AB de Villiers dazzles in whites

AB de Villiers struck a fluent hundred to get the South Africans out of jail in their two-day tour game and power them to 302 in response to Board President’s XI first innings total of 296 at Brabourne Stadium here on Saturday.

He warmed up for the Test series with strokeful 112 in 131 balls, hitting 18 boundaries during a 208-minute stay at the crease.

Wicket-keeper Dane Vilas 54 (78b, 7x4) also displayed his batting skills with timely half-century.

Local boy Shardul Thakur (4/70) impressed while spinners Jayant Yadav (2/37) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/24) chipped in to keep the visitors’ lead down to a mere six runs.

The Proteas’ ODI captain came to the crease after Thakur added the prize scalps of Faf du Plessis (4) and Hashim Alma (1) to his two overnight wickets. Dean Elgar (23) also became Nathu Singh’s first victim as the visitors were reduced to 57/5 in the 16th over.

Thakur, who had a splendid Ranji season last year for Mumbai, picking up 48 wickets, bowled a probing spell in the morning.

He surprised du Plessis with a yorker and trapped him plumb. He got movement to have Amla edging to the slip cordon twice in the same over. The second one just about carried to Karun Nair at first slip after first felt short.

But it wasn’t the first instance that a domestic player had troubled the batsmen of the touring side. Mumbai’s Kshemal Waigankar had taken a fiver against touring England side at the same venue here in 2008. Parvez Rasool took seven wickets against Australia (2013) in Chennai.

de Villiers began the repair job in a 54-run stand with Temba Bavuma (15) for the sixth wicket. Spin was introduced after 32 overs but leg-spinner Karn Sharma (0/43) failed to trouble the visitors. de Villiers toyed with the bowlers after the wicket eased out to put his side out of trouble with a 115-run stand with Vilas for the seventh wicket.

Vilas was bowled by off-spinner Jayant but de Villiers continued to sizzle, bringing up his fourth hundred of the tour in 112 balls. The South African fell to Jayant at the stroke of the tea, chopping one on to his stumps while attempting cut shot.

Dale Steyn (37) played his shots to take SA XI closer to 296 along with Philander (12). Philander was cleaned up by Kuldeep but Steyn kept going to take his side past 300. He eventually became Kuldeep’s second victim.

When BPXI batted again, skipper Cheteshwar Pujara (49 not out) opened with K.L. Rahul (43 not out) to get some crucial practice ahead of the Test series. BPXI ended the match at 92/0 in 20 overs as visitors chose to give their four spinners a bowl.

Scoreboard Board President's XI (first innings): 296 South Africans (1st innings): S. Van Zyl c Chand b Thakur 18, D. Elgar c Chand b Singh 23, S. Harmer cb Ojha b Thakur 4, Fad du Plessis lbw Thakur 4, H. Amla c Nair b Thakur 1, AB de Villiers b Jayant Yadav 112, T. Bavuma c Iyer b Pandya 15, D Vilas b Jayant Yadav 54, V. Philander b Kuldeep Yadav 12, D. Steyn b Kuldeep Yadav 37, K. Rabada (not out) 1. Extras: (b7, lb1, nb 7, w6) 21. Total: (in 69.2 overs) 302. Fow: 1-38, 2-46, 3-54, 4-57, 5-57, 6-111, 7-226, 8-259, 9-285. Bowling: Thakur 16-3-70-4, Singh 14.4-2-56-1, Pandya 14-1-64-1, Sharma 8-0-43-0, Jayant 8-2-37-2, Kuldeep 8.4-0-24-2. Board President's XI (2nd innings): K.L. Rahul (not out) 43, C. Pujara (not out) 49. Extras: 0. Total: (for no loss in 20 overs) 92. Bowling: Harmer 10-2-24-0, Piedt 10-3-32-0, Tahir 5-0-25-0, Elgar 5-0-11-0