The AB de Villiers show continues

Mumbai, October 31

Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur pushed South Africa on the backfoot before the classy AB de Villiers hit back with a typically aggressive century on the second and last day of the practice game against Board President’s XI, which ended in a draw here on Saturday. The visitors, replying to BP XI’s first innings total of 296, were reeling at 57/5 following a double strike by Thakur before recovering through two partnerships — both involving de Villiers (112) — to aggregate 302 for a token lead of six runs.

When the play was called off, the hosts were 92 for no loss in their second innings with KL Rahul, who made 72 in the first essay, unbeaten on 43 and captain Cheteshwar Pujara on 49. All the runs were scored off spin bowlers as the fast bowlers did not bowl at all.

Thakur, who had packed off opener Stiaan van Zyl and nightwatchman Simon Harmer last evening, continued to trouble the visitors this morning, too, by dismissing two of their top batsmen — Faf du Plessis (4) and captain Hashim Amla (1) — to leave them gasping at 57/4.

And when pacer Nathu Singh finally found some rhythm after another wayward beginning to induce an edge from left-handed opener Dean Elgar (23), the tourists were on the mat. AB de Villiers, who slammed 18 hits to the fence during his 131-ball knock, put on 54 runs with Temba Bavuma (15) to steady the rocking innings. He then shared a partnership of 115 in 139 balls with wicketkeeper Dane Vilas (58) to take the score past the 200-run mark. The stand was broken by off-spinner Jayant Yadav when he bowled the SA wicketkeeper round his legs. De Villiers departed at the stroke of tea, bowled by Yadav. 

The first hour of the morning belonged to Thakur as he dismissed du Plessis and veteran Amla in a short burst. Thakur trapped du Plessis leg before, and then induced an edge from Amla to have him caught in the slips. At this stage, Thakur had grabbed four wickets for eight runs off 25 balls, including two wickets from yesterday. De Villiers, however, hit the rampaging Mumbai pacer for two successive boundaries — a rasping square cut followed by a clip off the toes — as he got on the top of the bowling. When leg-spinner Karn Sharma came on to bowl, he was punished mercilessly by the tourists’ ODI captain and Vilas. He was cut, swept, pulled and driven easily. It was only after he was replaced by off-spinner Yadav that BP XI tasted success. — PTI 

Brief scores: BP XI 296 and 92 for no loss (Rahul 43no, Pujara 49no); South Africa 302 (AB de Villiers 112, D Vilas 58, D Steyn 37; S Thakur 4 /70, Jayant Yadav 2/37, Kuldeep Yadav 2/24).