As if taking a cue from their seniors in Sri Lanka, the spinners of India ‘A’ spun a web around the South Africa ‘A’ batsmen at the Wayanad Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. But a wise man would not bet against the touring side yet, though it was bowled out inside the opening day of the second unofficial Test.
Only the second day will prove how substantial a first-innings total of 260 is. The wicket is turning, the bounce is uneven and, according to the batsman who spent the most time at the crease, it has already begun to deteriorate.
Desperately unlucky But for that batsman, opener Stiaan van Zyle, South Africa ‘A’ would have struggled harder. The left-hander made a well-crafted 96 (193b, 256min, 13x4, 1x6) and was distinctly unlucky to miss out on a hundred. Nobody else made more than 30 for the visiting team, which had opted to bat.
Left-armer Axar Patel led the onslaught of the Indian spinners, taking five for 92. There were also fine spells from off-spinner Jayant Yadav (three for 53) and leggie Karn Sharma (two for 36).
On such a day for the tweakers, it would be easy to forget the spell from Shardul Thakur, who moved the new ball away in the early part of the day.
He was one of the four changes to the India ‘A’ XI, the others being B. Aparajith, Karn Sharma and Sheldon Jackson replacing Karun Nair, Shreyas Iyer, Abhimanyu Mithun and Ishwar Pandey.
The South Africans brought in Gihahn Cloete, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Hardus Viljoen and Beuren Hendricks for Theunis de Bruyn, Wayne Parnell, Dane Paterson and Keshav Maharaj. They would probably regret omitting Maharaj as they find themselves playing just one spinner on this track. But Dane Piedt could go on to have a big say in the match, if the way he bowled on a far less helpful wicket in the first unofficial Test here is anything to go by.
The India ‘A’ batsmen might also not find it easy against the three-pronged pace attack of Tsotsobe, Viljoen and Hendricks.
In the morning, when van Zyl and Reeza Hendricks negotiated the opening hour without damage and took their stand beyond 50 for the third time in as many innings in this series, it looked as if the South Africans were on their way to another formidable first innings total.
But, Axar, coming in first change, got one to turn sharply away from the right-handed Hendricks and had him edge to B. Aparajith at slip.
Collapse Though wickets fell around him, van Zyl’s calmness and judicious strokeplay served South Africa ‘A’ well. But, his dismissal after tea triggered a collapse; from 204 for three, the visitors folded for 260. van Zyl’s impatience to reach his hundred cost him dearly, as he was bowled through the gate by the impressive Jayant.
On a dramatic day, there was also some drama involving an unexpected guest: a common krait sneaked into the field in the morning and scared the square-leg umpire and the Indian fielders.
But, the guest was soon escorted out of the ground and the match resumed without much delay.
The scores:
South Africa ‘A’ — 1st inning: Reeza Hendricks c Aparajith b Axar 22, Stiaan van Zyl b Jayant 96, Gihahn Cloete c Vijay Shankar b Jayant 26, Omphile Ramela c Aparajith b Karn 30, Temba Bavuma c Aparajith b Axar 17, Quinton de Kock st Bains b Jayant 0, Dane Vilas b Axar 24, Dane Piedt c Vijay Shankar b Axar 12, Hardus Viljoen lbw b Karn 0, Lonwabo Tsotsobe lbw b Axar 0, Beuran Hendricks (not out) 0, Extras (b-24, nb-8, w-1) 33; Total (in 89.5 overs) 260.
Fall of wickets: 1-58, 2-107, 3-185, 4-204, 5-206, 6-230, 7-255, 8-256, 9-260.
India ‘A’ bowling: Shardul Thakur 10-0-35-0, Vijay Shankar 7-3-8-0, Axar Patel 27.5-6-92-5, Jayant Yadav 21-5-53-3, Karn Sharma 19-8-36-2, B. Aparajith 5-0-12-0.
Toss: South Africa ‘A’.
