Chopra, Badri in big stand

NEW DELHI, September 14: Two unbeaten double hundreds, by Aakash Chopra (239, his highest first class knock) and S Badrinath (200), helped India A score a massive 588/4 declared on the second day of the four-day match against South Africa A at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Friday.
In reply at stumps, South Africans were 93 for the loss of two wickets with Boeta Dippenaar (3) and Morne Van Wyk (53) at the crease.
South Africans' below-par bowling line-up was further exposed on Friday when they failed to take a single wicket before the home side declared the innings 37 minutes before tea, right after Badrinath completed his 200. Chopra and Badrinath struck a 410-run alliance for the fifth wicket.
Badrinath has been the pivot of Tamil Nadu batting for the last two seasons. He has had a great run in 2005-06, conjuring 636 runs from 7 matches at almost 80 per knock.
The left-hander was called up for the conditioning camps ahead of the tours of Ireland and England recently but the 27-year-old failed to make the cut. However, it's a matter of time before the middle-order batsman is back into national reckoning.
Among Indian A bowlers, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha was the only one who looked impressive. Opening bowler Ishant Sharma gave away 25 runs from his five overs but more than that it was his toe-curling no-balls (eight in all) which got to captain Mohammad Kaif who had no choice but to replace him.
Rajasthan paceman Pankaj Singh bowled too short to be effective. He will have alter his length on the third day to make inroads into South Africa A batting.