JOIN USIndia suffer narrow defeat to S Africa
India, who had thumped Australian Institute of Sports by six wickets in their Twenty20 match on Monday, could not replicate the same form in the 50-over game at the Fred Kratzman Oval.
After India captain S Badrinath inserted South Africa, Tyagi (9-1-37-6) mowed the South African top and middle order but handy cameos from Farhaan Behardien (33), Heino Kuhn (46), Daryn Smit (45) and Cornelius de Villiers (39 not out) guided the Proteas to a modest 214 for nine in their allotted 50 overs.
India’s reply got off to a shaky start with Murali Vijay returning scoreless. Wriddhiman Saha (47), Abhishek Nayar (33), Badrinath (32) and Manoj Tiwary (22) tried their best but India were all out for 204 runs in 47.4 overs.
At 32 for five, South Africa were staring at the abyss but Behardien and Kuhn added 75 runs for the sixth wicket to arrest the slide and then Smit and de Villiers collaborated to raise 45 runs as South Africa crossed the 200-mark that seemed improbable at one stage.
India lost Murali Vijay early in the innings before suffering a double jolt when Ajinkya Rahane (21) fell to Juan Theron and then Virat Kohli (0) ran himself out.
Badrinath and Nayar raised 78 runs for the fourth wicket to rekindle Indian hopes.
Brief score: South Africa: 214 for 9 in 50 overs (F Behardien 33, H Kuhn 46, D Smit 45, C de Villiers 39 not out; Sudeep Tyagi 6/37) bt India: 204 all out in 47.4 overs (Wriddhiman Saha 47, Abhishek Nayar 33, S Badrinath 32; Juan Theron 3/49).