Date:23/09/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/09/23/stories/2007092356311500.htm

Sport - Cricket

India ‘A’ wins series

Special Correspondent

DHARAMSHALA: Despite the best efforts of the ground staff, play was abandoned again on the fourth and final day of the second cricket ‘Test’ between India ‘A’ and South Africa ‘A’ at the HPCA Stadium here.

At 9.15 a.m., umpires Tarapore and Pratapkumar inspected the ground only to officially bring an end to the game 45 minutes later. Water-loggingmeant that no play was possible. The visiting team had scored 264 for four in its first innings on Wednesday.

The draw meant that India clinched the two-match Test series 1-0. Last week, India won the first Test in New Delhi by an innings and 242 runs.

The action now shifts to the one-day series to be played at Ahmedabad (September 26), Baroda (September 28), and Rajkot (September 30).

Mohammad Kaif was looking forward to carry on with his one-day form that played a part in India ‘A’ winning the three-nation series in Nairobi last month.

“We should keep the momentum going in the one-day series,” said Kaif. “We understand that the South Africans have a strong team but our players are motivated to win the one-day series as well.”

Dippenaar and Steyn spent time with the Himachal Pradesh (u-17) cricketers who listened to them in rapt attention.