Australia warm up for India battle with convincing win over Board President's XI

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  • Steve Smith scored a half-century in Australia's 103-run win.

    Steve Smith’s Australia threw a warning at India ahead of the limited-overs series with a comprehensive 103-run victory over the BCCI Board President’s XI in their only warm-up game at Chennai on Tuesday.

    Smith won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat on a flat and dry Chennai wicket. His decision was vindicated by the batsmen as the visitors put up an imposing score of 347-7 in their 50 overs.

    David Warner and Hilton Cartwright opened the batting for the Australians and the former looked in imperious touch after his exemplary performances in the recently concluded tour of Bangladesh.

    The left-hander struck 11 boundaries in his 48-ball 64 before being dismissed by Kushang Patel. His partner Cartwright did not have the best of introductions to India as he was dismissed for a duck by pacer Avesh Khan.

    Marcus Stoinis top-scored for Australia with 76 runs.

    Marcus Stoinis top-scored for Australia with 76 runs.

    Smith was looking solid in his circumspect innings of 55 off 68 deliveries before he fell to promising young spinner Washington Sundar. On the other end, Travis Head looked fluent as he smashed five boundaries and a massive six before being dismissed for 65 runs.

    Glen Maxwell, who received the biggest cheer from the local crowd when walking in to bat, failed to make the most of the conditions on offer as he fell for just 14 to become the second victim of Sundar.

    It was all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and wicket-keeper Matthew Wade who provided the fireworks for Australia in the death-overs.

    The pair laid down a solid case for the number six and seven batting-order slots as their counter-attack took the Aussies well beyond the 300 mark. Stoinis was particularly destructive as he hit five towering sixes and four boundaries in his 60-ball 76 before falling in the penultimate over.

    Wade was equally punishing on the bowlers as he smashed an unbeaten 45 off just 24 deliveries which included five maximums.

    In reply the President’s XI could never get going as none of the batsmen failed to make the most of their starts. Young left-arm spinner Ashton Agar was impressive for the visitors as he picked up four wickets to help Australia bowl out the hosts for 244 runs in the 49th over.

    Opener Shreevats Goswami top scored for the President’s XI with 43 runs before being bowled by Stoinis. Pacer Kane Richardson picked up two wickets as Adam Zampa, James Faulkner and Stoinis shared one-wicket apiece, while Nathan-Coulter Nile and Pat Cummins went wicketless.

    The Aussies will now take on Virat Kohli’s India in the first of the five-match ODI series starting on Sunday at the same venue.

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