CAPE TOWN – South Africa A captain Temba Bavuma believes the rest of the team’s batsmen will have taken lessons from Reeza Hendricks’s superb century in the first one-day clash against India A at the Greenfield International Stadium in Trivandrum yesterday.
Hendricks struck a superb 110 off 108 balls (12 fours, 1 six) but it was not enough for the visitors to haul in the home team’s 328 in 47 overs. SA A were bundled out for 258, with only Titans wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klassen (58 off 43 balls, 4 fours, 3 sixes) offering any form support of support.
“Superb from Reeza. We spoke about someone in the top four going big for us and he was able to do that. He was well supported (by) Klassen, but unfortunately none of the other batters could get going. But we will take a lot of confidence from the way Reeza and Klaasen went out there,” Bavuma said.
The challenge facing the South Africans on their tour of India will come down to on how they fare against the Indian spinners, with India’s World Cup ace leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal once again being the chief-nemesis with figures of 5/47.
#CSAnews Hendricks hits ton before South Africa A goes down in tour opener https://t.co/6tEeoIWmVA pic.twitter.com/K6zhPOemeu
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) August 29, 2019
Bavuma will also hope for an improved showing from his death-bowlers - who conceded 105 runs from the final eight overs of India A’s innings.
“It is obviously disappointing. We came here wanting to start the tour well,” he said. “We will have a good honest review of where things (went) wrong.
“Up to that point we held the game in a good position. Unfortunately we didn’t execute the last phase of the game. I am sure as the tour goes on the guys will improve.”
The second game of the five-match series takes place at the same venue in Kerala state tomorrow.