Rakesh Dhurv five-for skittles out Australia for 235, hands India ‘A’ 216-run first innings lead

Not many know about Gujarat left-arm spinner Rakesh Dhurv. Of course, he grabbed some eyeballs on day two of the India ‘A’-Australia warm-up match being played at the India Cement Limited Guru Nanak College Ground in Chennai.

Coming out to bat at number eight, Dhurv lashed three sixes while scoring a 21-ball 18.

And on Monday, the 31-year-old tweaker spun a web around the Australians, who resumed at their overnight score of 131 for 4. Dhurv halted the century opening stand (116-run partnership) between Shane Watson and Ed Cowan when he trapped the latter in front for 40.

The wicket came at a crucial juncture as both Watson and Cowan were making merry, scoring at five runs an over. Dhurv’s breakthrough allowed his spinner partner Jalaj Saxena to settle into a nice rhythm and prise out Phil Hughes and Usman Khawaja.

Dhruv literally broke the back of the Australian innings when he dislodged captain Shane Watson for a rollicking 84 to spell trouble for the visitors.

Dhurv, like the first wicket of Cowan, struck in the tenth over of day two when he trapped Moises Henriques plumb in front for 33, which was punctuated with two fours and three sixes.

The Portuguese-born Aussie all-rounder took the attack to the opposition as his side added 45 runs in the first ten overs.

While Henriques took the aggressive route, wicketkeeper Matthew Wade, who led the Australia in the opening sidegame against the Board President’s XI, offered stoic resistance weathering everything the India ‘A’ bowlers threw at him.

Dhurv was soon involved in another wicket of Peter Siddle but this time by not rolling over his arm. He combined with seamer Manpreet Goni to run out the Australian pacer for 2 to leave the tourists wobbling at 182 for 6.

Jalaj Saxena, who also snaffled two wickets at the fag end of day two, soon got into the thick of things, first showing the pavilion way to Mitchell Starc for 11 and later accounting for Nathan Lyon for a three-ball duck.

Matthew Wade tried to up the ante even as wickets tumbled around him. He, who initially held one up, tried to acquire some quick runs as he saw the peril of running out of partners.

It was left to Dhurv to hasten the end of the Australian innings as he nipped out left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty for 7.

Wade collected some quick runs in the company of last man Ashton Agar but he handed Dhurv a five-wicket haul when he was caught by Manpreet Gony for 44 as Australia were skittled out for 235 in 62.3 overs, allowing India ‘A’ to garner a 216-run first innings lead.