MATCH REPORT
Follow UsThe South African A side rallied well with the bat late on in the day’s play as they kickstarted the action against India A in the series’ second four-day clash hosted at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
SA A won the toss and elected to bat first before shortly finding themselves one wicket down when the team’s leader, Pieter Malan (0) was dismissed without scoring, leaving Sarel Erwee (38) and Raynard van Tonder (34) to rebuild the innings and guide their side to lunch.
The visitors came out of the lunch break firing, removing both in-batters in quick succession before Tony de Zorzi, one of two South African centurions from the first match, was also sent back to the change room for two to leave the home side on 92 / 4.
Zubayr Hamza (31) and Sinethemba Qeshile (32) then toiled well at the crease in the scorching heat of Bloemfontein before Hamza chopped one onto his stumps. That wicket brought George Linde (44) to the crease, as the all-rounder combined with Qeshile for a 44-run stand to help SA A towards the 200-run mark.
After the departure of Qeshile, Linde found another willing partner in Marco Jansen (38*) as the pair put on 53 runs together for the seventh wicket before Jansen and Lutho Sipamla (1*) reached the end of the day’s play at the crease with South Africa on 233 / 7 after 85 overs.
Ishan Porel (2 – 26) and Navdeep Saini (2 – 54) were the star bowlers for India A, picking up two wickets apiece in what was an impressive bowling display for the away team.
