Tour Match: South African Board President's XI v India 'A' at Laudium Oval, 12 Apr 2002 CricInfo Live Report

Tour Match: South African Board President's XI v India 'A' at Laudium Oval, 12 Apr 2002
Keith Lane

India 'A' innings: Latest, India 'A' win,
South African Board President's XI innings: Lunch,

ONE WAY TRAFFIC IN LAUDIUM FOR INDIA ‘A’
A contrast in professionalism played itself out at the pleasant Laudium Oval with India ‘A’ convincingly defeating a South African Presidents XI by seven wickets in a 50 overs match. Set to make 183, the target was reached in the 35 th over.

From the time they won the toss India ‘A’ showed their discipline and love for the game by continually keeping the South Africans under pressure. Excellent disciplined bowling spells from Rakesh Patel and Muri Kartik, ably assisted by Mohammed Kaif forced the South Africans to take chances.

Wickets tumbled at regular intervals during the South African XI innings and it was left to Albie Morkel (50*) and Zahir Abrahim (11*) to get some substance back into the innings with sensible batting in the last 18 overs. The two put on a partnership of 63 to leave the Presidents men on 182/7. Loots Bosman (38) the only other batsmen to show any commitment.

With a small target to defend you would expect the bowling side to be as miserly as possible, but within the first 10 overs 12 extra balls had been bowled, making a small target even smaller. By the end of the match the bowlers had bowled 24 no balls and wides. A sign of the times for South African cricket with no bowlers of substance coming through the network A truly unprofessional display in the field.

Some success however for Abrahim taking the wickets of Gautam Gambhir (30) and Amit Pagnis (10) before Muhammad Kaif (76) and Jacob Martin (21*) took the game by the scruff of the neck. A whirlwind 12* off five balls from Yuvraj Singh put the spectators out of their misery and took the visitors to their first win on the tour.

INDIA 'A' NEED 183 FROM 50 OVERS TO WIN
With a small target of 183 from 50 overs India 'A' started at a good rate, assisted by some undisciplined bowling by the South Africans. After 10 overs 12 extra balls had been bowled.

Amit Pagnis was the first wicket to fall, driving on the up and was well caught low down by Otto at cover point. Out for 10 and India 34 for one in the sixth over off Abrahim's first over.

Gambhir looking very comfortable at the wicket with 22 and Kaif on four saw the team to 51/1 after the first ten overs.

Looking so good at the crease, Gambhir after driving well, chased a wide ball outside off and edged an easy catch to the keeper off the bowling of Abrahim for 30 in the 14 th over. India now 66/2 still looking to be easy winners.

Mohammed Kaif (59*) and Jacob Martin (21*) showed up the weak bowling attack of the opposition by moving the score along to 146/2 after 30 overs. Kaif in particular very strong on the loose ball, twice sending it high and handsome over the long on fence.

The President bowlers continued to gift the batsmen with wides and no balls making the small target even smaller. The small crowd was also far from impressed with the local bowling performance.

INDIA 'A' WIN TOSS AND FIELD FIRST AT LAUDIUM
On an overcast and cool morning India ‘A’ won the toss and without hesitation sent the President XI in to bat on a grassy hard pitch and heavy outfield.

The aggressive Loots Bosman and Henry Davids opened the innings for the South Africans. After a watchful start and the heavy outfield to contend with they moved the score along to 25 when Davids going on the pull got it high on the bat from Balaji to be caught at square leg by Bhandari for eight in the eight over.

Morne Van Wyk joined Bosman who had decided to up the run rate, hitting consecutive fours and a six to push the score to 43/1 after the first 10 overs.

South African President XI: L Bosman, H Davids, M van Wyk (Capt), A Jacobs, P Koertzen, M Otto, I Khan, A Morkel, Z Abrahim, B Reddy, J Mafa.

India ‘A’: G Gambhir, A Pagnis, M Kaif, J Martin (Capt), Y Singh, R Gavaskar, P Patel, R Patel, M Kartik, A Bhandari, L Bajaji

Bosman’s attacking batting got the better of him when change bowler Bhandari got him driving in the air to be caught by Rakesh Patel in the deep cover area for 38. The president XI had moved on to 57/2 in the 13 th over.

Arno Jacobs and van Wyk were confronted by some tight bowling from Bhandari moving the ball in the breeze and Murli Kartik turning and flighting the ball well. Singles at this stage was the order of the day with the score progressing to 80/2 after 20 overs.

Thanks to some pressure bowling from Bhandari and Kartik chances were taken. Two quick wickets put the skids under the Presidents batting with van Wyk being caught at deep square leg trying to take on Kartik for 22. Nine balls later Jacobs (16) was caught by Kartik off the bowling of Patel who had been brought back into the attack.

With two new batsmen, Pieter Koortzen and Martinus Otto, at the crease and a rebuilding of the innings taking place the run rate slipped back even further.

More disaster for the Presidents men as wickets fell with regularity. Otto (16) was caught by Gambhir off Balaji. He followed it up in the next over yorking Koortzen for four. The young Imran Khan advancing down the pitch to Kaif was easily stumped for two leaving the score at 119/7 after 32 overs.

Albie Morkel and Zahir Abrahim brought some stability back into the innings. Under trying conditions they ended with an undefeated 63 run eighth wicket partnership off 109 balls taking the score to 182/7 at the end of the 50 th over. Morkel by far the more dominant player ended on 50* and Abrahim on 11*.

The most successful Indian bowler was Balaji ending his ten over spell with three for 46.