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SA A and England Lions draw series

Johannesburg - Both teams were left to rue missed chances as the second unofficial four-day Test match between South Africa A and the England Lions petered out to a draw in Bloemfontein on Wednesday.

England had reached 402/7 in their second innings with James Vince having contributed an unbeaten 152 (292 balls, 22x4, 1x6) after a mammoth stay of six-and-three-quarter hours at the crease.

The series ended in a draw and both teams will now turn their attention to the five-match 50 overs series starting at the same venue on Sunday.

"We haven't done well in this format in the past, so it is important that we put that right," said South African captain Justin Ontong,

Ontong was disappointed with the drawn result of the four-match.

"We had them under pressure for long periods but it is important that you take every chance that comes your way."

Ontong said he had been pleased with the improvement and maturity shown by the younger members of the squad and paid particular tribute to Temba Bavuma and Theunis de Bruyn for their contributions with the bat.

De Bruyn was the stand-out player of the series with his 367 runs which included a century and a double century.

"He has joined the queue of batsmen knocking on the door for Test selection although there aren't exactly vacancies at the moment," said the skipper.

England captain Jonathan Trott was full of praise for Vince's innings.

"When we came together we were still behind and under a lot of pressure but all credit to him for the way he batted for such a long time, particularly in this heat," Trott said.

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