Wade goes ballistic against Derbyshire

Matthew Wade acknowledges the crowd after bringing up yet another century.

Matthew Wade's second consecutive century will have certainly put his name firmly in contention for an Ashes call up. The left-handed Tasmanian struck a cool 155 off just 71 balls, just days after his 117 off 67 balls, as he powered the Australia A side to the victory target of 284 with 88 balls to spare. It only took 45 balls for Wade to reach his century, making him the owner of the fastest List A century by an Australia, surpassing David Hussey's 49 ball effort for Nottinghamshire back in 2009. His 150 was the second fastest List A 150 of all time, 7 balls behind the legendary AB De Villiers 64 ball effort against the West Indies at the 2015 World Cup. The Tasmanian took apart an understrength and inexperienced Derbyshire attack with disdain to completely overshadow the six-wicket haul by paceman Andrew Tye.

Playing his first game of the campaign, Tye claimed 6-65 from 10 overs after captain Travis Head won the toss and elected to bowl.

Using his full repertoire of slower balls, yorkers and bouncers, Tye took regular wickets throughout the innings on a beautiful track for batting.

The signs of a drubbing were ominous early on in the run chase when Wade took 14 from the first over.

D’Arcy Short’s second-ball dismissal did nothing to curb Wade’s aggression as he unleashed a series of devastating strikes that sent the white Kookaburra ball flying in all directions and the crowd ducking for cover.

The 31-year-old got to his half-century in just 20 balls and zoomed to triple figures with eight fours and eight sixes. Clearly he was not interested in running on Sunday.

Supporting Wade was Head, who banished anything overpitched in his 66-ball 68 in a 205-run stand.

After Wade had struck his 11th six - a majority that were heaved over the leg-side - Head hit a maximum of his own but dragged on the next ball.

Wade followed his skipper back to the pavilion four balls later to a standing ovation after he missed an audacious reverse flip over short third man to be trapped in front by spinner Matt Critchley.

By then it was 3-229 in the 24th over and the result was academic.

Much like they did in Northampton in the series opener, Peter Handscomb (29 not out) and Mitch Marsh (29 not out) ticked off the remaining runs to secure the victory.

It looked as though Australia A might be chasing a modest total after Michael Neser (1-48) and Sean Abbott (2-40) reduced the hosts to 2-26 inside eight overs.

But an 89-run stand between Wayne Madsen and Leus du Plooy put some starch in the Derbyshire innings.

Madsen fell for 48 to Tye but du Plooy carried on to his first century for Derbyshire, a splendid hundred that was brought up with a dashing straight six off Neser.

Six Derbyshire batsmen scored between 10-19 as Tye and the ‘A’ pacemen chopped away to restrict the home side to 9-282 from 50 overs.

Ashton Agar (0-66 from eight overs), Marsh (0-34 from six) and Short (0-27 from six) failed to take a wicket.

THE STAR

Matt Wade again starred for Australia A.

Fastest List A century by an Australian - Check Second Fastest List A 150 of all time (and fastest by an Australian - Check Dominating English bowling attacks in England - Check It is a once in a lifetime vein of form for Matty Wade, who has now scored 272 runs off just 138 balls on this tour. If there was to be an injury to an Australia top order batsman at the World Cup I'm sure Matthew Wade would be getting the call up. WHAT NEXT - Australia A’s next opponent is Worcester on Tuesday in Kidderminster after New Road was left unavailable due to mass flooding.