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India A bowler Harsh Dubey captured three wickets as Australia A reached 337/5 on day one of their first unofficial Test. Young Australian opener Sam Konstas shone with an impressive 109 before being dismissed by Dubey.Konstas, fresh from his Test debut against India in the previous Australian summer, hit 10 fours and three sixes during his century. The Ranji Trophy record holder Dubey eventually ended his innings.The series consists of two four-day unofficial Tests at this venue, followed by three one-day matches in Kanpur between the two teams.Konstas, aged 19, formed a substantial opening partnership of 198 runs with Campbell Kellaway, who scored 88. The duo dominated the India A bowling attack, including Test pace bowler Prasidh Krishna, at the Ekana Stadium.
The opening pair of Konstas and Kellaway, who struck 10 fours and two sixes, maintained their stronghold for 37.1 overs. They accumulated nearly 200 runs before being separated.The partnership ended when Tanush Kotian caught Kellaway off Gurnoor Brar’s bowling. Konstas made his mark early in the tour while his competitor for the Australian opening position, Nathan McSweeney, failed at number three.Dubey dismissed McSweeney leg-before for just one run, securing India A’s second wicket. The Shreyas Iyer-led team then claimed two more wickets to gain momentum in the middle session.Konstas became Dubey’s next victim, while Khalil Ahmed trapped Oliver Peake lbw, reducing Australia A to 224/4.Cooper Connolly, with one Test experience, joined forces with Liam Scott to stabilise the innings. They constructed a partnership of 109 runs for the fifth wicket. Dubey struck again at a crucial moment, breaking the fifth-wicket stand by having Connolly caught by Devdutt Padikkal. Connolly’s innings of 70 came from 84 deliveries and included 12 fours and a six.Among the India A bowlers, Dubey emerged as the most successful with three wickets. Gurnoor and Khaleel took one wicket each, while Prasidh Krishna went wicketless, conceding 47 runs in his 11 overs.At stumps, Australia A posted 337/5 in 73 overs. Sam Konstas top-scored with 109, supported by Campbell Kellaway’s 88 and Cooper Connolly’s 70, while Liam Scott remained unbeaten on 47. Harsh Dubey led the bowling with figures of 3/88, while Khalil Ahmed and Gurnoor Brar picked up one wicket each.
