SA A must fight fire with fire in Bengaluru

SOUTH AFRICA ‘A’ fell just seven deliveries short of rescuing a draw against India A in the first of two ‘Test’ matches. They lost their last three wickets in the space of 11 deliveries.

As the second of four-day affairs starts today at the KSCA Ground in Bengaluru they will be aware of the depth of the host’s motivation.

India ‘A’ coach Rahul Dravid’s mandate is to prepare the second-stringers and the India under-19 sides to be in the best shape possible for the full-cream national side.

That is why Mohammed Siraj and company didn’t simply allow time to evaporate at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, even as the rain tried to curtail their plans. They didn’t waver when Rudi Second again impressed, and Shaun von Berg resisted, because they are playing for more than just the result.

Attitude is everything. Hence the bowlers pushed on and kicked down the last of the South African resolve.

As they prepare for the second ‘Test’, Indian cricket will have its eyes at Lord’s to see how the Test outfit gets on in the second Test against England. For the likes of Siraj the calls for inclusion may get louder if those ahead fail.

The salary jump from domestic contract is obscene in India, and the IPL contract is almost automatically ramped up to acknowledge a higher standing.

Just as much as the likes of Second, and Khaya Zondo, and Von Berg want to make an impression to the selectors, there are as many Indian hope stories on this ‘A’ tour.

Those will not be crumbs of comfort for Zondo and his men, but they really ought not to be. The lessons learnt from India’s approach in the first Test must be quickly absorbed, and the Proteas-in-waiting must adopt a more positive game-plan.

It is the only way they can get back in the series. And it is positive cricket that leads to positive feedback to the people that matter.