SA-A vs IND-A Prediction: Who will win the 2nd unofficial Test?
India A and South Africa A will cross swords in the second of three unofficial Tests, starting Monday, November 29 at Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein.
The opening match between the two teams ended in a draw. After being put in to bat first, South Africa A showed their class and amassed 509 for seven before declaring their innings.
Skipper Pieter Malan played a stupendous knock of 163, laced with 19 glorious fours.
Middle-order batter Toni de Zorzi also made 117. Jason Smith, Sinethemba Qeshile and George Linde made half-centuries to make sure the hosts got past the 500-run mark.
Navdeep Saini and Arzan Nagwaswalla picked up two wickets apiece for the visiting teams.
Umran Malik and Rahul Chahar also chipped in with useful spells. Thereafter, the Indian batters also did their bit. In response to South Africa A’s massive score, India A put up 308 for four in 93.1 overs.
Prithvi Shaw played some attacking cricket, scoring a 45-ball 48 with nine fours.
After he got out to Lutho Sipamla, skipper Priyank Panchal and Abhimanyu Easwaran stitched together a 142-run stand for the second wicket. The captain was unlucky as he failed to get a century after left-arm spinner Linde accounted for his wicket in the 59th over.
Easwaran, on the other hand, scored 103 with the help of 16 fours become becoming Sipamla’s second victim. Hanuma Vihari, who didn’t find a place in India’s squad for the New Zealand Tests, scored 25.
Thereafter, rain halted proceedings and the game ended in a draw.
Can India A come up trumps?
The India A bowlers had to toil hard for success in their previous encounter. Even as the other specialist bowlers got at least one wicket, Krishnappa Gowtham failed to make a single breakthrough.
South Africa A batters, on the other hand, looked in great rhythm. Malan and De Zorzi played handy knocks for their team. The upcoming match is also expected to end in a draw.
Prediction: The match will end in a draw.