Wade fires as Australia A thrash Northamptonshire

A brutal Matthew Wade century has delivered Australia A a comprehensive win in their 50-over clash against Northamptonshire on Thursday.

Wade struck 117 from just 67 balls at The County Ground, an innings that featured 18 fours and three sixes and made the A side’s pursuit of 263 a canter as the visitors won by six wickets with 84 balls to spare.

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In his first match back since the New Year's Test in January, pace spearhead Josh Hazlewood showed no signs of rust as he captured 2-51 from 10 overs, while left-arm spinner Ashton Agar claimed the best figures of the match with 3-55.

After Wade's blitz, Peter Handscomb (64 from 57 balls) and Mitch Marsh (40no from 45) put on 78 for the fourth wicket to put their side on the brink of victory and a dream start to the six-week campaign.

Wade hammered three sixes in his innings // Kyle Andrews

Wade's teammates have been in awe of the ball-striking from the Tasmanian in both the nets in England and the pre-tour camp in Brisbane, but on Thursday he spectacularly displayed his practice form out in the middle.

The surprise move from the hosts to open the bowling with Josh Coles' off-spin backfired when the left-handed Wade countered with a series of reverse-sweeps that found the rope and forced an urgent rethink of tactics.

But whatever Northamptonshire captain Josh Cobb tried was an exercise in futility as Wade dispatched the hosts' bowling attack to every corner of the ground, if not over it.

In fact, he brought up his century with his third six that sailed over the western stand and out of the ground, the milestone reached in just 52 balls with 16 fours and the treble of sixes in less than an hour.

Outside of Wade's pyrotechnics, Hazlewood, Agar, Marsh and Handscomb provided bright sparks on a day that only occasionally saw the sun break through the consistent cloud cover.

Handscomb finished off Australia's run chase // Kyle Andrews

Hazlewood claimed the first wicket of the Australia A campaign – South African Richard Levi leg before wicket – after Northamptonshire won the toss and elected to bat.

Opener Rob Newtown and first-drop Cobb put on 92 for the second wicket before Marsh secured the breakthrough with a long hop that was laced by Newton to Agar at point.

Agar started with 0-28 from his first three overs but a change of ends did the trick, as he removed Cobb for 49 and later Alex Wakely for 53, both batsmen caught by Kurtis Patterson at cover.

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Wakely's wicket triggered a collapse of 5-23, with Michael Neser (1-51), Sean Abbott (1-39) and Hazlewood cleaning up the tail.

A late-innings cameo from Coles, who struck an unbeaten 36 and deposited Abbott for a towering six over cow corner, lifted the total beyond 250 and gave his side something to bowl at.

But with Wade in that kind of mood, no total seemed out of reach.

In a blink of an eye, Wade had scored 37 of Australia A's first 39 runs in the opening four overs, with his explosive Hurricanes partner D'Arcy Short relegated to the role of spectator.

Agar picked up three wickets for Australia A // Kyle Andrews

Short's stay was brief and unlucky as he whipped a ball off his legs to the lone fielder at short fine leg.

Skipper Travis Head was busy on his way to 29 from 31 balls until a leading edge was gobbled up by off-spinner Tom Sole, who picked up Wade's wicket four overs later when the opener top-edged a slog sweep looking for maximum number four.

By that stage, at 3-170 in the 21st over, all that was left was to tick off the remaining 93 runs without fuss in front of a small but appreciative crowd.

Handscomb and Marsh did the bulk of the heavy lifting, playing handsomely straight and off their pads, before the Victorian mistimed a lofted drive to mid-off after posting his half-century.

Marsh hit the winning runs in the 36th over to complete the run chase, with Kurtis Patterson not out on two from four balls.

Australia A's campaign now moves to Derby for Sunday's clash against Derbyshire.

Australia A 4-264 (Wade 117 from 67, Handscomb 64 from 57) beat Northamptonshire 9-262 (Newton 53, Wakely 53, Agar 3-55, Marsh 2-41, Hazlewood 2-51) by six wickets with 84 balls remaining

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Australia A tour of the UK

Get live scores and all the latest news from Australia A's tour of the UK on cricket.com.au and the CA Live app

Australia A one-day squad: Travis Head (c), Matthew Wade, Will Pucovski, Peter Handscomb, Mitch Marsh (vc), D'Arcy Short, Kurtis Patterson, Ashton Agar, Michael Neser, James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Sean Abbott, Andrew Tye

Australia A four-day squad: Tim Paine (c), Marcus Harris, Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Travis Head (vc), Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Mitch Marsh, Michael Neser, Jon Holland, James Pattinson, Jackson Bird, Josh Hazlewood (vc), Chris Tremain

One-day fixtures:

June 20: Australia A beat Northamptonshire by six wickets

June 23: Australia A v Derbyshire, County Ground, Derby

June 25: Australia A v Worcestershire, Kidderminster Cricket Club

June 30: Australia A v Gloucestershire, Bristol Country Ground, Bristol

July 2: Australia A v Gloucestershire, Bristol Country Ground, Bristol

Four-day fixtures:

July 7-10: Australia A v Sussex, Arundel Castle Cricket Ground, Arundel

July 13-16: Australia A v England Lions, The Spitfire Ground, Canterbury

July 23-26: Australia v Australia A, Ageas Bowl, Hampshire