Renshaw stacks up for more runs as Aus A pushes for the win

A dominant day three has left Australia A needing 10 wickets to win their tour match against New Zealand A in Lincoln on the final day.

Four wickets apiece against South Australia Quicks Wes Agar and Spencer Johnson saw the hosts fold for 224 at lunch on Monday, 146 off their opponents’ first innings tally of 6d-370.

Matthew Renshaw (78 from 72 balls), Tim Ward (67 from 90) and captain Nathan McSweeney (69 from 58) then all slammed a half-century in the second inning as the Aussies generously declared NZ 365 to win in the final session to lead.

The home side survived some testing bowling games in the fading light and faltered at 0-31 when poor light was called.

NZ A’s resumption of the first innings at 3-109 was a bright start for captain Tom Bruce (48) and Cole McConchie (74) as the pair read the opening lines in a 105-run quarter-wicket partnership.

It went on for almost an hour, but Queensland bowler Xavier Bartlett was the bowler who found the breakthrough – a sharp throw flew off Bruce’s outside edge and into McSweeney’s hands on the second slip.

Shortly after showing off his attacking weapons, Spencer Johnson (4-53) found Robert O’Donnell’s edge with a ball penetrating over the right-handed batter before unleashing the perfect in-swinger to catch Cam Fletcher lbw two balls later .

Agar (4-56) also got the old ball swinging, removing top scorer McConchie and a stunned Scott Kuggeleijn in the same over as NZ A’s innings quickly collapsed.

The home side lost their last six wickets for 41 runs, three of which went to the quick left-arm Johnson.

Although Australia A Teague Wyllie lost to a duck in the first over of their second inning, the visitors’ intent to quickly extend their 146-run lead was clear.

Renshaw, brimming with confidence after his first innings century, hit a boisterous 78 of 72 balls, including 11 fours and two sixes.

He combined the conventional with the outrageous, with his strokeplay ranging from classic straight drives to unorthodox hoicks on retreats.

The 112-run partnership between Ward and McSweeney allowed Australia A to declare at 2-218.

Series New Zealand A vs Australia A

First 4-day match: April 1-4, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln

Second four-day game: April 8-11, Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln

Both games will be streamed live on nzc.nz.

Squad Australia A: Wes Agar, Xavier Bartlett, Jordan Buckingham, Aaron Hardie, Caleb Jewell, Spencer Johnson, Campbell Kellaway, Nathan McSweeney, Mitch Perry, Jimmy Pierson, Matthew Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson, Tim Ward, Teague Wyllie

New Zealand A squad: Tom Bruce (c), Adi Ashok, Doug Bracewell, Henry Cooper, Jacob Duffy (Game 1 only), Dean Foxcroft, Cam Fletcher, Mitch Hay, Scott Kuggeleijn, Cole McConchie, Robbie O’Donnell, Will O’Rourke, Ajaz Patel , Brett Randell, Sean Solia