Bengaluru, July 30: On a day when two of their batsmen made hundreds and two other half-centuries, the visiting South Africa 'A' toyed with Board President's XI on the first day of the three-day warm-up match here at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on Monday (July 30).
The Board President's XI comprised no player of international experience while the South Africa 'A' had two players who had made their debut in the top flight cricket - captain Khaya Zondo, who debuted against India in the one-day series earlier this year, and off-spinner Dean Piedt, whose Test debut came in 2014 and played a total of seven matches till 2016.
Still, the South Africa 'A' carried far too many guns for Board President's XI and ended up with an imposing 389 for two in 90 overs at close of play on the first day. Their openers Pieter Malan and Sarel Erwee set the tone for the day adding 155 runs in the opening session and there was nothing much for the bowlers from the pitch either.
The runs keep flowing for the visitors after the interval.
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) July 30, 2018
Hamza (54*) and Zondo (52*) bring up their respective half-centuries, as the South Africa ‘A’ side is closing in on the 300-run mark.
SA ‘A’ are 289/1 (66 ov).
Madhya Pradesh off-spinner Jalaj Saxena brought the breakthrough in the initial minutes of the middle session when he trapped Malan, who made a fine fifty, in front of the wicket.
But the wicket did not alter the course of the match as South Africa 'A' number three Zubayr Hamza, a 23-year-old from Cape Town who is talked about as a good prospect in South Africa, and Erwee continued to torment the Board President's XI bowlers. After making his hundred, Erwee retired hurt and the arrival of Zondo further complicated the day for the home side.
The South Africa A team are playing their warm-up, four-day match against the Indian Board' President's XI. SA A won the toss & elected to bat first. They are 164/1 (35 ovs), Sarel Erwee 100*, Zubayr Hamza 2* (Pieter Malan 51).
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) July 30, 2018
A naturally aggressive batsman, Zondo in the company of Hamza, who has nine first-class hundred and an average in excess of 51, clobbered the Board President's XI around the park for a century stand for the second wicket alliance. Zondo looked primed for a hundred but fell to left-arm spinner Dharmendra Jadeja for 67 off 102 balls that contained 11 fours.
But Hamza and Rassie van der Dussen kept milking runs at a brisk rate as Board President's XI desperately looked at clock for the close. But before that Hamza, who batted quite fluently, completed his hundred and both of them appear on course for a bigger score.
Brief score: South Africa 'A' - Ist innings: 389/2 in 90 overs (Zubayr Hamza (batting) 104, Sarel Erwee (retd hurt) 117, Khaya Zondo 67, Pieter Malan 51, Rassie van der Dussen (batting) 35; Jalaj Saxena 1-54, Dharmendra Jadeja 1-51) vs Board President's XI