All-rounder Marco Jansen starred on an otherwise disappointing first day of South Africa A’s first-class fixture against India A at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.
The hosts slipped to 0-2 after openers Pieter Malan and Aiden Markram perished for ducks. The middle order failed, too, as the score collapsed to 52-6 and eventually 164 all out.
Burgeoning all-rounders Jansen and Dane Piedt were later at hand for a rearguard alliance down the order. Tailenders Lutho Sipamla and Lungi Ngidi contributed some handy runs, too.
Jansen defied Test seamer Shardul Thakur and Indian Premier League spinner Krishnappa Gowtham throughout a sterling 45 not out, which spanned 69 deliveries – and featured a quartet of fours and twin sixes.
Left-arm seamer Jansen then snared the key wicket of opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, as the hosts climbed to 66-1 at the close of play. Jansen was the first change to the visitors’ bowling attack, after Sipamla and Ngidi failed to clinch a breakthrough with the new ball.
South Africa A lost the preceding limited-overs series 4-1, but have since welcomed Test cricketers Markram, Ngidi, Piedt, Theunis de Bruyn, Zubayr Hamza, Lungi Ngidi and Senuran Muthusamy to the squad.
‘Looking ahead to the four-day series, it is a totally different team. There’s experience, there’s guys that have had a taste of India,’ said head coach Malibongwe Maketa earlier this week.
‘For me that’s quite encouraging that we’ve got a lot of guys who are preparing to play against the main team, join the Proteas. And from that alone, with the experience, I foresee us really putting up good performances and doing really well.’
Photo: Gallo Images
