India A vs South Africa A First 'Test' Highlights: Proteas Dominate on Day 1, Axar Patel Gets Two
The new-look Ambati Rayudu-led India A were unimpressive on first day against South Africa A. Axar Patel bagged two wickets but Omphile Ramela of South Africa stole the show with a magnificent hundred. Catch all the highlights of Day 1.
That's the end of play on Day 1 of the first four-day 'Test' at Krishnagiri Stadium in Wayanad. South Africa A put up a dominant show to post 293 for four in 88 overs against India A. Omphile Ramela top scored with 112, while Temba Bavuma (55 not out) and Reeza Hendricks (50) also notched up crucial fifties. For India, Axar Patel picked up two wickets. Ishwar Pandey and Jayant Yadav chipped in with a wicket each. Catch highlights of Day 1 here:
* Temba Bavuma reaches fifty, Omphile Ramela scores hundred. South Africa A 281 for three in 85.2 overs.
* Ramela and Bavuma piling on the runs against India A. South Africa A 230/3.
* Ramela playing the role of sheet anchor as South Africa A play for stumps. South Africa 189/3.
* WICKET! Axar gets De Bruyn for 38. South Africa 157/3.
* Play resumes after a rain delay. South Africa A 148/2.
* Rain stops play with South Africa A on 146/2.
* The Proteas are setting themselves up for a big total. South Africa A 144/2
* De Bruyn and Ramela resume after lunch as India A look to make further inroads. South Africa A 115/2.
* India A pegging back the visitors with 2 late wickets in the first session. South Africa A 102/2 at lunch.
* WICKET! Pandey strikes to remove the dangerous Hendricks for 50. South Africa A 100/2.
* WICKET! Van Zyl is caught by Rayudu off Yadav and India A have their first wicket. South Africa A 60/1.
* Spin has been introduced in the form of Axar but the visitors showing no signs of giving in. South Africa A 55/0.
* Hendricks and Van Zyl slowly building a partnership as they try to get through the first hour. South Africa A 27/0.
© AFP
* South Africa A win the toss and opt to bat.
© PTI
Preview
High on confidence after winning the one day tri-series on Saturday, India A will aim to take their recent form into the longer format when they take on South Africa A in their first four-day match at the Krishnagiri Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Ambati Rayudu will lead the hosts in the two-match series.(Read)
Before the tri-series, India A had played a couple of four-day 'Tests' against Australia A. The first match was drawn while the hosts lost the second by 10 wickets despite the presence of acknowledged players like Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha.
In absence of Pujara, Kohli and KL Rahul, Rayudu, Karun Nair, Abhinav Mukund and Shreyas Iyer will hold the key in the batting department.
Medium-pacer Ishwar Pandey, young right-arm spinner Baba Aparajith, Axar Patel, Karn Sharma and Abhimanyu Mithun will be the strengths as far as the team's bowling is concerned. Amit Mishra, Umesh Yadav and Varun Aaron had played against Australia A and are now busy with the national team in Sri Lanka.
The South Africans ruined their tour when 10 of their players were hospitalised due to food poisoning during the tri-series. It was one of the reasons they did not perform well, and the Proteas will aim to fix the damage by bringing in their best in the longer format.
Their batting will depend heavily on skipper Dane Vilas, Temba Bavuma and Theunis de Bruyn. The experienced Marchant de Lange, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Beuran Hendricks and all-rounder David Wiese are likely to form the fast bowling line-up.
India A: Ambati Rayudu (captain), Karun Nair, Abhinav Mukund, Ankush Bains, Shreyas Iyer, Baba Aparajith, Vijay Shankar, Jayant Yadav, Axar Patel, Karn Sharma, Abhimanyu Mithun, Shradul Thakur, Ishwar Pandey, Sheldon Jackson, Jiwanjot Singh.
South Africa A: Dane Vilas (captain), Temba Bavuma, Gihahn Cloete, Theunis de Bruyn, Marchant de Lange, Beuran Hendricks,Reeza Hendricks, Keshav Maharaj, Dane Paterson, Dane Piedt,. Omphile Ramela, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Stiaan van Zyl, Hardus Viljoen, David Wiese.