Henry Thornton starred with bat and ball as Australia A seized control of their second red-ball match against India A despite a late stumble on day two in Lucknow.
The tourists are 3-16, leading by 242 runs, after Thornton ripped through the India A top-order in a career-best performance at
Ekana Stadium on Wednesday, taking the key dismissals of Test-capped duo Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel, both for 1.
The South Australian quick claimed 4-36 from ten overs, including wickets in three consecutive overs, to help roll the hosts for 194. Victorian spinner Todd Murphy snared two wickets, with all-rounder Will Sutherland removing opener KL Rahul for 11.
Sai Sudharsan top-scored with a 140-ball 75, reviving the India A innings after an early collapse of 5-48.
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“We had a simple plan, put energy on the ball, bash the top of the stumps,” Thornton said at stumps.
“I felt like I was in the game bowling that length.
“It would be interesting to see what happens in the second innings. Hopefully it starts to spin and it brings Murph (Murphy) and Rock (Corey Rocchiccioli) into the game.”
Elsewhere, India A bowler Prasidh Krishna was forced to retire hurt for 16 after being struck on the helmet by a bouncer from Thornton, putting him under an injury cloud ahead of next week’s first Test against the West Indies.
“It got him pretty flush,” Thornton recalled.
“I asked him if he was alright and he said he was okay.
“I think it was the delayed kind of concussion. I was going to bowl the next over to him and he started getting headaches and dizziness. It just got him in a really bad spot. I hope he’s all right.”
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Thornton, who claimed 17 wickets at 23.23 during last summer’s Sheffield Shield, has a phenomenal record in Australia A contests, taking 21 scalps at 13.66 across seven matches. The 28-year-old was a late addition to the Australia A squad for the India tour, called up at the eleventh hour as an injury replacement for West Australian pair Lance Morris and Brody Couch.
Earlier on Wednesday, Thornton struck a career-best 32 not out during an unlikely 91-run partnership with Murphy, steering the Australians towards 420 in the first innings.
Murphy’s 89-ball 76, his maiden first-class fifty, featured 12 boundaries and a six; his previous highest score also occurred in India, a 41 against India in Ahmedabad during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“We were just having a fair bit of fun up there and it’s a good challenge against some really good bowlers to see where your skills are at,” Thornton said.
“It was a pretty simple game plan. If they missed, we were just trying to hit the ball for four and it came off today.”
Injuries to Pat Cummins, Spencer Johnson and Morris have created a potential vacancy in Australia’s Ashes squad, with Thornton emerging as a smokey for the blockbuster series.
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Captain Nathan McSweeney chose not to enforce the follow-on after Australia A secured a 226-run first-innings lead, with the visitors losing three quick wickets before stumps.
Ashes hopeful Sam Konstas, who cracked a century during last week’s series opener, was removed by seamer Gurnoor Brar caught at first slip for 3 before opening partner Campbell Kellaway fell to Indian quick Mohammed Siraj for a six-ball duck. Victorian teen Oliver Peake was removed by spinner Manav Suthar for 1 on what proved the final delivery of the day.
Konstas, Kellaway and McSweeney will return home this weekend to join their respective states ahead of the first round of the Sheffield Shield, where they will push their case for Ashes selection.
The Australia A match against India A resumes on Thursday at 2pm AEST.
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