Edwards sets the tone before Harvey and Connolly blow away India A
Australia A chased down rain-reduced target of 160 in 16.4 overs after Tilak Varma's 94 guided India A
ESPNcricinfo staff
03-Oct-2025 • 1 hr ago
File photo: Mackenzie Harvey cracked 70 not out in 49 balls • Getty Images
Australia A 160 for 1 (Harvey 70*, Connolly 50*, Sindhu 1-24) beat India A 246 (Tilak 94, Parag 58, Edwards 4-56) by nine wickets (via DLS method)
Mackenzie Harvey and Cooper Connolly added 103 runs in just 59 deliveries for the second wicket to blow India A away in the second one-dayer in Kanpur. As a result, Australia A levelled the three-match series 1-1.
After opting to bat first, India A were bowled out for 246, with Tilak Varma top-scoring with 94. But rain arrived 5.5 overs into Australia A's chase, and caused a lengthy delay. The chase resumed after a long wait, with their target reduced to 160 in 25 overs. Australia A achieved that in just 16.4 overs as Harvey cracked 70 not out off 49 balls while Connolly bashed 50 not out off 31.
But the tone had been set by Harvey's opening partner Jake Fraser-McGurk, who smashed 36 in 20 balls in an opening stand of 57. Nishant Sindhu ended Fraser-McGurk's stay by having him caught in the seventh over, but Harvey and Connolly ensured Australia A didn't lose momentum.
In all, the three thumped 22 fours and six sixes, a performance which was in complete contrast to that of India A. Halfway into the sixth over, Jack Edwards had removed Abhishek Sharma for a duck and Shreyas Iyer for 8, while Will Sutherland had got Prabhsimran Singh for 1.
From 17 for 3, India A were rescued by Tilak and Riyan Parag. They added 101 at almost a run a ball in a stand that was dominated by Parag. He hit 58 in 54 balls, but when Sutherland had him caught, it started another collapse which saw India A lose 3 for 18.
From 136 for 6, it was time for a rebuild again, and this time Tilak had the lower order for company. While Tilak took his time, Harshit Rana played a cameo of 21 in 13 balls in a stand of 33. Yudhvir Singh fell for 4 soon after, before Ravi Bishnoi gave Tilak good company. Bishnoi scored 26 while No. 11 Arshdeep Singh contributed 10.
All this while, Tilak patiently kept ticking over. He was the last man out as Edwards got his fourth wicket, and India A were bowled out with more than four overs to spare. Harvey, Connolly and Fraser-McGurk then stole the show for the rest of the game.
The series decider, on Sunday, will also be played in Kanpur.