Xtra Time Web Desk: Hanuma Vihari and Abhimanyu Easwaran scored fine half-centuries in the fourth innings of the match as the second four-day game between South Africa A and India A ended in a draw following bad light in Bloemfontein on Friday.
Needing 234 runs to win, India A lost the openers – captain Priyank Panchal and Prithvi Shaw – early. However, the pair of Easwaran and Vihari, who notched up his second fifty-plus score in the match, denied South Africa A any immediate success. The two put up a solid 133-run stand before Easwaran got out after scoring 55. Hanuma Vihari, who had scored 54 in the first innings, scored an unbeaten 72 in the second innings.
The bad light came into effect soon after that before both the teams settled for a draw.
Earlier, South Africa A, who resumed the final day’s play at 116/5, added 96 runs to their overnight score being bowled out. The Indian pace-bowling trio of Navdeep Saini, Ishan Porel, Arzan Nagwaswalla shared the spoils on Day 4. While Porel, who had picked two wickets on Day 3, added one more wicket to his tally, Saini and Nagwaswalla picked two wickets each.
Brief Scores:
South Africa A 297 all out & 212 all out (Sarel Erwee 41, Raynard van Tonder 33; Ishan Porel 3/33)
India A 276 all out & 155/3 (Hanuma Vihari 72*, Abhimanyu Easwaran 55; Glenton Stuurman 3/55).