South Africa beat India by four wickets by CricketArchive Staff Reporter

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Player:	AM Rahane, AM Nayar, VB van Jaarsveld
Event:	Cricket Australia Emerging Players Tournament 2009

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DateLine: 26th July 2009

 

India slumped to a four-wicket defeat against South Africa in their fourth 50-over match of the Emerging Players Tournament.

 

Put in to bat, India managed a competitive 271 for six, couretsy Ajinkya Rahane's 120-ball 92, which was studded with five fours and a six. Naman Ojha (48), captain S Badrinath (44) and Abhishek Nayar (42) were the other contributors.

 

In reply, South Africa needed 48.3 overs to scale the target with three players, Stiaan van Zyl (60), Vaughn van Jaarsveld (50) and Farhaan Behardien (50), scoring a half century each at the Albury Oval.

 

Medium-pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the pick of Indian bowlers with figures of three for 39 while Pradeep Sangwan, Badrinath and Virat Kohli scalped one wicket each.

 

The Indians were in for a chance to win the match after they reduced South Africa to 56 for two, but then the third wicket stand of 82 runs between van Zyl and captain van Jaarsveld changed the game.Thereafter a 64-run fifth wicket partnership between van Zyl and Behardien closed it for Indians.

 

Earlier while the Indians were batting, Rahane and Ojha shared 100 runs for the opening wicket to give India a solid start. Indians consolidated further with Rahane and Badrinath sharing a 86-run stand for the second wicket.

 

Rahane's departure though triggered a mini collapse then with India being reduced to 200 for five before Nayar and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Shah shared a 62-run partnership for the sixth wicket to take India past 270.

 

This was India's third 50-over defeat in the tournament.