Ackerman's ton keeps SA 'A' in the hunt

Captain Marques Ackerman led from the front with an outstanding century as South Africa 'A' were finely poised with India 'A' at the halfway stage of the second unofficial Test at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru on Friday.

After bowling out the hosts for 255 on the stroke of stumps on day one, the tourists replied with 221, of which 134 (118 balls, 17x4, 5x6) came from the bat of the skipper.

The left-hander stood man alone for his side, keeping them in the contest for the better part of the day, before Okuhle Cele claimed 2/28 and Tiaan van Vuuren bagged 1/15 to leave the home side on 78/3 at stumps – an overall lead of 112.

It ended an eventful day for both teams, though the South Africans will surely be disappointed to have not done more.

Starting with a clean slate on the second morning, they lost opener Lesego Senokwane for a three-ball duck, Zubayr Hamza for eight and Proteas Test captain Temba Bavuma, returning from injury as he builds up to his international return in the first Test against India starting next week, for a first-ball duck.

Bavuma was caught behind off Akash Deep (2/28), who also bowled Senokwane, while Hamza fell leg before wicket to Mohammed Siraj (2/61).

Jordan Hermann (20) then steadied the ship alongside Ackerman with a 64-run third wicket partnership but was removed by pick of the bowlers Prasidh Krishna (3/35).

Wickets continued to tumble from there, with the South Africans falling to 121/7 at one stage. However, Ackerman finally found company in Prenelan Subrayen (20) – the pair putting on a partnership of 86 for the eighth wicket – to lift the away side beyond 200.

But Siraj had the latter run out and Krishna cleaned up Cele (0) quickly leaving the visitors all out in 47.3 overs.

In reply, Abhimanyu Easwaran (0) was trapped lbw by Cele from the seventh ball, before Van Vuuren got Sai Sudharsan (23) the same way. Seamer Cele also got the wicket of Devdutt Padikkal (24) late in the day when he was caught by Senokwane.

It meant that both sides still had every chance of forcing a result on days three and four over the weekend.

Fixtures

Four-Day Series

30 October-2 November - BCCI Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru - India 'A' won by three wickets

6-9 November - BCCI Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru

One-Day Series

Thursday - Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot

Sunday, 16 November - Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot

Wednesday, 19 November - Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot