A sunny Wednesday afternoon seemed even sunnier when Quinton de Kock was at the wicket.
The South African batted for only a little over two hours, but it was enough to take the game away from India ‘A’ in the first unofficial Test at the Wayanad Cricket Stadium, Krishnagiri.
The host was 122 for three at stumps on day two — 420 adrift and quite some distance away from the follow-on mark of 393 — in response to the massive 542 South Africa ‘A’ made in its first innings.
de Kock’s 113 off just 102 balls (136 min, 13x4, 3x6) ensured that South Africa ‘A’ scored enough runs and scored them quickly, giving its bowlers plenty of time to have a go at the batsmen.
For the 22-year-old, who is playing this match purely as a batsman, it was another memorable outing against the Indian bowlers.
He made three back-to-back ODI hundreds against the senior Indian side in 2012-13 in South Africa. And, he arrived here after scoring hundreds in both List ‘A’ matches in Chennai.
His form was evident right from the moment he came in at the fall of overnight batsman Temba Bavuma (66, 142b, 193min, 8x4), after South Africa resumed at 293 for four.
On the fourth ball he faced, he danced down the wicket and lofted off-spinner Jayant Yadav over long-on for six. Before long, he pulled Abhimanyu Mithun furiously through midwicket for four.
When de Kock neared his hundred, India ‘A’ captain Ambati Rayudu had as many as seven close-in fielders.
But, the South African promptly bisected them through the covers for a boundary to reach the milestone. His captain and rival for the wicket-keeping spot in the senior squad Dane Vilas (75, 74b, 101min, 10x4, 2x6) also played some pleasing strokes. The duo added 107 for the seventh wicket.
On a difficult day for the Indian bowlers, left-arm spinner Axar Patel was the most successful with four for 115.
But when India ‘A’ batted, Dane Peidt looked far more threatening.
The off-spinner, rated highly back home, bowled both the Indian openers, Jiwanjot Singh and Abhinav Mukund.
Left-arm pacer Wayne Parnell then cleaned up Shreyas Iyer (49) to put India ‘A’ further on to the backfoot.
The scores:
South Africa — 1st innings: Reeza Hendricks c Bains b Pandey 50, Stiaan van Zyl c Rayudu b Yadav 28, Theyunis de Bruyn c Shankar b Axar 38, Omphile Ramela c Bains b Axar 112, Temba Bavuma c Yadav b Mithun 66, Dane Peidt c Shreyas Iyer b Axar 16, Quinton de Kock c Pandey b Shreyas Iyer 113, Dane Vilas c Axar b Yadav 75, Wayne Parnell c Bains b Axar 2, Keshav Maharaj c Mukund b Shreyas Iyer 19, Dane Paterson (not out) 10; Extras (b-4, lb-5, nb-3, w-1): 13; Total (in 138.5 overs): 542.
Fall of wickets: 1-60, 2-100, 3-157, 4-293, 5-307, 6-385, 7-492, 8-507, 9-525.
India ‘A’ bowling: Abhimanyu Mithun 23-2-78-1, Ishwar Pandey 21-2-96-1, Axar Patel 39-8-115-4, Jayant Yadav 42-3-177-2, Vijay Shankar 10-3-29-0, Karun Nair 1-0-9-0, Shreyas Iyer 2.5-0-29-2.
India ‘A’ — 1st innings: Jiwanjot Singh b Peidt 22, Abhinav Mukund b Peidt 38, Shreyas Iyer b Parnell 49, Ambati Rayudu (batting) 11, Karun Nair (batting) 0; Extras (lb-2): 2; Total (for three wkts. in 34.5 overs): 122.
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-88, 3-122.
South Africa ‘A’ bowling: Wayne Parnell 9.5-1-30-1, Dane Paterson 9-1-35-0, Dane Peidt 12-3-47-2, Keshav Maharaj 4-1-8-0.
