Sam Harper’s valiant 101 and 21 no-balls gifted Australia A an escape on Day 1 in Puducherry
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India A’s 21 No-Balls Let Australia Escape
A great escape by Australia A saw them post 282 for 7 in reply to India A’s 296 for 2 on Day 1 in Puducherry. Their spirited 101 by wicketkeeper-batter Sam Harper and some poor control from the Indian bowlers accounted for their escape.
India A’s bowlers had started off impressively as they removed the key wickets of opener Chris Klein and debutant batter Will Sayers to restrict the visitors to 16 for 3 and later 104 for 5.
However, a look at the figures shows that their effectiveness was negated by 21 no-balls bowled by India A’s bowlers on the day:
Innings Australia A 282/7 Bhute 3/35 Mulani 3/77 Sam Harper 101 of 146 balls
India A’s 21 No-Balls Let Australia Escape
But here is where the plot twists, with Australia A’s escape being down to 21 no-balls bowled by India A’s bowlers
When a bowler steps over the popping crease before delivering the ball, it is called a no-ball. The penalty for this is that the batting side gets an extra run, and the bowler’s next delivery is a free ball, which means the batter can take as many runs as they like
Shams Mulani bowled 14 no-balls in his 28 overs, while Nachiket Bhute bowled 7
Every single no-ball let the pressure off the batters as the bowler had to waste a delivery.
Not that Mulani is a stranger to bowling no-balls, as he had bowled 9 no-balls in the first unofficial Test as well, despite taking 7 wickets. It seems that bowling long spells takes its toll on the paceman.
Sam Harper Steps Up
However, every cloud has a silver lining as Australia A’s wicketkeeper-batter Sam Harper took up the responsibility and played a vital role in the visitors’ escape.
He played an aggressive yet disciplined innings as he picked out the good balls to drive and cut the spinners.
He added 84 runs with opener Liam Scott, who scored 34, before putting on an 89-run stand (and still counting) with Todd Murphy, who is 33 not out.
His 101 is his sixth first-class century and is also notable as it is the first ton he has scored outside of Australia.
Why Does This Matter?
For both teams, the ‘A’ series is a crucial pointer for the selectors. While most attention will be on the wickets, a bowler’s control is also on display, and no-balls can indicate a lack of discipline, which can affect a bowler’s chances with the senior team. Twenty-one is a lot of no-balls, and it will be interesting to see if that affects Shams Mulani’s chances.
For now, Australia A’s task is simple as they have 3 wickets in hand and their target is 320. However, their hopes rest on the shoulders of Sam Harper, whose 101 has put them in a good position. India A’s bowlers need to get their line and length right, and they need to do so early on Day 2 if they want to get rid of the dangerous Harper.
The Big Picture
India A had the chance to get rid of Australia A’s top order, but they let them off the hook. Sam Harper has to be applauded for his brilliant century, but the extra deliveries that came his way due to no-balls also helped him.
Will India A be able to control their no-ball issues on Day 2, and what are your thoughts on this incident?
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