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Bryce McGain took an early lead in the battle to earn selection as Australia’s specialist spinner on the tour of India with three wickets in a warm-up game.
Legspinner McGain took 3-51 from 17 overs for Australia A against India A on day one of the three-day match at Bangalore’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the venue for next month’s first Test.
McGain, left-arm wrist spinner Beau Casson and offspinner Jason Krejza are all vying to impress on this tour to give themselves a chance to return to the subcontinent with Australia’s Test team.
McGain took 2-6 from his first four overs, including a scalp in his opening over, and then bowled India A skipper Subramaniam Badrinath in his sixth over.
He was unable to strike again, as India A reached 4-180 at stumps, after play began late because of a wet outfield.
However, the Victorian, aiming to make his debut as a 36-year-old, had a more productive day than Casson, who bowled only one over for 0-7, and Krejza, who was left out of the side.
NSW paceman Doug Bollinger (1-37) took the day’s other wicket.
The performances of the three spinners in this match and a second three-day game in Hyderabad will go a long way in determining who is included in Australia’s squad, which will be announced next week.
Australia are banking on one of the spinners doing well in India following the retirements of Brad Hogg and Stuart MacGill this year, after Shane Warne’s departure last year.
Casson played in Australia’s last Test, in the West Indies in June, after MacGill announced his retirement.
Australia today confirmed it had secured a second warm-up match, to be played in Jaipur, before the first Test.
Australia will play a side from the Rajasthan Centre of Excellence in a two-day match, on September 27-28.
Ricky Ponting’s side will then take part in the already-scheduled three-day match against India A, starting on October 2.
The extra game will give the side a better preparation before the highly-anticipated Test series, after the postponement of the Champions Trophy left it potentially short on match practice.
Australia depart for India on September 21.
The Australian and Indian cricket boards have been in discussions for several days over trying to organise the fixture.
However former Australian captain Greg Chappell proved instrumental in the talks, as he used his contacts at Rajasthan, where he spent the last year coaching, to help organise the game.
Cricket Australia today announced Chappell would coach at the Australian Centre of Excellence for the next three years.
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