ARUNDEL (England), July 21: South Africa’s final warm-up match before Thursday’s first Test against England at Edgbaston ended in a draw against India ‘A’ on the final day of three.
India ‘A’ were 160 for three in their second innings here Monday — a lead of 16 — in reply to South Africa’s first innings 463 when the captains agreed a draw with half an hour’s play remaining.
Hemang Badani was 58 not out off 85 balls including one six and eight fours. Ambati Rayudi was four not out.
Earlier, on a pitch whose docility always made a draw the most likely outcome, Test batsman Wasim Jaffer made 54 to add to his first innings 90 before he was caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Robin Peterson.
He faced 93 balls including nine fours. Together with Badani he added 101 runs. That stand ended South Africa hopes of victory after they’d established a first innings lead of 144 and then reduced India A to 36 for two.
Former South Africa skipper Shaun Pollock took the first wicket to fall when he had India A captain Shiv Sunder Das (15) playing on after he tried to cut a ball that was too close to him.
Monde Zondeki struck next when he had left-hander Gautam Gambhir (18) caught behind by Mark Boucher.
INDIA ‘A’ (1st Innings) 319 (W. Jaffer 90, G. Gambhir 64; S.M. Pollock 4-46).
SOUTH AFRICA (1st Innings, overnight 342-5):
G.C. Smith lbw b Pathan 79
H.H. Gibbs c Patel b Kartik 79
G. Kirsten run out 75
J.A. Rudolph c Patel b Salvi 83
H.H. Dippenaar c sub b Salvi 37
M.V. Boucher b Salvi 0
S.M. Pollock b Bhandari 36
R.J. Peterson c Das b Pathan 32
M. Zondeki not out 12
M. Ntini c and b Pathan 5
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-11, NB-13) 25
TOTAL (all out, 121.4 overs) 463
FALL OF WKTS: 1-150, 2-164, 3-335, 4-341, 5-341, 6-394, 7-445, 8-445, 9-445.
BOWLING: Salvi 29-7-92-4 (8nb); Bhandari 18-3-65-1; Kartik 29-5-120-1 (2nb); Pathan 28.4-3-83-3; Mishra 16-0-88-0 (3nb); Rayudu 1-0-3-0.
INDIA ‘A’ (2nd Innings):
S.S. Das b Pollock 15
G. Gambhir c Boucher b Zondeki 18
W. Jaffer c and b Peterson 54
H.K. Badani not out 58
A. Rayudu not out 4
EXTRAS (B-4, LB-3, NB-4) 11
TOTAL (for three wkts, 43 overs) 160
FALL OF WKTS: 1-35, 2-36, 3-137.
BOWLING: Pollock 6-2-14-1 (2nb); Ntini 7-1-26-0; Zondeki 8-2-31-1 (2nb); Peterson 14-4-45-1; Pretorius 6-2-22-0; Rudolph 2-0-15-0.
Result: Match drawn.—AFP/Reuters