(RE-OPENS DEL 35)

It must be mentioned that Tiwary had scored 93 when India A had played England in a warm-up match last year. Starting at a healthy total, India A lost Gautam early, caught behind off Peter Siddle for the pacer's first wicket of the match. One half-century partnership was followed by another, between Tiwary and Saxena, before the centurion was sent back by Lyon, dealing a blow to the hosts' chance of crossing the 500 mark. After a few lusty blows, Dhruv fell to Agar after being caught by Usman Khwaja. The tail enders did not last long as India A were all out in 128.4 overs. Agar picked up three for 107 while there were two wickets for Lyon. Left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty also finished with three wickets, but all of them came yesterday. When their turn to bat came, Watson and Ed Cowan (40) looked at ease against India A bowlers, scoring runs freely and, at a healthy rate. None of the host bowlers could trouble the Australian openers, who reduced the deficit to under 350 before Dhurv had Cowan trapped in front of the wicket. Cowan's dismissal triggered a collapse that saw the visitors losing three more wickets, including the important one of Watson, who scored 84 off 87 balls with 13 fours and a six. Phillip Hughes (1) and Usman Khwaja (1) both flopped.