Cape Cobras batsman Stiaan van Zyl anchored the South Africa A innings as they closed at 181-4 in the first unofficial Test against Australia A in Brisbane.
He ended the day unbeaten on 80 after repairing early damage in partnership with Dean Elgar (56) and Temba Bavuma (21). But the South Africans trail by 215 with six wickets in hand.
In the morning, Vernon Philander, playing with the pink ball for the first time, quickly got rid of the Australian centurion Marcus Stoinis, after he added just two to his overnight score of 118. Philander closed off the innings at 396, taking 3-52, with an economy rate of just over two an over.
The last five batsmen added 94 to the overnight score of 302-5 thanks to solid innings from Sam Whiteman (40) and an unbeaten 50 from Joe Mennie. Duanne Olivier, Sisanda Magala and Dane Piedt each picked up a pair apiece.
Proteas opener Stephen Cook was an early victim, lbw for five, but Elgar set about rebuilding in a stand of 35, to which Omphile Ramela contributed just four before he was caught and bowled by Glenn Maxwell.
Enter Van Zyl: He composed his innings off 120 balls with 12 fours, putting on 114 in 29 overs with Elgar, and taking the score to 154-2.
After Elgar fell for 56, having faced 135 balls, Bavuma was proceding at an energetic pace, scoring his 21 off 34 balls, until he became Chris Tremain’s third victim off the last ball of the day
