Simon Harmer is on a roll and is having a dream Test series. Day 5 morning session was no different as he picked up all the 3 wickets to fall and has 4 wickets to his name. India were 5 down with best part of one hour to go for Tea, but Sai Sudharsan and Ravindra Jadeja showed brief resistance and made sure that India were 5 down at Tea. Still a long way to go to save the Test for India, but at least they survived till Tea Break. Can they survive another session? Only time will tell.
Simon Harmer’s double strike dents India in the first hour as South Africa inches closer to winÂ
Sai Sudharsan and Kuldeep Yadav came out to resume proceedings for India while Simon Harmer completed his last ball of the over. Marco Jansen got the ball from the other end and gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side as the ball was on the pads. Harmer continued and bowled a decent over. Jansen then bowled a perfect ball and got Sudharsan caught behind but the bowler overstepped and the southpaw got a reprieve. Sudharsan gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side as well.
Harmer continued as Kuldeep got a lifeline as the outside edge was dropped by Aiden Markram. A rare drop from him. Harmer bowled a probing over. Jansen continued and bowled a maiden over. Harmer bowled another probing over. Jansen bowled another maiden over as India were keen to block all day along. Harmer then struck for South Africa removing night watchman Kuldeep for 5 off 38 balls with one four to his name.
Harmer bowled a length ball angling into the stumps as it was the quicker delivery from Harmer as Kuldeep was caught in the crease and he decided to play it off the back foot and was really late to get his bat down and got beaten on the inside edge as the ball rattled the middle stump. Dhruv Jurel came out to bat next and got off the mark with a brace. Harmer got two in the over as Jurel departed for 2 off 3 balls.
Harmer tossed it up full around fourth stump that pitched and straightened as Jurel prod forward to defend as he was playing for the turn and he got a thick outside edge as Markram took an easy catch. Captain Rishabh Pant came out to bat next. Jansen continued and bowled a maiden over. Harmer continued and bowled another probing over. Jansen bowled another maiden over as Sai was keen to not score.
Harmer bowled another decent over. Keshav Maharaj came into the attack for the first time on Day 5. Pant broke the shackles as he rocked back to the short and wide ball outside off-stump to punch it away through the covers for a boundary. Pant was not done yet as he came down the track to launch it over long-off for the maximum. Harmer continued and bowled a maiden over. Maharaj bowled a miserly over as India went to 58/4 in 31 overs as we paused for the Drinks Break.
Simon Harmer removed Rishabh Pant; Ravindra Jadeja & Sai Sudharsan keeps India afloat at Tea Break
Simon Harmer continued and after the Break as he removed Rishabh Pant for 13 off 16 balls with one four and one six to his name. Harmer bowled a flighted delivery pitching on good length and off-stump offered some extra bounce and little amount of turn as Pant was committed defending on the front foot with the ball taking the shoulder of the bat to the left of Markram at slip as Markram made no mistake. Ravindra Jadeja came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Maharaj continued and bowled a decent over. Harmer continued as Sudharsan got a lucky boundary by defending on the front foot and getting the outside edge past the diving Markram at slips for a boundary. Maharaj continued and bowled another decent over. Harmer bowled another tight over. Maharaj bowled another decent over. Harmer bowled a maiden over. Maharaj continued and kept things tight. Harmer continued to bowl maiden overs. Maharaj bowled another good over.
Harmer bowled a long spell but was accurate with his lines and lengths. Jadeja broke the shackles by dancing down the track and got to the pitch of the bat to smoke it down the ground over long-on for the maximum as some runs were scored by India. Harmer continued and bowled another good over. Aiden Markram came into the attack for the first time in the innings. He bowled a decent first over.
Harmer continued and bowled a decent over as the keeper conceded 2 byes as well. Markram continued and bowled the final over before Tea. He bowled a decent over as India crawled to 90/5 in 47 overs with Sai Sudharsan batting on 14* off 138 balls while Ravindra Jadeja batting on 23* off 40 balls. 14 extras given by the fielding side.
Simon Harmer has been the star of the show yet again as he picked up all 3 wickets this morning session. He has a total of 4 wickets with figures of 4/23 in 19 overs while Marco Jansen has a wicket with 1/16 in 11 overs. Others are yet to get a wicket but South Africa just 5 wickets away from the win. India with a mountain to climb with 2 sessions left in the Test match.
What Lies Ahead in Afternoon Session
Another session dominated by South Africa as they managed to take 3 wickets in the session all by Simon Harmer. Ravindra Jadeja and Sai Sudharsan has shown some resistance to hang in there but the question is for how long. South Africa will aim to take more wickets in this session while India has to try and hang in there. South Africa dominating India.
Let’s see if the next session is the final session of the series, or whether we will have the final session as well. All depends on India and how they show resistance.
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