South Australian quick Jordan Buckingham has starred with four wickets to help Australia A secure a thumping innings and 10-run win against the England Lions.
Australia’s decision to go with a bowler-heavy line-up paid off, running through the Lions twice in a day and a half at Cricket Central in Sydney to end the match on day three.
After being skittled for just 116 in 37.3 overs on Friday, England showed more resistance in their second innings.
Lions opener Ben McKinney posted a brilliant run-a-ball 110 to halt Australia’s momentum.
But McKinney received little help, with Matty Hurst (35), Alex Davies (28) and Rocky Flintoff (21) the only other batters to reach double figures.
After going wicketless in the first innings, Buckingham took the new ball with Queensland quick Xavier Bartlett and finished with figures of 4-41.
Allrounders Aaron Hardie (3-25) and Will Sutherland (2-32) also had productive stints with the ball.
Australia opted to pick just five specialist batters, but it mattered little as they made 9-373 after being sent in to bat on Thursday.
Former Test batter Kurtis Patterson further pressed his claim for an international comeback after hitting a superb 137.
Facing Test players Shoaib Bashir and Josh Tongue, No.3 Patterson arrived at the crease in the first over of the game after opener Tim Ward fell for a duck.
It has been a remarkable turnaround for 31-year-old Patterson, who began the summer playing grade cricket for St George after being dropped and stripped of the NSW captaincy.
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