Wayanad (Kerala): Left-arm spinner Axar Patel scalped five wickets as India A spinners bowled out South Africa A for only 260 on day one of the second and final unofficial 'Test' here on Tuesday.
Opting to bat at the picturesque Krishnagiri Stadium, South Africa A were cruising comfortably at 185 for two in the 59th over before losing eight wickets for 75 runs.
Read: Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra shine but unofficial Test ends in draw
Left-handed Test opener Stiaan van Zyl (96) missed out on a century but his dismissal led to a collapse as Axar ended with with figures of 5/92 in 27.5 overs. Off-spinner Jayant Yadav (3/53) also put up an improved show including the prize wicket of Quinton de Kock (0) while burly leg-spinner Karn Sharma ended with 2/36.
The South Africa A openers Reeza Hendricks (22) and Van Zyl started on a cautious note adding 58 for the opening stand. Patel then got rid of Hendricks caught by Baba Aparajith. There was another 49-run stand between Van Zyl and Gihahn Cloete (26) before the No 3 batsman became Yadav's second victim being caught by Vijay Shankar.
Van Zyl however waited patiently for loose balls as his four hour and 16 minute knock had 13 fours and a six. He faced 193 deliveries in the process.
His partnership with last match's centurion Omphile Ramela (30) yielded 78 runs before Karn got into the act with Aparajith taking his second catch.
But it was Van Zyl, who played through a wrong line to get bowled by Yadav and things suddenly changed.
Read: Quinton de Kock derails India ‘A’ on Day 2
Yadav then fooled De Kock with a flighted delivery as Ankush Bains effected a smart stumping. Once half of the team was back in the pavilion with barely 200 plus score on the board, Axar bowled tight lines to polish off the lower order in quick time.
Skipper Dane Vilas (24) was out trying to accelerate as the last four wickets fell for five runs in a space of two overs.
Lonwabo Tsotsobe (0) was the last man dismissed by an arm ball from Patel.
