Axar Patel spins India A to innings & 81 runs win against South Africa

Wayanad: Left-arm spinner Axar Patel scalped four wickets without conceding a single run in a destructive spell as India A clinched the unofficial cricket Test series 1-0 against South Africa A with an imposing innings and 81 runs victory in the second and final match here today.

The home team declared at the overnight score of 417/8 before bundling out South Africa for a mere 76 on the fourth and final day here.

Patel was the wrecker-in-chief in a deadly spell during which he bowled six maidens and picked up four wickets to destroy the visiting side. Patel's figures in the second innings read an impressive 6-6-0-4 for the match figures of nine for 92.

The Indians thus won the series as the first match had ended in a draw.

Having declared on 417 for eight, with a solid first-innings lead of 157, the host bowlers went all out and simply wrecked havoc.

Besides Patel, off-spinner Jayant Yadav (2/10) claimed two wickets, while Shardul Thakur, Karn Sharma and Baba Aparajith accounted for a wicket apiece.

Patel gave Indians the breakthrough in the fourth over itself when he bowled Reeza Hendricks for one. The early wicket triggered the collapse and by the 16th over, the top and middle order of the visiting side was back in the pavillion, leaving them reeling at 33 for four.

Quinton de Kock tried to steady the ship, top-scoring with 20 but South Africa A kept on losing wickets at the other end. There was hardly any resistance from Temba Bavuma, Omphile Ramela and Dane Vilas -- all of whom fell in quick succession.

Even de Kock failed to sustain till the end and lost his wicket to Jayant's bowling.
 
Thereafter Karn trapped Lonwabo Tsotsobe lbw to end South Africa A's innings in just 31.4 overs, even as the last man -- Beuran Hendricks -- could not come out to bat following an injury that he had sustained while bowling.