By Admin 
On an otherwise bountiful harvest day for the bowlers, South Africa-A captain Marques Ackerman came up with a belligerent century (134, 118b, 17×4, 5×6) to partially stem India-A’s ascent at the BCCI Centre of Excellence near here on Friday.
In reply to the hosts’ 255, the visitors made 221 on day two, with Ackerman notching up his 13th First Class hundred. But even his best efforts couldn’t stop India-A from gaining a 34-run lead as the home bowlers made full use of the grassy surface and moderately misty conditions early on, and shared the spoils among themselves like non-fussy siblings from a well-parented house.
Prasidh Krishna dismissed three batters, followed by Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep with two each, and Kuldeep Yadav and Harsh Dubey one apiece. And by stumps, India-A had reached 78 for three – 112 runs in the green – with Kuldeep (zero batting) keeping K.L. Rahul (26 batting) company.
Abhimanyu Easwaran ended up with a pair, while B. Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal fell after promising starts, for 23 and 24 respectively.
In the morning, Akash drew first blood, sending Lesego Senokwane’s stumps for a short vacation. Siraj trapped Zubayr Hamza in front before Akash snared the big scalp of Temba Bavuma, caught down the leg-side for a first-ball duck. The South Africa National team skipper appeared disappointed with the umpire’s decision but he had no recourse.
From 12 for three, Jordan Hermann (23, 73b, 5×4) and Ackerman steadied the ship and took their side to 76 at lunch only for Prasidh to strike twice in the first over after the break, excising Hermann and Connor Esterhuizen.
Perhaps sensing that he will soon run out of partners, Ackerman changed gears. At one stage, he was 69 from 84 balls. His next 65 took just 34 balls, with the catalyst being one Siraj over where he plundered 24 runs, with two gorgeous cover drives and a six each over third-man and fine-leg standing out.
The 29-year-old was the ninth man out, adjudged caught behind while trying a reverse sweep. Ackerman seemed unhappy to be given out, but he had ensured that South Africa-A could live to fight another day.
The scores: India-A 255 in 77.1 overs & 78/3 in 24 overs vs. South Africa-A 221 in 47.3 overs (Marques Ackerman 134).