Handscomb tons up in Darwin face-off

A dashing century from Peter Handscomb and a blistering 96 from Darwin product Jake Weatherald were the headline acts on day one of Australia's intra-squad match at Marrara Oval in Darwin.

At stumps, the Steve Smith XI was 2-32 in reply to the David Warner XI's 6-360 declared, captain Smith unbeaten on 11 alongside Glenn Maxwell (7).

Handscomb (105 from 130 deliveries) teamed up with Western Australia allrounder Hilton Cartwright (81 from 120) to move the Warner XI to a solid total against the Steve Smith XI after they found themselves in early trouble at 2-19.

The pair put on a stand of 174 in quick time, both batsmen in fine fettle as they picked apart a Smith XI attack missing paceman Jackson Bird, who is nursing a tight hip flexor but is expected to bowl in the second innings.

Handscomb used his feet typically well, particularly to the leg-spin of Mitch Swepson (0-94 from 13 overs), clipping through midwicket and sweeping impressively. At one point the Victorian danced down the track to loft state teammate Glenn Maxwell for six over long on.

Image Id: F25FFFBDD8274604A6B779082DD987D1 Image Caption: Peter Handscomb flicks past local short leg fielder Adi Dave in Darwin // Getty

Cartwright, who is vying for a Test spot after making his debut in Baggy Green against Pakistan in January, looked composed against pace and spin, sure in defence and driving with authority when the opportunities presented themselves.

He looked on track for a century but Smith's decision to bowl his own part-time leggies proved a canny one; moments after smashing him into the sightscreen for six, Cartwright fell to the national team skipper, picking out Tom Andrews at midwicket who took a good catch.

Image Id: 0792ACEE28DB47A8829E2FB6DFBB459D Image Caption: Hilton Carwright showed great strength down the ground // Getty

Smith (2-52 from six overs) had two wickets a short time later with a similar scenario unfolding against Handscomb: a six to bring up his hundred, a dot ball, and out – the captain grabbing a sharp return catch to end a fine innings.

Local product Weatherald found his feet quickly and dealt Maxwell some heavy treatment, scoring several boundaries on the leg side as he made a lightning half-century to push the Warner XI towards 300.

Image Id: FBB3C3431B8A42C7861C3E3258E3B1EA Image Caption: Darwin product Jake Weatherald impressed with a whirlwind knock // Getty

Ashton Agar came and went for 14, knocked over by Chris Tremain in the pursuit of quick runs, but Weatherald almost stole the headlines from Handscomb, blazing his way to 96 from just 52 deliveries with four sixes in a quite breathtaking display of hitting.

He was given out lbw to Marcus Stoinis four short of his hundred, the small crowd disappointed to see one of their own depart agonisingly close to his milestone.

Earlier, Warner won the toss and opted to bat, and it was the skipper who was first to go, bowled by Josh Hazlewood (2-30 from 13 overs) for four.

Image Id: 91D69ED77A564854A7F6D2ADB4E57283 Image Caption: Hazlewood got one to shoot low with the new ball to bowl Warner // Getty

Fellow opener Travis Head (12) began brightly with a couple of fours straight and through wide midwicket off Tremain, however he too fell to Hazlewood, trapped lbw to leave the batting side in early strife.

Allrounder Marcus Stoinis – whose move west to the Justin Langer-coached Warriors was confirmed today – was used by Smith as first-change bowler in the absence of Bird, while Swepson, Maxwell (0-43 from 6) and the left-arm orthodox spin of Redback Andrews (0-47 from 9) all tried in vain to break the Cartwright-Handscomb union, the trio receiving some heavy-handed treatment along the way, and again towards the close of the innings when Weatherald freed his arms to great effect.

The declaration brought to the middle regular Test opener Matt Renshaw and Test aspirant Usman Khawaja, who is looking to return to the side after being dumped for the India series.

Neither batsman was able to see the day out, Renshaw (six) falling to the spin of Nathan Lyon, who opened the bowling and deceived the young Queenslander into a false stroke, before Khawaja (six) edged South Australian Kane Richardson to first slip.

Image Id: 6DFD7428E4A8430D9BC6178CEC88826A Image Caption: Maxwell will resume his innings on day two // Getty

Smith and Maxwell saw out the remaining overs of the day, though Ashton Agar's brief spell was promising and the left-arm spinner will hope the pitch begins to show signs of wear on day two.

The three-day match is in an allotted-over format: both sides were initially given 80 first-innings overs and 45 second-innings overs, though Warner’s declaration means his team will be able to bat for up to 56 overs in their second innings.

Steve Smith XI: Matt Renshaw, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, Marcus Stoinis, Chris Tremain, Mitch Swepson, Josh Hazlewood, Tom Andrews, Jackson Bird.

David Warner XI: David Warner, Travis Head, Hilton Cartwright, Peter Handscomb, Ashton Agar, Jake Weatherald, Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Jon Holland.

Australia in Bangladesh 2017

Australia squad: Steve Smith (c), David Warner (vc), Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade.

Bangladesh squad (preliminary): Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Sabbir Rahman, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Mahmudullah Riyad, Liton Kumar Das, Mominul Haque, Mehedi Hasan, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Subhashish Roy, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Rubel Hossain, Nurul Hasan, Sanjamul Islam, Mosaddek Hossain Saikat, Mohammad Saifuddin, Anamul Haque, Abul Hasan Raju, Al Amin Hossain, Nasir Hossain, Muktar Ali, Tanbir Haider, Saqlain Sajib, Shafiul Islam.

11-17 August Australia pre-tour training camp, Darwin

18 August Australia arrive

22-23 August Tour match, Fatullah

27-31 August First Test, Dhaka

4-8 September Second Test, Chittagong