Quinton de Kock century drives South Africa A to 244 against India A in Chennai

The wicketkeeper-opener stitched two fruitful stands in the middle of the innings to lift his team to a competitive total.

South Africa A looked to make amends on their dull performance against Australia A in the tri-series opener by deciding to bat calmly to gather momentum gradually and capitalise on it in the end of their innings, against India A in Chennai, to give themselves a decent target to defend. Although there were hiccups that threatened to gt their plan off track and having their innings collapsing before following any direction, opener Quinton de Kock kept himself steady on an end, struck two fruitful partnerships in the middle of the innings, and stayed almost till the end to get his team to 244 all out. His 124-ball 108 was a had-working effort in tough conditions for a batsman used to cooler weather and bouncier wickets back home. LIVE UPDATES: India A vs South Africa A, Tri-Series, 3rd match, Chennai

In the initial 20 overs, South Africa struggled to get singles or doubles, and waited for boundary balls, which rarely arrived. Also, the run-out of the other opener Reeza Hendricks in the third over got them the need to be cautious. The run-rate was less than three pe over when the captain Dean Elgar got out bowled trying to cut a fullish delivery from legspinner Karn Sharma in the 16th over.De Kock got a stable partner in Omphile Ramela, who scored 26, and then Dane Vilas, who scored a run-a-ball fifty and helped the team accelerate to give them momentum going into the last bit of the innings. By the half-way mark, the run-rate was still at a touch above three, but Vilas’ planned attacks, with defences played off the first few balls of the over he played and then a surprising belligerence shown, stunned the Indian attack a bit. He hit three sixes and three fours in his innings, before falling in the 43rd over trying to get a full ball on off stump past shot fine leg to the boundary, but hitting it straight to the hands of that fielder. PREVIEW: India A vs South Africa A, Tri-Series, 3rd match, Chennai

De Kock’s knock contained 13 fours and a six. He battled the tough heat, slow pitch conditions and a persistent Indian attack to display a stubbornness necessary to be prolific in these circumstances. He used the feet well against the spinners, getting boundaries with deft placement and clean hitting. Against fast bowls, he drove, on drove, and pulled with authority. Having played 46.2 overs, and sweating buckets all the way through, a tired de Kock attempted a hoick to deep midwicket but mistimed it to long-on. READ: Beuran Hendricks hopes South Africa A will dominate India A

Although wickets fell quickly in the death overs, a four and a six from Eddie Leie, and some frantic running got South Africa to a run-ate of close to five an over.

Brief Scores:

South Africa A 244 in 50 overs (Quinton de Kock 108, Omphile Ramela 26, Dane Vilas 50; Rishi Dhawan 4 for 49) vs India A

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