Ton-up Shreyas Iyer shines in rain-curtailed fixture

Shreyas Iyer also stitched a valuable 170-run partnership for fourth wicket with Ricky Bhui.

Shreyas Iyer smashed a quick-fire century to help Indian colts beat Australia by 18 runs in a rain-curtailed encounter and enter the finals of the Under-19 Quadrangular tournament.

With this victory,India U-19 rounded off their league engagements unbeaten,winning all three of their matches.

They had earlier beaten South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Iyer sizzled with the bat as he hit 109 off just 67 balls,studded with 10 fours and six sixes to steer the hosts to a massive 321 for five.

He also stitched a valuable 170-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Ricky Bhui 66 67b,6X4,2X6 to take the team past the 300-run mark. Even opener Akhil Herwadkar chipped in with a half-century to contribute to the team8217;s success.

In reply,the Australians had reached 156 for three in 30 overs before rain stopped play and the Indians won via the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Opting to bat,the Indians got off to a decent start with openers Ankush Bains 20 and Herwadkar 56 giving the team a platform to build on.

After Bains8217; dismissal,Vijay Zol 38 continued in the able company of Herwadkar.

Story continues below this ad

The duo played with a lot of responsibility and put on 62 runs for the second wicket before Herwadkar was sent back by Kelvin Smith for a well-made half-century that came off 65 balls with the help of eight hits to the fence and a six.

The new batsman in,Iyer,started to dominate from the start and did not show any mercy to the Australian bowlers during his innings.

Iyer and Bhui sent the Aussie bowlers on a leather hunt with some fine batting.

It was Ben Ashkenazi who claimed the prized wicket of Iyer,while Matthew Fotia saw off Bhui but by that time the damage was done and the hosts were in control on 300 for five in 47.3 overs.

Story continues below this ad

Sharfaraz Khan 9 and Deepak Hooda 13 also chipped in with important runs in the end.

For Australia U-19,Kelvin Smith finished with two for 64,while Ashkenazi 1/43,Fotia 1/44 Tom Andrews 1/54 took one wicket apiece.

Chasing a massive target,the Australian top order did well with opener Smith top-scoring with a 76-ball 74,including eight fours and a six.

Damien Mortimer 31 and Jaron Morgan 29 also added some runs to the total but they were 18 runs behind in the calculations done when heavens opened up.

Brief scores:

India U-19: 321 for five in 50 overs

Shreyas Iyer 109,Ricky Bhui 66,Akhil Herwadkar 56; Kelvin Smith 2/64

Australia U-19: 156 for three in 30 overs

Kelvin Smith 74; Kuldeep Yadav 1/18