Youth Test: Manishi's fifer gives India upper hand against South Africa

Manishi's 5 for 58 helped India Under-19 bundle out South Africa for 152 in 54.4 overs before ending the day 40 runs behind.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Left-arm spinner Manishi scalped five wickets as India Under-19 took the upper hand over South Africa Under-19 on the opening day of the second 'Youth' Test here Tuesday.

Manishi returned with superb figures of 5 for 58 to help India Under-19 bundle out South Africa for 152 in 54.4 overs after being asked to bowl first.

Yashasvi Jaiswal then stroked his way to an unbeaten 81 as the hosts finished the day at 112 for 2 to take control of the proceedings.

For South Africa, opener Ruan Terblanche (51, 130 balls, 5X4s, 1X6) and Bryce Parsons (64, 76 balls, 3X4s, 5X6s) were the only significant contributors.

Electing to bat, South Africa got off to a slow start as Ruan Terblanche (51) and Thamsanga Kumalo (13) negotiated the early spell from Anshul Kamboj and Rex Singh, who shot to fame by claiming 10 wickets in an innings for Manipur in the Cooch Behar Trophy.

India had its first success when Manishi spun one past Kumalo's bat to have him caught behind by captain Suraj Ahuja.

South Africa skipper Matthew Montgomery (4), who displayed a good temperament and technique in the first Test didn't last too long as he was trapped leg-before by Manishi.

After a 20-run stand, Andile Mogakane (7) was run out by Rex Singh to leave South Africa reeling at 62 for 3 and Manishi struck again six runs later when he bowled Bonga Makhakha for 2.

Opener Terblanche, who showed a lot of patience during his innings, was joined by all-rounder Bryce Parsons, who had impressed with both bat and ball in the first Test, and the duo went about steadying the ship for the visitors.

During their 53-run stand for the fifth wicket, the right-left combo of Terblanche and Parsons mixed caution with aggression.

While Terblanche waited for the bad balls to hit, his partner was in an aggressive frame of mind. Parsons belted five sixes apart from hitting three fours to give South Africa a move-on.

Terblanche's 130-ball knock came to an end when Hrithik Shokeen, who enjoyed success in the opening Test, had him caught behind.

From 121 for 4, the visitors slumped to 139 for 9 as Manishi and Shokeen kept pegging away.

Parsons, meanwhile, continued with his big hitting and his pyrotechnics helped South Africa cross 150 before he became the last man to fall, run out by skipper Ahuja.

In response, India lost opener Divyaansh Saxena, who hit a century in India's win in the first Test, early.

Left-handed Yashasvi Jaiswal, who replaced Varun Nayanar in the playing XI, batted fluently and struck a flurry of boundaries, striking 11 of them and added 102 runs with Vathsal Govind (25, 93 balls, 3X4s) to enable India seize the advantage.

Govind was bowled by Mogakane to signal the end of the day's play with India trailing by 40 runs.

India won the first Test in three days to lead the two-match series.

Brief scores: South Africa Under-19 152 all out in 52.4 overs (Ruan Terblanche 51, Bryce Parsons 64; Manishi 5/58, Hrithik Shokeen 2 /44) vs India Under-19 112 for 2 in 34.5 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 81 batting, Vathsal Govind 25).

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