South Africa v India - Tour Match

South African Invitation XI v Indians
Springbok Park, Bloemfontein
4 Day Game
Umpires: RGA Ashman & HC Kidson

Invitation XI: SJ Cook, HJ Fotheringham, PN Kirsten, KS McEwan, KA McKenzie, *CEB Rice, BM McMillan, +RV Jennings, GS Le Roux, AJ Kourie, VAP Van Der Bijl.
Indians: SM Gavaskar, NS Sidhu, PR Umrigar, GR Viswanath, M Azharuddin, CG Borde, Kapil Dev, +FM Engineer, M Prabhakar, J Srinath, BS Bedi.

A Springbok Park featherbed spoiled this warm-up game as a competitive fixture, although it did allow India's batsmen to rack up some valuable time at the crease ahead of the first Test. The tourists piled up a massive 556-6 before declaring at lunch on the second day, and with the Invitation XI's reply of 497 taking until the fourth afternoon to complete, the match petered out into a tame draw.

Sunil Gavaskar was the only Indian batsman not to cash in on the benign conditions, falling to Le Roux in both innings for 4 and 1, but his opening partner, Navjot Sidhu, was the big success story for India, pummelling 183 off just 194 deliveries on an opening day that saw the tourists race to a formidable 396-4. Azharuddin completed a princely century on day two, Viswanath contributed a fluent 86, and Borde made 60, although he looked nowhere near as fluent as most of his colleagues.

None of the South African bowlers looked in good form, with Le Roux, Rice and Kourie all conceding runs at a rate of five an over, but led by hundreds from Jimmy Cook and Ken McEwan, their batsmen were soon dishing out reciprocal punishment, albeit at a slower rate. India's bowlers could only claim one wicket on a third day that ended with the Invitation XI on 378-3, but Peter Kirsten's near strokeless, five hour 72 had held the hosts back somewhat, and wickets tumbled on the fourth morning as the South Africans tried to press the accelerator.

Kapil Dev was the most impressive Indian bowler, claiming 3-73 in 35 very disciplined overs, but Srinath disappointed, and Bedi was made to send down 54 largely fruitless overs, a display that hopefully won't have sapped his strength too much ahead of the Tests. What is sure though is that most of India's top order are in good nick going into the first Test in Port Elizabeth, and South Africa are going to have to work hard if they want to take the top spot in the ATG world.

Scores
Indians 1st Inns 556-6 dec. (Sidhu 183, Azharuddin 111*, Viswanath 86, Borde 60)
Invitation XI 1st Inns 497 (McEwan 153, Cook 104, Kirsten 72, Fotheringham 58)
Indians 2nd Inns 71-4

MATCH DRAWN