India v Australia - Tour Match

President's XI v Australians
Vidarbha C.A. Ground, Nagpur
3 Day Game
Umpires: PD Reporter & RB Gupta
Toss: Australians

President's XI: S Mushtaq Ali, P Roy, *AL Wadekar, VL Manjrekar, Yashpal Sharma, GS Ramchand, ED Solkar, +KS More, S Madan Lal, Ghulam Ahmed, DR Doshi.
Australians: WM Woodfull, WM Lawry, DG Bradman, AR Border, SR Waugh, KR Miller, +IA Healy, *R Benaud, AK Davidson, DK Lillee, WJ O'Reilly.

Richie Benaud's Australians dominated proceedings in Nagpur, but after Don Bradman's double century had helped them rack up an imposing first innings total, the tourists' bowlers were unable to finish off proceedings even after the President's XI were forced to follow-on some 297 behind on first innings.

Bradman's 229 was the undoubted highlight of the first half the match as the Australians - who were fielding their probable Test XI - made the home bowlers toil on a hard, flat wicket. All of the tourists' top five were able to spend time at the crease, with Lawry and Border both contributing to successive century stands with The Don on the first day. Bradman batted positively after a nervy start, and he ran the Indian fielders ragged with his predilection for the sharp single as Wadekar tried to stem the flow of boundaries.

Bradman was dropped once, on 168, during the course of his five hour innings, but it was the Australian fielding that was to come under scrutiny during the second half of the match as the President's XI battled for the draw. The visitors' bowlers chipped away, and Benaud was finally able to enforce the follow-on midway through the morning session on the final day, some enterprising resistance from the tail having delayed Australia's progress and more than doubling the score from the position of 83-6 on the second evening.

The tourists now had two and a half sessions to dismiss their hosts for a second time, but after Miller sent back both Roy and Wadekar for ducks in his first over, Mushtaq Ali and Manjrekar led a counter attack that left Australia's seamers looking decidedly ordinary. O'Reilly finally snared Mushtaq Ali for 45, but Manjrekar went on to complete a delightful hundred, an innings that may see him force his way into the selectors' minds ahead of the first Test. He was dropped twice on his way to three figures though, and in all five chances went to ground as the tourists turned in a decidedly ordinary performance in the field, one that allowed the President's XI to escape with a draw when they surely should have lost.

So, in summary, Australia's batting looks in good shape as we approach the first Test, but the fielding will need to be much sharper in Mumbai, as will the performances from the quick bowlers.

1st & 2nd innings scorecards
(click to enlarge)

Scores
AUS 1st Inns 492-6 dec. (Bradman 229, Lawry 72, Border 69, Woodfull 44, Waugh 44)
PRES XI 1st Inns 195
PRES XI 2nd Inns 212-6 (Manjrekar 126, Mushtaq Ali 45)

MATCH DRAWN