Spin twins Ojha, Mishra wrap it up

There's not much motivation left for bowling on a pitch in which you see the attack being massacred over a period of two days.

There8217;s not much motivation left for bowling on a pitch in which you see the attack being massacred over a period of two days.

However, Mohammed Kaif8217;s decision to go into the match with two spinners on a pitch that showed signs of green on the first day paid off as India A wrapped up the four-day match against South Africa A in three days.

With his haul of 3/29 and 5/66 in the match, Hyderabad8217;s Pragyan Ojha may given the selectors useful directions in their search for India8217;s next left-arm spinner.

Today, the just-turned 21-year-old gave himself a belated birthday present as the hosts defeated the Safs by an innings and 242 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the series.

His flight, which he used so brilliantly on the third day, and his impeccable line and length is what undid the touring side.

Beginning Day Three on 93/2, the visitors, riding on opener Morne van Wyk8217;s form, moved steadily towards 134 for 4. However, this soon crumbled to 145 for 9.

It was Delhi8217;s Ishant Sharma who nicked the in-form van Wyk as he was caught unawares and was forced into a drive and was caught at first slip by Mohammed Kaif on 67.

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Sharma, who was getting the ball to swing both ways today, then got the prized wicket of Ashwell Prince, who nicked it into the hands of centurion Parthiv Patel.

Amit Mishra, along with Ojha, then quickly snapped up the remaining wickets as they forced the Safs into a follow-on.

The second innings was no different from the first as South Africa lost their first wicket with just 14 runs on the board. Pankaj Singh had Werner Coetsee leg before on six runs. The replay, however, showed the ball may have missed the stumps on account of its height.

After lunch, Ojha scalped van Wyk as the opener played one that was moving away from him, only to edge it to Patel. The match scenario after that was pretty much in India8217;s favour. The South Africans could not deal with the Indian spin a wiltted away slowly to give India A their much deserved win.

SCOREBOARD

India 1st innings 588/4 decl

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South Africa A 1st innings overnight 93/2; van Wyk c Kaif b Sharma 67, Coetsee c Kaif b Ojha 18, Amla run out Mishra 8, Dippenaar c Pujara b Mishra 26, Prince c Patel b Sharma 4, Ontong c 038; b Ojha 4, Tsolekile c Chopra b Mishra 0, Kleinveldt c 038; b Mishra 4, de Wet b Ojha 0, Langeveldt not out 0, Petersen absent hurt

Extras b 2, nb 12 14. Total all out; 45.4 overs 145

Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-76, 3-122, 4-134, 5-141, 6-141, 7-143, 8-145, 9-145

Bowling: P Singh 10-1-53-0, I Sharma 11-0-48-2, P Ojha 16.4-4-29-3, A Mishra 6-2-10-3, A Makda 2-0-3-0

South Africa A 2nd innings: van Wyk c Patel b Ojha 12, Coetsee lbw b Pankaj Singh 6, Amla b Ojha 7, Petersen lbw b Sharma 6, Dippenaar c Chopra b Ojha 29, Prince c Kaif b Pankaj Singh 16, Ontong c Kaif b Ojha 36, Tsolekile not out 63, Kleinveldt c Kaif b Ojha 5, de Wet c Makda b Mishra 1,Langeveldt c Ojha b Mishra 1

Extras b 5, lb 4, nb 10 19. Total all out; 68.2 overs 201

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Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-26, 3-28, 4-52, 5-79, 6-96, 7-162, 8-175, 9-198

Bowling: Makda 8-2-18-0, Pankaj Singh 9-2-16-2, Ojha 23-5-66-5, Mishra 18.2-2-63-2, Sharma 10-3-29-1.