Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw tons power India A against South Africa A

Bengaluru, August 5: As Prithvi Shaw (136, 196b, 20x4, 1x6) and Mayank Agarwal (220 n.o, 250b, 31x4, 4x6) engaged themselves in building an edifice of runs for India A, a handful of spectators at the Northern Stand began to troll South Africa A players to be more competitive. It was nothing malicious but some banter to enliven the contest on the second day of the four-day game at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday (August 5).

But even that failed to give a competitive edge to the South Africa A players as they looked hapless against Shaw and Mayank who milked 277 runs during a massive opening wicket alliance in 58.5 overs. India A ended the day at 411 for two after bowling out South Africa A at the overnight score of 246 and now they lead by 165. Mohammed Siraj completed a satisfying five-wicket haul and it required just three balls in the first session.

A lowdown on their innings will bring you a flurry of boundaries, dazzling shots and a bowling attack that failed to offer any meaningful challenge to the batsmen. But the ineptitude of the visiting bowlers should not be held against Shaw and Mayank as they showed immense concentration to exploit an opportunity to put some runs against their name.

With their barrel of competition as empty as the Sahara desert, the Proteas bowlers never really managed to shackle the free-scoring Indians. Mayank gave an early indication of the course the match would take as his first four scoring shots were boundaries - two each of Duanne Olivier and Bueran Hendricks.

Stumps Day 2: India A - 411/2 in 86.6 overs (Mayank Agarwal 220 off 249, Shreyas Iyer 9 off 14) @paytm IndAvSaA #IndiaASeries

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) August 5, 2018

Shaw, who was a bit cautious to start, soon joined his senior partner with a slew of boundaries and that soon developed into a healthy competition to outscore each other. The conditions remained muggy for a good part of the day with slight wind blowing across the field but the South Africa bowlers did not show enough alacrity to seize the opportunity. Even the pitch that held some spice on the first day seemed to have flattened up.

The race to hundred was won by Mayank when he took a single to mid-off and Shaw, who had stacked up one List A and two first-class tons for India A during their recent tour to England, and too joined him soon with two successive fours off leg-spinner Shaun von Berg. Shaw, whose only moment of concern came when he mistimed a cut off spinner Senuran Muthuswamy that went past stumper Rudi Second narrowly, looked good for plenty more but Dean Piedt breached his defence to fetch South Africa's first wicket of a long, dreary day.

On the other hand, Mayank, who had made three List A hundreds during the recent trip to England, did not let his concentration down to double his hundred and the big moment came when he pulled Malusi Siboto through midwicket for a boundary.

The hundreds by both Shaw and Mayank came at a crucial juncture in their career as barrage of runs could put them under the senior team selectors. But for the time being, those knocks have placed India A in a command position.