South Africa A hunt down big chase against India A

South Africa A turned the tables on India A as they snatched an emphatic five-wicket win on a not-so-responsive fourth and final day surface at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in the second unofficial Test here on Sunday. 

Connor Esterhuizen (52 n.o., 54b, 8x4, 1x6) and Tiaan van Vuuren (20 n.o., 23b, 1x6) survived some anxious moments before taking South Africa A over the line in 98 overs as the match went well past the scheduled close on the final day, finishing at 5:24 pm.

Mohammed Siraj (1/53), Prasidh Krishna (2/49), Akash Deep (1/106), Harsh Dubey (1/111) and Kuldeep Yadav (0/81) threw everything at the South African batters but failed to break their dogged resistance. 

India, though, had reason for optimism with four Indian bowlers (74 Tests combined) in their ranks when they walked out on the fourth day with South Africa A needing a massive 392 more runs to win or survive 90 overs for a draw. 

Chasing a target of 417 for victory, the counter-attacking Hermann and the steady Lesego Senokwane (77, 174b, 11x4) produced an impressive 156-run first-wicket stand in 43 overs to lay the perfect platform for the chase. 

Like they expertly did on the final hour of the third day, the openers left balls outside off and were going after deliveries that were either too short or full in the morning. 

They also picked easy singles, not allowing the India A bowlers to build any sort of pressure and peeled off boundaries at will, including a 16-run over of the added four fours for he day. 

At one point, Kuldeep Yadav changed ends, but that did not alter his fortunes as South Africa A’s openers continued to dominate proceedings. 

The openers reached a 100-run partnership in 152 balls, going into lunch at 139 for no loss in 38 overs. 

However, it was Prasidh who gave India their first breakthrough with a sharp reflex catch in his follow-through, smashed off a full toss in the 43rd over as Hermann missed out on a well-deserved ton. 

Senokwane was playing Harsh well, especially with some balls keeping low but it was the off-spinner who had the last laugh when the batter’s desperation got him sweeping against the turn and was trapped in front in the 53rd over. 

Zubayr Hamza (77, 88b, 9x4, 3x6) and Temba Bavuma (59, 101b, 7x4) then put their heads down and built a steady 107-run partnership to step on the accelerator again. 

Hamza smashed Harsh and Kuldeep, not allowing the spinners to settle, ensuring South Africa A were not bogged down and maintaining a good scoring rate. 

Just when it felt like South Africa A would shut down the chasing doors after losing Hazma and Bavuma to Prasidh and Akash respectively, the lower-order came to the rescue to cap off a magnificent chase and level the series 1-1.