India roared in the second session of play albeit aided by the pitch conditions on offer. Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah started it all while Mohammed Siraj and Axar Patel got amongst the wickets. Lots of starts by the South African batters but none going on to get a significant score that meant that South Africa went to Tea at 154/8 in 52 overs in what has also been a slow over rate by India despite having so many spinners.
Kuldeep & Bumrah strike to peg South Africa back in the first hour after Lunch.Â
Wiaan Mulder and Tony de Zorzi came back out to resume after Lunch while Kuldeep Yadav had ball in hand to bowl the first over after Lunch. Kuldeep bowled a decent first over after Lunch. Jasprit Bumrah had ball in hand from the other end. De Zorzi hit the first boundary after lunch as he delicately played Bumrah by opening the bat face and played with soft hands to steer it past gully fielder for a boundary.
Kuldeep provided the breakthrough and broke the budding stand as he removed Mulder for 24 off 51 balls with 3 fours to his name. Kuldeep bowled a length delivery on the off-stump that turned back into Mulder. The right-hander got down into a knee for a reverse sweep and missed on the inside edge as he played against the spin and paid the price for it as the ball hit his front pad. The umpire gave it OUT. The batter reviewed and it came back as three reds as the review was burnt by South Africa. Tristan Stubbs came out to bat next.
Bumrah continued and bowled another decent over. Kuldeep also kept things tight as run scoring became a little tough for the batters. Bumrah then got his third wicket and second of this session as he removed Tony de Zorzi for 24 off 55 balls with one four and one six to his innings. Bumrah bowled a good length delivery pitching outside the off-stump and nipping back into the off-stump and the ball stayed a bit low as well. De Zorzi was camping back in the crease as he tried to defend it. He played really late as he failed to get his bat in line in time and was beaten on the inside edge. He got hit on the back pad in front of the off-stump and let out a grimace. The umpire gave it OUT. The batter reviewed and saw three reds as another review was burnt. Kyle Verreynne came out to bat next.
Bumrah got a pin point yorker to Verreynne but the ball went down the leg side. Kuldeep then should have gotten rid of Kyle Verreynne but the edge went wide off Gill at first slip who did not move as the ball went away to the fence. Then Jurel dropped a tough chance at short leg off Kuldeep. Kyle was the concerned batter here. Stubbs hit Bumrah for a boundary as he pressed forward and hit it through mid-off for a boundary. Kuldeep bowled another brilliant over. Bumrah too kept probing away from his end. Kuldeep bowled a maiden over.
Siraj came back into the attack and bowled decently till he gave a boundary away off the final ball. Siraj went for the yorker and ended up bowling a low full toss outside off-stump. Verreynne got forward and drove it neatly between mid-off and extra cover for a boundary. Ravindra Jadeja came back into the attack replacing Kuldeep. Jadeja bowled a maiden over. South Africa were 136/5 in 40 overs when we all paused for the Drinks Break in the afternoon session.
Siraj’s double strike and Axar’s wicket at stroke of Tea pushes South Africa further back.Â
Siraj continued after the Break and bowled a decent over. Jadeja continued and bowled a nice over. Siraj too kept things tight. Jadeja continued and bowled another tight over. Siraj finally got a wicket to his name as he removed Kyle Verreynne for 16 off 36 balls with 2 fours to his name. Siraj from over the wicket bowled a length ball outside the off-stump that nipped back in sharply. Verreynne was late on the push and the ball brushed the pads before the bat. The appeal was given. The batter reviewed again and Three Reds meant another review lost and South Africa were out of reviews now.
Marco Jansen came out to bat next. Siraj got another in the over as he removed Jansen for a bronze duck. Siraj bowled a wobble seam delivery on a good length outside off-stump that nipped back in sharply off the surface. Jansen got onto the front foot and looked to block with a straight bat but got beaten on the inside edge and the ball snuck through bat and pad to hit the middle stump. Corbin Bosch came out to bat next. Jadeja continued and bowled a tidy over.
Siraj bowled another tidy over. Jadeja continued as the 150 came up for South Africa in 47.4 overs. Siraj bowled another decent over. Axar Patel came back into the attack for a fresh spell. He started with a maiden over. Kuldeep Yadav came back and bowled another tight over. Axar Patel continued and got another wicket for India at the stroke of Tea as he dismissed Bosch for 3 off 23 balls.
Axar bowled a full and tossed up arm ball outside the off-stump that drifted in with the angle and beat Bosch on the inside edge. He looked to defend on the front foot but missed and got wrapped on the front pad just below the knee roll. Axar appealed and the umpire gave it and with no reviews left for South Africa, the decision stood. Stubbs is still there on 15 off 64 balls with a boundary to his name as South Africa went into the Tea Break at 154/8 in 52 overs.
For India, Jasprit Bumrah picked up 3/23 in 12 overs. Mohammed Siraj came back well with his 2/47 in 12 overs. Kuldeep Yadav bowled well for his 2/36 in 14 overs. Axar Patel now has a wicket to his name and has figures of 1/20 in 5 overs. Ravindra Jadeja bowled 8 overs for 13 runs while Washington Sundar bowled an over for 3 runs. An intriguing evening session coming our way now.
What Lies Ahead for the Final Session.Â
This afternoon session has belonged to India as they pegged South Africa back by taking 5 wickets for 49 runs in 25 overs. South Africa are struggling at 154/8 in 52 overs. Having said all that, the pitch is dodgy and looks a minefield and if South Africa can somehow get 200+ and bowl well they will make life a living hell for the Indians. An intriguing evening session awaits us all.
Also Read:Â IND vs SA: South Africa Gets Off To A Decent Start On A Challenging Track