Australia A v Cricket Web A
at Marrara Cricket Ground
Scorecard
Commentary
A reformed Cricket Web A side volleyed and thundered their way towards a comfortable seven-wicket win in Darwin, showing no signs of the rust that had plagued them yesterday. Ash Chaulk, who had not taken part in the warm-up, stroked a masterful century, Paddy Gundry took two key wickets in an over, and Xavier Rose and Kev Goughy showed promising, if erratic signs with the new ball.
Brad Haddin chose to bat first on what looked like a difficult wicket; with hindsight, it flattened out throughout the day and batting wasn't the best place to be in the morning. Katich got a corker from Goughy, the big man's first ball, and Voges was trapped lbw by a beautiful inswinger.
Jaques and Watson kept the pace up, and looked to take the game away from the tourists when they were both deceived by large turners from Gundry. Suddenly the side was shattered, and with Clapham providing naggingly accurate left-arm seamers, no one really got going with the bat - except for Hopes, who shattered the ad boards with a couple of smashes, before smashing the next one to Stedman at long on. The remaining death overs were seen out without trouble, and Cricket Web A faced a somewhat tricky 240 to win.
In the event, Chaulk made it easy. Shaun Tait's radar was its usual self at the start - he let one down nearer to backward square leg than the wicketkeeper - allowing Chaulk and Stedman to get away with 70 runs for the opening partnership. Harwood and Hopes got more out of the green wicket, nabbing a couple of catches in the infield, but Arunava Das played a steady support to Chaulk's magnificent hundred, and as the hosts failed to put on any kind of pressure, the win was easily achieved.
Australia A 239-9 (50 overs)
SR Watson 55, PA Jaques 46; PG Gundry 3-51, XPA Rose 3-57, KJ Goughy 2-50
Cricket Web A 240-3 (46.3 overs)
AP Chaulk 100, AS Das 68; SM Harwood 1-34 [7.3]
Cricket Web A won by seven wickets
Man of the Match: AP Chaulk
New Zealand A v East Asia Pacific XI
at Gardens Oval
Scorecard
Commentary
The development side showed they could have been a moutful with a bit more aggressive intent, eventually losing by five wickets largely thanks to the batting of Matthew Sinclair. Duna Eliaba played a pleasant 65, enjoying the largely toothless bowling of Nathan McCullum, while Baeau and Tavo bowled with some threat with the new ball. It does, however, look like six losses loom for this side.
East Asia Pacific XI 189-6 (50 overs)
D Eliaba 65; KD Mills 3-34
New Zealand A 193-5 (32.3 overs)
MS Sinclair 75*; J Brazier 2-32