Watch the highlights of Australia vs Australia A 6th Match WSC 1994-95 - Benson & Hedges World Series Cup tournament of the 6th one-day match first time played between Australia A and Australia at Adelaide Oval on 11th December 1994.
Michael Slater's half-century, Glenn McGrath's four-wickets and Shane Warne's three-wickets helped to Australia tense 6-run victory over Australia A in a see-saw game of the sixth match of a Benson and Hedges World Series Cup.
Australia bowled out for 202 in 48.3 overs with top scorer by Michael Slater struck 64 off 87-balls including 5-fours.
Mark Taylor cracked a 44 off 69-balls including 3-fours, David Boon hit 39 off 67-balls included a boundary and Ian Healy scored 15 off 20-balls without a boundary.
Australia A best bowler by Merv Hughes picked up 3-wickets for 33-runs in 9-overs with economy rate of 3.66, Gavin Robertson, Paul Reiffel both took 2-wickets and one for Tom Moody - Greg Rowell.
Australia A bowled out for 196 in 47.4 overs with top scorer by Matthew Hayden cracked a 45 off 94-balls including 4-fours.
Ricky Ponting struck 42 off 63-balls including a six, Damien Martyn cracked a 37 off 45-balls included a four.
Phil Emery hit 30 off 36-balls including a boundary and Gavin Robertson scored a unbeaten 19 off 20-balls contained a four.
Australia best bowler by Glenn McGrath claimed a 4-wickets, Shane Warne picked up 3-wickets for 40-runs in 10-overs including a maiden, Stuart Law and Tim May both took one-wickets.
Glenn McGrath named Player of the match for his pace bowling attack to claimed a 4-wickets for 43-runs in 9.4-overs with economy rate of 4.30.
This match reported by The Canberra Times Staff (Third Party Reference from The Canberra Times)
A furious Mark Taylor criticised the concept of the Australian A cricket side, claiming the Test team had been made to feel unwelcome on its own soil.
Australia grabbed a tense six-run victory in the historic first World Series meeting of the two Australian sides at the Adelaide Oval. After reaching 202 all out, it bowled out the A team for 196 with nine balls to spare.
As the A side made a bold bid for an upset victory in the final overs, the 20,470 people at the Adelaide game cheered for the underdog.
Still, pace howler Glenn McGrath prompted a collapse of 3-0 in four balls to ensure the senior side retained its pride. But Taylor said Australian fans should not be forced to divide their support between two teams.
"It was hard yakka and I didn't enjoy the game," a disgusted Taylor, who captains the Australian team, said after play. "I don't like playing against my own players because it asked the crowd to choose which side it wanted to follow.
"I don't like it when the crowd doesn't support us when we play at home.
"There was no detrimental stuff to us but the crowd shouldn't be made to choose between us and the other Austra lian team," he said.
"I don't know yet if my feelings are reflected through the team but they probably are.
"It's disappointing when you're playing at home and the home crowd doesn't want to support you."
Taylor said he would not take his complaints to the Australian Cricket Board because he was certain the feelings of the players would ensure the A side was not used again after this summer.
"I don't think I have to take it further because I don't think it will happen again," he said. "As I've said all along, there are a lot of positives in the A side but,
from the Australian team point of view, I didn't enjoy the game."
Australia was bowled out 202 before the end of the 49th over but looked set for victory once the A team slipped to 6-157 in reply with only seven overs remaining.
For once, the Adelaide wicket was a major disappointment and the task of scoring 46 runs on a crumbling, slow track looked beyond the A side's lower order.
"The wicket was probably the worst I've seen it in my 10 years of coming here." Taylor said.
NSW pair Phil Emery (30 from 36 balls) and Gavin Robertson (19 not out from 20 balls) rushed on 33 in four overs and swung the balance of the match to the extent that, at 6-190, the underdogs looked home.
Michael Bevan ran out Emery with a brilliant throw from deep mid-wicket and then McGrath fired out Paul Reiffel and Greg Rowell for ducks in consecutive balls.
McGrath finished with 4-43 from 9.4.overs while star leg spinner Shane Warne was his usual lustrous self, snaring 3-40. Warne grabbed the key scalp of an in-form Damien Martyn and also accounted for Justin Langer and Ricky Ponting.
The senior side was given an excellent platform to build an impregnable total after a 93-run opening stand between Taylor and junior partner Michael Slater.
Taylor pushed his way to 44 from 69 balls before chopping Robertson back on to his off stump, while Slater top scored with a typically busy knock of 64, striking the day's best tally of five boundaries.
Fast bowler Merv Hughes kept a tight rein on proceedings for the second consecutive day, finishing with 3-33 from nine overs, while Robertson starred with 2-27 from his quota of 10 overs.
Taylor said he did not know whether the six-run margin accurately reflected the difference between the teams, but Martyn was disappointed a seemingly certain victory had been lost.
"At the end, we should have won." Martyn said. "I'm disappointed we lost but the guys put in a great effort and I think we gave them a real fright."
The match hardly boded well for England, which is yet to get so close to the Australian side in any game so far on tour. The tourists crashed to another defeat yesterday against the youngsters from the Australian Cricket Academy and can hardly be looking forward to on Tuesday's encounter with the A team.
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