South Africa A claimed a stunning five-wicket win over India A in the second four-day match in Bengaluru on Sunday.
Set an unlikely 417 for victory at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, the visitors began day four on 25-0 and produced one of their finest fourth-innings chases.
Openers Jordan Hermann (91 off 123 balls; 13 fours, one six) and Lesego Senokwane (77 off 174 balls; 11 fours) shared a superb 156-run opening stand that laid the perfect platform.
After their dismissals, Zubayr Hamza (77 off 88 balls; nine fours, three sixes) and Proteas Test captain Bavuma (59 off 101 balls; seven fours) – returning from injury – added 107 for the third wicket to maintain momentum.
Wicketkeeper Connor Esterhuizen then struck an unbeaten 52 off 54 balls (eight fours, one six) to steer South Africa A home late on the final evening, with just three overs remaining.
It was a remarkable chase – the sixth-highest successful fourth-innings total in a first-class match in India – and gave South Africa A their first win over India A in 10 attempts. They had previously lost five and drawn four. The result also levelled the series 1-1 after India’s narrow win in the first Test.
Hermann was the aggressor early on while Senokwane anchored the innings during their 43-over stand. Prasidh Krishna (2-49) finally broke through by removing Hermann nine short of a century, before Senokwane fell lbw to Harsh Dubey (1-111) after adding 41 with Hamza.
Bavuma and Hamza rebuilt with another century stand before Krishna struck again, bowling Hamza just before the new ball. Bavuma continued alongside captain Marques Ackerman before both were dismissed with 65 runs still required – Bavuma by Akash Deep (1-106) and Ackerman by Mohammed Siraj (1-53).
Esterhuizen and Tiaan van Vuuren (20*) then calmly guided South Africa A to a famous win – the ideal boost ahead of the Proteas’ Test series against India starting on Friday.
