Hyderabad, Oct 3 (IANS) Australia stuttered to 191 for four against Board President's XI on the second day of their warm-up match here Friday.
Australia have to cover a deficit of 264 runs after India A were all out for 455 in the first innings.
Australia lost wickets at regular intervals before Michael Hussey (54 not out) and Brad Haddin (34 not out) set out to put the house in order.
Australia lost their first wicket Matthew Hayden (20) early and Simon Katich (15) was soon to follow. Hayden, who came back from injury struggled against the pacers --Manpreet Gony and Irfan Pathan. He survived a few close lbw shouts off Pathan before edging one behind to Parthiv Patel.
Katich then fell to Pragyan Ojha before Ricky Ponting made a painful 41. The Australian skipper whose struggles against spin bowling is well documented found Piyush Chawla too hot to handle.
Ponting pushed tentatively and found it difficult to read Piyush Chawla's googly. The leg-spinner had the last laugh when his googly completely foxed Ponting on way to hit the stumps. Ponting played 67-balls and hit five boundaries and two sixes. Chawla also got the wicket of Michael Clarke, trapping him leg-before.
Hussey and Brad Haddin, who used his feet well against spinners, stitched an unbroken 63-run partnership to defy any more wickets to the hosts.
India, starting the day at 371 for six, piled agony on the visitors with the lower order making useful contributions.
Pathan, who was on overnight 17 runs, went on to score 56 with eight boundaries while Patel scored 62. Piyush Chawla made a vital 23.
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