The SA U19 side chased leather on day two of the second Youth Test at Thiruvananthapuram as India U19 racked up 395 runs in their first innings, and then snapped up two quick SA wickets before the close.
Yashasvi Jaiswal scored a dominant 173 off 220 balls (24×4, 1×6) and Vaibhav Kandpal
India added 120 off 172 balls as India U19 scored 395 off 101.2 overs to take a 243-run first innings lead over the visitors.
Lifa Ntanzi (4-90, econ 4.65) was superb in capturing three early wickets to reduce the hosts to 138-4, before Jaiswal and Kandpal took their side to a substantial first innings lead.
Matthew Montgomery picked up the key wickets of Jaiswal when the opener looked set for a double century, and the SA skipper followed up with two late wickets to finish with figures of 3-49, while Andile Mokgakane (2-14) also contributed with the ball.
Ruan Terblanche (2 off 9 balls) and Thamsanqa Khumalo (3 off 35 balls) fell early as SA U19 found themselves struggling on 33-2, before Montgomery (34 off 65 balls) and Mokgakane (10) saw their side through to the close.
SA U19 are still 193 runs behind with two days to play and just eight wickets in hand, so the young guns have plenty of work ahead of them to draw this Youth Test … and will need a miracle to entertain thoughts of winning. However, cricket has a wonderful habit of producing such miracles when least expected.
Photo: Cricket South Africa (Facebook)
