Patel spins India A to win

Wayanad (Kerala), August 28

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel scalped four wickets without conceding a single run in a destructive spell as India A clinched the unofficial Test series 1-0 against South Africa A with an innings and 81 runs victory in the second and final match. The home team declared at the overnight score of 417/8 before bundling out South Africa for 76 runs on the final day.

Patel was the wrecker-in-chief in a deadly spell during which he bowled six maidens and picked up four wickets to destroy the visiting side. Patel’s figures in the second innings read an impressive 6-6-0-4, his match figures were 9/92. The Indians thus won the series as the first match had ended in a draw.

Having declared on 417/8, with a first-innings lead of 157, the host bowlers went all out. Besides Patel, off-spinner Jayant Yadav (2/10) claimed two wickets, while Shardul Thakur, Karn Sharma and Baba Aparajith took one wicket each.

Patel gave the Indians a breakthrough in the fourth over when he bowled Reeza Hendricks for one. The early wicket triggered the collapse, and by the 16th over, the middle order of the visiting side was back in the pavilion, leaving them reeling at 33/4.

Quinton de Kock tried to steady the ship but South Africa A kept on losing wickets. De Kock too failed to sustain till the end and lost his wicket to Yadav. Thereafter, Karn trapped Lonwabo Tsotsobe lbw to end South Africa A’s innings in just 31.4 overs.

Brief scores: South Africa A: 260 (van Zyl 96, Axar 5/92) and 76 (Axar 4/0); India A: 417/8 decl. (Mukund 72, Rayudu 71, Axar 69*, Piedt 5-191). — PTI