McSweeney 123, Beardman four-for down India A

Australia A were 30 for 3 after opting to bat in the first unofficial ODI against India A. Nathan McSweeney led a brief recovery, before they were in trouble again at 87 for 5. Will Sutherland joined McSweeney, and their 141-run stand propelled Australia A to 274. In reply, India A were 24 for 3, with their top order ripped out by 21-year-old quick Mahli Beardman. India A didn't find a hero on the day, and lost the game by 125 runs.

McSweeney was the Player of the Match for scoring his second List A century, a career-best of 123 off 135 balls. Sutherland, though, was the more attacking batter of the two. While he started patiently to help Australia A rebuild with 36 off his first 47 deliveries, he bashed 41 runs off his next 21 balls. That included four sixes off Anukul Roy, three of which came back-to-back in the 39th over, as the momentum drifted further away from India A.

But the hosts had a bright start with the ball. Yash Thakur extracted pace and bounce off a slow surface in Puducherry to remove both Australia A openers off short balls. A stunning catch at slip by Devdutt Padikkal dismissed Josh Philippe, before McSweeney and Liam Scott added 47 for the fourth wicket.

Nishant Sindhu broke that stand in the 14th over, while Suryansh Shedge, who finished with 4 for 40, got Nikhil Chaudhary out off yet another short delivery. McSweeney and Sutherland, though, brought their side back. McSweeney, who came in at No. 4, reached a steady century in the 42nd over. At the end of that over, however, Shedge struck successive blows.

McSweeney dragged Australia A to 274, which proved more than enough as Beardman set upA Australia A's bowling defense with the ball. He consistently clocked 140kph-plus, bothered the India A batters with bounce, and bowled a decisive spell in the powerplay. Beardman had B Sai Sudharsan gloving one to the wicketkeeper, Padikkal driving aerially to mid-off, and Prabhsimran Singh slashing to point.

India A had lost their top three inside four overs, by which time Beardman's figures read 2-0-2-3.

Rajat Patidar and Ruturaj Gaikwad looked to bring India A on track, but their 34-run partnership ended when Gaikwad sliced one to point. Sindhu joined Patidar at 58 for 4 in the 13th over, and for once, India A seemed to be in the game in the chase.

Sindhu started with just five runs off his first 16 balls, with India A 68 for 4 in 16 overs. He led a counterattack by helping India A score 37 off the next six overs, during which he hit three fours and a six. However, Sam Konstas' superb diving catch at deep cover point ended Sindhu's stay at 31, and then, Patidar kept losing partners. Patidar brought up his own fifty in the 32nd over, before falling to a short delivery next ball.

Whatever outside chance India A had of victory evaporated with Patidar's dismissal for 53, as they lost 4 for 11 to be bowled out for 149 and go 0-1 down in the three-match series.