off 114 balls in an innings that included 17 boundaries, to go away the conflict delicately poised with the guests 0-20 within the second knock.
The Western Australian’s efficiency would have made the nationwide workforce selectors take discover regardless that they’d have been extra within the shows of WA’s Cameron Bancroft and Tasmanian Tim Ward.
With David Warner calling time on his Test profession in the summertime, the race is on for a substitute to associate the in-form Usman Khawaja, who at 36 himself is nearer to the tip moderately than starting of his profession.
But each Bancroft and Ward, who batted at first drop, didn’t push their instances on Tuesday.
Bancroft, final season’s main Sheffield Shield runscorer with 945 runs at a mean of 59, was the primary to fall when he was bowled by Jacob Duffy for seven.
Ward was knocked over when he was on 13, caught by Tom Bruce off spinner Adithya Ashok, leaving Australia precariously positioned at 3-50.
It was solely the heroics of Philippe, who was ably supported by Nathan McSweeney (56) and Ben Dwarshuis (50), that prevented the New Zealand A assault from gaining the higher hand.
The match is the second four-day recreation between the edges in Queensland, with three 50-over clashes to observe.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
