OWN CORRESPONDENT, Bombay | Sunday 11.00pm.
A 49-run ninth wicket partnership between Harbhajan Singh and Amit Bhandari helped the India Board President’s X1 to avoid having to follow on against South Africa on Sunday.
On a day when several batsmen on trial for a place in the India test team failed it was left to the tailenders to save face.
Harbhajan and Bhandari batted aggressively, scoring their runs off 44 balls as the Board X1 made 172 for nine declared in reply to South Africa’s 293 for six declared.
Mohammad Azharuddin did not resume his innings after retiring hurt on nine when he was struck on the left thumb. A hospital X-ray revealed no major injury.
South Africa reached 93 for three, a lead of 214, at the end of the second day of the three-day match.
Saturday:
SOUTH Africa made a solid start to their tour of India on Saturday, reaching 293 for six against an Indian Board XI.
Openers Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs were soon into their stride and scored 104 for the first wicket.
Kirsten was first out when he was beaten by left arm-spinner Murali Karthik and edged a catch into the slips. He hit seven fours in a two-hour innings worth 56.
Gibbs also completed his half century before giving spinner Harbhajan Singh a return catch after adding three more runs. He batted for 142 minutes and struck nine boundaries.
Jacques Kallis kept the total moving with 50.
A brilliant piece of fielding by Mohammed Kaif ended Daryll Cullinan’s innings just when he looked into his stride. He was run out for 43.
Mark Boucher helped his captain Hansie Cronje to accelerate the scoring and the pair added 54 in an unbroken seventh wicket stand.
The Proteas play two tests and five one-day internationals, starting with the first test in Bombay on February 24-28. — Reuters
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