Ed Cowan staked a claim for selection as an opening batsman for Australia in next week's first Test against India with a century for the Chairman's XI against the tourists in Canberra on Tuesday.
Cowan compiled 109 off 154 balls while incumbent Test opener Phillip Hughes failed again with 20 after a wretched series against New Zealand. At the close of the second day in the three-day game, the Chairman's XI were 215 for seven in reply to India's 269 heading into Wednesday's final day.
Tasmanian Cowan will present a strong case when the Australian squad is announced on Wednesday after two centuries in this season's domestic Sheffield Shield and one for Australia A against the touring New Zealanders.
Cowan hit 16 boundaries off India's bowlers and was out in the 47th over when he played back to off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and edged behind to MS Dhoni. Cowan was the only Test contender to press his claims after failures by Test batsmen David Warner (2), Usman Khawaja (25) and Hughes.
Warner's hot scoring form failed to carry over against India and he was out in the first over, bowled by paceman Abhimanyu Mithun. Captain Warner was coming off consecutive hundreds, in the second Test against New Zealand in Hobart and the Big Bash League opener against Melbourne Stars.
Khawaja again failed to build on a start and was out when he pushed forward to Umesh Yadav and was snapped up low down by Dhoni in the 20th over.
Hughes's sorry season continued when he skied a slog sweep off spinner Ashwin and Dhoni took a running catch in the 29th over, leaving the Chairman's XI 115 for three. But Cowan steadied the innings with a 69-run partnership with Tom Cooper (38) and at stumps the Chairman's XI trailed by 54 runs. Ashwin has four for 52 from 14 overs.
Earlier, Virat Kohli consolidated his place at number six for India for the Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground starting on December 26 by converting his overnight half-century to 132, almost half of the tourists' first-innings total.
Kohli faced 171 balls and hit 18 fours and two sixes before he edged left-arm spinner Jon Holland to wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman.
Skipper Dhoni only lasted 12 balls before he chipped Holland straight to mid-on for three and overnight batsman Rohit Sharma (47) pulled paceman Peter George to fine leg where Jason Behrendorff took the catch. Holland triggered a lower-order collapse and finished with six for 70.
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