Mandeep and Harpeet put India U-19 on top

Australia Under-19 7 for 306 dec and 0 for 1 trail India Under-19 7 for 417 dec (Mandeep 126, Harpreet 125, Coleman 3-25, Marsh 3-36) by 110 runs
Scorecard

A mammoth fifth-wicket partnership of 242 between Harpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh put India Under-19 in front against Australia Under-19 on the second day at the Bellerive Oval. India's declaration at 7 for 417 put them 111 runs ahead of the hosts, who then batted for two overs to end on 1 for no loss at stumps.

Resuming on 18 for no loss, India U-19 openers Mayank Agarwal and Manan Sharma continued strongly, putting on 85. Manan was the first to depart, dismissed by Mitchell Marsh, five short of his fifty. Wicketkeeper Avi Barot followed immediately for a duck, caught by James Garrett off Jackson Coleman.

Agarwal brought up his fifty, but was caught behind by Tom Triffitt off Marsh for 68, having stroked 11 boundaries during his 72-ball stay. India U-19 were precariously placed at 148 for 3 going into lunch.

But Harpreet and Mandeep elegantly lifted India into a potentially match-winning position after the break, bringing up their individual centuries in the process. Harpreet's 125 came from 184 deliveries, including 14 fours and two sixes, while Mandeep scored a 155-ball 126, comprising 17 boundaries as the pair took the Australian attack apart.

Harpreet became Coleman's second victim while Mandeep was bowled by Sean Abbott. Both fell in successive overs, with the score on 398 for 5.

Marsh and Coleman were Australia U-19's most successful bowlers, picking up three wickets apiece.

Australia U-19 coach Brian McFadyen said although it was a tricky day for his side, they would have taken a lot out of experience out of the encounter. "It certainly has been a tough day," McFadyen was quoted as saying in the Cricket Australia website. "Particularly for the spinners, they've had an experience that is probably quite similar to a tough day in first-class cricket against good opposition on a very flat wicket against good players of spin bowling.

McFadyen also gave credit to the excellent partnership in the Indian U-19 middle order that got the visitors into such a strong position. "They are very good players, they get a sniff and they really back themselves and play so confidently and fluently that it's very difficult to apply pressure for any length of time," McFadyen said. "At times we did bowl extremely well and just weren't able to apply purely through that offensive batting.

"In the first session we took some wickets and also missed a couple of difficult opportunities. I think there were five or six chances presented, where as the middle session there were basically no chances, that partnership was superb and they really batted us into a position where we are behind the eight ball and it's going to take some good hard work to get back in the game. The quality of batting against spin has been very, very high."