Hemang Badani and Wasim Jaffer hit half-centuries as India 'A' earned a creditable draw against South Africa in the three-day match in Arundel on Monday.

India 'A' were 160 for three in 43 overs in their second innings when the two captains decided to end the game half an hour before the scheduled close on the third and final day.

The draw was a foregone conclusion after South Africa continued their first innings well into the second session until they were all out for 463, a lead of 144 over the India 'A' first innings score of 319.

Jaffer, whose first innings' 90 remained the top score of the match, compiled another fine half-century, making 54 off 93 balls, with nine fours before being caught and bowled by Robin Peterson.

Badani remained unbeaten on a 85-ball 58 that contained eight fours and a six.

The two put on 101 runs for the third wicket after India 'A' had lost captain Shiv Sunder Das (15) and Gautam Gambhir (18) with just 36 runs on the board.

Earlier, South Africa, who resumed at their overnight 342 for five, made full use of the opportunity to give their batsmen some practice ahead of the first Test against England and decided not to declare their innings.

Shaun Pollock (36) and Peterson (32) helped themselves to useful scores after the entire top order had come up with fine performances.

Avishkar Salvi was the pick of the Indian bowlers, claiming four wickets for 92 runs while Irfan Pathan scalped three victims.

Scoreboard

India 'A' (1st innings): 319

South Africa (1st innings):
G Smith lbw b Pathan                   79
H Gibbs c Patel b Kartik               79
G Kirsten run out                      75
J Rudolph c Patel b Salvi              83
B Dippenaar c sub b Salvi              37
M Boucher b Salvi                       0
S Pollock b Bhandari                   36
R Peterson c Das b Pathan              32
D Pretorious c Patel b Salvi            0
M Zondeki not out                      12
M Ntini c and b Pathan                  5
Extras (b-1, lb-11, nb-13)             25
Total (all out, 121.4 overs)          463
Fall of wickets: 1-150, 2-164, 3-335, 4-341, 5-341,
6-394, 7-445, 8-445, 9-445.
Bowling: Salvi 29-7-92-4, Bhandari 18-3-65-1, Kartik 29-5-120-1, Pathan 28.4-3-83-3, Mishra 16-0-88-0, Rayudu 1-0-3-0.

India 'A' (2nd innings):
S S Das b Pollock                       15
G Gambhir c Boucher b Zondeki           18
W Jaffer c & b Peterson                 54
H Badani not out                        58
A T Rayudu not out                       4
Extras (b-4, lb-3, nb-4)                11
Total (for 3 wickets, 43 overs)        160
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-36, 3-137.
Bowling: Pollock 6-2-14-1, Ntini 7-1-26-0, Zondeki 8-2-31-1, Peterson 14-4-45-1, Pretorius 6-2-22-0, Rudolph 2-0-15-0.