India A vs South Africa A, 1st Unofficial Test, Day 3, Review: Shreyas Iyer's team six wickets short of a sensational victory

India A are on the cusp of the victory in the ongoing first four-day game against South Africa A. The visitors were blown away by the opening spell of Mohammed Siraj in the second innings. Though the partnership between Zubayr Hamza and Senuran Muthusamy helped them gather their thoughts as they ended the day on 99/4 in their second innings and still trail by a massive 239 runs to make the opposition bat again.

Siraj bowled one of his best spells in the recent times and scalped the wickets of Sarel Erwee, Pieter Malan and the skipper Khaya Zondo in his first five overs and reduced South Africa to 6/3. But then the duo of Hamza and Muthusamy rebuilt the innings for them with a partnership of 86 runs. Both played cautiously and gave no chance to other bowlers.

However, just before the stumps, Siraj came back and picked the latter’s wicket who was looking solid on 41. Hamza didn’t deter and played out the tricky period before stumps along with the highest run-scorer of the first innings Rudi Second.

India A declare after taking a huge lead

Earlier in the day, India A resumed on 411/2 with Mayank Agarwal playing on 220 accompanied by the skipper Shreyas Iyer. But the former was dismissed in the very first over by Beuran Hendricks without adding any run to his overnight score. The same bowler sent back Iyer as well as the first hour belonged to the visitors. But Hanuma Vihari and Srikar Bharat scored half-centuries to regain the hod on the proceedings.

While Vihari scored a patient 54 runs, his partner counterattacked nicely and got out for a 77-ball 64-run knock. Axar Patel also played an unbeaten cameo of 33 runs as India A decided to declare of 584/8 with a massive first-innings lead of 338 runs. For South Africa A, Hendricks, Duanne Olivier and Dane Piedt were the wicket-takers.

The hosts are favourites to take a lead in the series only if the unbeaten duo of South Africa manages to pull off a sensational draw.

Brief Scores

South Africa A 246 after 88.3 overs (R Second 94; M Siraj 5/56) & 99/4 after 40 overs (Z Hamza 47*; M Siraj 4/18)

India A 584/8decl after 129.4 overs (M Agarwal 220, P Shaw 136; B Hendricks 3/98)

State of the match: South Africa A trail by 239 runs

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