India A, who were at a precarious 86 for three at stumps on the third day of the four-day second Test against South Africa A, needed a further 92 with seven second innings wickets in hand to avoid innings defeat at the Goodyear Park here today. When stumps were drawn, first Test centurian Mohammad Kaif was holding on with a solid 39 in the company of Yuvraj Singh, who was batting on seven. Earlier, after conceding a 178-run lead to South Africa, the visitors were put straightaway on the backfoot as mediumpacer Andrew Nel sent back opener Gautam Gambhir (9) to reduce India A to 1/18 before other opener Amit Pagnis and Kaif fought back with a 47-run stand. SCOREBOARD India A (1st Innings): 291 South Africa A: (1st Innings): JA Rudolph b Kartik 97; AG Puttick c Patel b Mohanty 18; M van Jaarsveld c Mohanty b Mishra 57; HD Ackerman c Patel b Kartik 11; HM Amla b Kartik 82; RJ Peterson c Patel b Kartik 108; AC Thomas c Patel b Kartik 15; TL Tsolekile st Patel b Kartik 12; A Nel not out 23; DJ Terbrugge c Mishra b Mohanty 7; D Pretorius c Balaji b Mohanty 5; Extras: (b1, lb14, w7, nb12) 34; Total: 469 Fall of wickets: 1-62, 2-163, 3-196, 4-205, 5-393, 6-414, 7-429, 8-434, 9-461 Bowling: Mohanty 29.1-5-77-3, Balaji 33-7-122-0, Mishra 34-3-140-1, Kartik 49-15-101-6, Kaif 5-1-14-0 India A (2nd Innings): G Gambhir lbw b Nel 9; A Pagnis c Tsolekile b Thomas 27; M Kaif batting 39; J Martin c Tsolekile b Nel 1; Yuvraj Singh batting 7; Extras: (b1, lb1, nb1) 3; Total: (For 3 wckts) 86 Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-65, 3-66 Bowling: Nel 11.5-6-18 2, Terbrugge 7-2-24-0, Pretorius 3-0-17-0, Thomas 7-1-25-1
