Batsmen dominate as match ends in draw

South Africa A 459 (Amla 106, Jacobs 131, Louw 78) and 249 for 1 (Kuhn 100, Puttick 102*) drew with Sri Lanka A 749 for 5 (Paranavitana 159, Mathews 131, Kandamby 138, Silva 103*)
Scorecard

The first four-day Test between South Africa A and Sri Lanka A ended in a bat-dominated draw after both sides plundered the bowlers mercilessly at Senwes Park in Potchefstroom. There were four half-centuries and eight centuries in all while the bowlers managed to take only 16 wickets over four days.

The final day began with Sri Lanka A on 640 for 5, having overhauled South Africa A's first-innings total of 459, with Kaushal Silva batting on 53 and Dilruwan Perera on 1. The pair scored at a rapid pace, with the aim of having time to try and bowled out South Africa again, and added 109 runs in 16 overs. Perera scored 59 off 54 balls and Silva ended with 103 off 134 as Sri Lanka declared their innings on 749 for 5 with a lead of 290.

Their hopes of shaking South Africa with early wickets vanished as the openers Heino Kuhn and Andrew Puttick got stuck in. Both had failed in the first innings but they made up by scoring hundreds second time around. Kuhn scored 100 off 143 balls before he was caught behind by Silva off Perera after an opening stand of 183. Puttick scored 102 and shared a partnership of 66 with Alviro Peterson before the match came to an end with South Africa A on 249 for 1.