India A collapse to put Aussies on top

Australia A young guns Mitch Swepson and David Moody ripped through India A on day one of their first-class clash at Brisbane's Allan Border Field.

Swepson took 4-78 and Moody claimed 3-26 as India A collapsed from 3-188 to be 230 all out after their captain Naman Ojha won the toss and opted to bat.

At stumps, Australia A had reached 25 with opening pair Cameron Bancroft (10) and Joe Burns (12) safely negotiating their team through the final six overs of play.

Australia A captain Peter Handscomb admitted he'd have also opted to bat had the coin landed his way, and when India A's opening pair of Faiz Fazal (48) and Akhil Herwadkar (34) reached lunch without much issue, it suddenly loomed as a long day for the hosts.

But new Australia ODI squad member Daniel Worrall struck immediately after the interval, finding the edge of Herwadkar's bat and watching Handscomb stick out his right hand at first slip to hang on to an excellent catch.

Fazal was next to go, with Moody grabbing a wicket with the first ball of his second spell as the left-hander chopped on two short of his half-century.

It was just reward for the 21-year-old Western Australian, who toiled hard and maintained an immaculate line and length throughout 12.3 overs.

And the same could be said of Swepson, who improved greatly on his last first-class showing at this venue to be a shining light for the Australians.

The 22-year-old leg-spinner had Shreyas Iyer caught and bowled for 19 to leave India A 3-118, but his greatest impact came later in the day.

In between, Manish Pandey took control, with the in-form right-hander – who already has two hundreds to his name on this tour – blasting 13 fours and a six to shift the momentum during the middle session in an entertaining 77 from 76 balls.

The classy Indian fell first ball after tea, edging Chadd Sayers (2-41) behind to 'keeper Sam Whiteman, and with Swepson bowling five straight maidens thereafter, the pressure quickly told on the visitors.

In the space of 20.4 overs, India lost 7-42, with Swepson, Sayers and Moody all getting in on the action, and the latter finishing proceedings by taking two wickets with his first three deliveries with the new ball.

Burns and Bancroft looked assured as light faded in the closing overs and the brightness of the new pink ball became particularly useful, and Australia A went to the close knowing they were very much in the ascendancy in the first of these two four-day matches.