Centuries from Parthiv Patel and Aakash Chopra helped India A reach a healthy 354 for four against South Africa A on the opening day of the four-day match at the Ferozshah stadium in New Delhi on Thursday.
Pacer Friedel de Wet gave South Africa a good start when had got the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Mohammad Kaif in the space of three deliveries to reduce the hosts to 13 for two in the eight over of the innings.
Pujara (8) was first to depart after being caught behind by wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile. Kaif was out without scoring as he was dismissed leg before wicket.
Patel and Chopra stitched together 159 for the third wicket, ensuring South Africa A did not get any benefit from the setbacks to the hosts.
Patel seemed in golden touch as he smashed 110 off just118 balls, hitting 17 boundaries. In contrast, Delhi's Chopra was content to play the waiting game and was unbeaten on 137 from 286 deliveries at the close, having hit 15 boundaries and a six.
Patel's blazing knock came to a tame end when he was run out by rival skipper Boeta Dippenaar. His wicket brought Bengal batsman Manoj Tiwary to the crease.
However, Tiwary, who was returning to action after recovering from a shoulder injury, fell cheaply. The right-hander was caught by Hashim Amla off the bowling of Rory Kleinveldt for 2.
S Badrinath, however, coasted to a fluent half-century and was unbeaten on 77 at stumps.
The Tamil Nadu batsman, who hit eight boundaries and a six, shared an unbroken partnership of 176 with Chopra to take India A to a comfortable position.
