Uthappa made 57-ball 50

Melbourne: India A were looking down the barrel after a pathetic batting display left them tottering at 221 for seven on Day II of the four-day match against Australia A in the top end series at Cairns on Wednesday.

The Indians were still 140 runs behind in first innings when play was called off early owing to bad light.

Australia A, who declared their first innings at 461 for four in the morning, followed up their batting display with some mercurial bowling. The hosts milked the Indian bowling, adding 100 runs to their overnight score of 361 for two in the 23 overs.

Phil Jaques, 199 overnight, went on to make 240 off 331 balls with 21 fours before being trapped leg before by Venugopal Rao. The other overnight batsman Travis Birt (130) also completed his century before being run out by a throw from R.P. Singh.

Robin Uthappa stood tall among the rest, making a strokeful 50 in 57 balls with four boundaries before being dismissed by Watson.

India A kept losing wickets and stuttered to 115 for four. It was then left to S. Badrinath (59) and Rohit Sharma (41) to steady the ship.