Tyagi's 6-37 in vain as India lose to SA

Sudeep Tyagi's brilliant six-wicket haul was in vain as India slumped to a 10-run defeat against South Africa in their first 50-over match of the Emerging Players Tournament in Brisbane on Tuesday.

India, who had thumped Australian Institute of Sports by six wickets in a Twenty20 match on Monday, were unable to replicate the same form in the 50-over game at the Fred Kratzman Oval.

After India captain S Badrinath inserted South Africa, right-arm medium fast bowler Tyagi (6 for 37) mowed the South African top and middle order, but handy cameos from Farhaan Behardien (33), Heino Kuhn (46), Daryn Smit (45) and Cornelius de Villiers (39 not out) guided the Proteas to a modest 214 for nine in their allotted 50 overs.

India's reply got off to horrid start, with Murali Vijay returning scoreless. Wriddhiman Saha (47), Abhishek Nayar (33), Badrinath (32) and Manoj Tiwary (22) tried their best but India were all out for 204 runs in 47.4 overs.

Tyagi was in sensational form as he scalped five South African batsmen in his sizzling opening spell before picking one more wicket for highly impressive figures of 9-1-37-6.

At 32 for five, South Africa were staring at the abyss, but Behardien and Kuhn added 75 runs for the sixth wicket to arrest the slide and then Smit and de Villiers collaborated to raise 45 runs as South Africa crossed the 200-mark that seemed improbable at one stage.

India lost Murali Vijay early in the innings before suffering a double jolt when Ajinkya Rahane (21) fell to Juan Theron and then Virat Kohli (0) ran himself out.

Badrinath and Nayar raised 78 runs for the fourth wicket to rekindle Indian hopes before Thandi Tshabalala dealt a double blow, including the wicket of Wriddhiman Saha, who threatened to run away with the match.

Once Saha fell, the Indian challenge came unstuck and folded inside 48 overs, 10 runs shy of the South African total.

Brief scores:

South Africa: 214 for 9 in 50 overs (F Behardien 33, H Kuhn 46, D Smit 45, C de Villiers 39 not out; Sudeep Tyagi 6/37).

India: 204 all out in 47.4 overs (Wriddhiman Saha 47, Abhishek Nayar 33, S Badrinath 32; Juan Theron 3/49).