Axar spins India 'A' to innings win over Proteas

South Africa 'A' shot out for 76

Left-arm spinner's second innings figures: 6-6-0-4; match figures: 9 for 92.

Left-arm spinner Axar Patel scalped four wickets without conceding a single run as India ‘A’ clinched the unofficial Test series against South Africa ‘A’ 1-0 after an imposing innings and 81 runs victory in the second and final match in Wayanad, Kerala, on Friday.

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.

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

The first match ended in a draw.

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

Off-spinner Jayant Yadav claimed two wickets for 10 runs, while Shardul Thakur, Karn Sharma and Baba Aparajith took a wicket each.

Patel provided the breakthrough in the fourth over when he bowled Reeza Hendricks for one. The early dismissal triggered a collapse and by the 16th over, the top and middle order of the visiting side was back in the pavilion, leaving the Proteas reeling at 33 for four.

Quinton de Kock tried to steady the ship, top-scoring with 20 but the tourists kept 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.

Karn trapped Lonwabo Tsotsobe leg before 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 he sustained while bowling.

 Scorecard

South Africa ‘A’ (1st innings): 260

India ‘A’ (1st innings): 417-8 declared

South Africa ‘A’ (2nd innings):

R Hendricks b Patel 1

S van Zyl b Yadav 10

G Cloete c Bains b Thakur 4

O Ramela c Shankar b Aparajith 7

T Bavuma b Patel 3

Q de Kock c Mukund b Yadav 20

D Vilas c Rayudu b Patel 3

D Piedt c Shankar b Patel 5

G Viljoen not out 9

L Tsotsobe lbw b Sharma 0

B Hendricks absent hurt

Extras: (B-11, LB-2, NB-1) 14

Total: (all out; 31.4 overs) 76

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-20, 3-23, 4-33, 5-43, 6-48, 7-62, 8-67, 9-76.

Bowling: S Thakur 8-2-20-1, J Yadav 10-5-10-2, A Patel 6-6-0-4, K Sharma 3.4-1-16-1, B Aparajith 4-0-17-1.

Image: Axar Patel

Photograph: Getty Images