Parnell bags career-best seven

South Africa A 317 for 8 (Kuhn 103*, Kleinveldt 74) drew with Ireland 202 (Shannon 59, Parnell 7-56) and 76 for 0
Scorecard

Wayne Parnell, the left-arm pace bowler, took a career-best 7 for 56 as South Africa A forced Ireland to follow-on during the final day of their rain-ruined match. With the opening two days washed out an outright result was always unlikely, but Parnell took the opportunity to show South Africa's selectors his form.

It has been a difficult few weeks for Parnell but this was a good day as he was also named in South Africa's World Twenty20 squad shortly before running through the Ireland middle order. Overnight he already had one wicket and resumed his haul on the final morning with two wickets in two balls, as he removed Gary Wilson and Andrew White, before quickly adding Albert van der Merwe to leave Ireland 95 for 6.

Kevin O'Brien, the Ireland captain, had played an uncharacteristically restrained innings making 16 off 72 deliveries before becoming Parnell's fifth when he edged to the Heino Kuhn.

Ireland, however, did not fold and can take satisfaction from the debut of James Shannon who made 59, including two sixes, which gave the home side a chance to avoid the follow-on which had been reduced to 100 with the game not starting until the third day. He and Stuart Thompson added 56 then Shannon fell to Rory Kleinveldt and Parnell wrapped up the innings to complete his haul.

Having put Ireland back in for their second innings - rather than giving their own top order another brief outing - South Africa A could not force any breakthroughs as the openers, Andrew Balbirnie and John Anderson, added 76 in 17 overs before the players shook hands. The second four-day match starts on August 13.