It was a hard working session for South Africa as they fought hard against a better bowling effort by India but they have taken their lead to 395 runs despite losing 3 wickets with Ravindra Jadeja picking up 2 wickets and Washington Sundar picking up 1 wicket. Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi are batting in the middle and would like to drive home the advantage in the next session.
Ryan Rickelton falls but South Africa make steady progress in the first hour of the day
Ryan Rickelton and Aiden Markram came out to resume proceedings for South Africa while Jasprit Bumrah had ball in hand for India. Bumrah started with a decent over. Mohammed Siraj had ball in hand from the other end. Rickelton hit the first boundary of the day as he drove him sweetly past covers for a boundary. Bumrah continued and overstepped and also bowled a wide.
Washington Sundar came into the attack for the first time in this innings. He bowled a decent over. Bumrah continued as Rickelton got a streaky boundary away as he hung back to get a thick inside edge past the stumps and away to the fine leg fence. Sundar bowled another decent over. Siraj came back to replace Bumrah as Markram hit a lovely cover drive by pressing forward and drove it sweetly into the gap between cover and mid-off for a boundary.
Sundar continued as he bowled a wrong line which Rickelton tickled it away down to the fine leg fence. The 50 came up for South Africa and of the partnership in 15.3 overs. Rickelton survived a close run out chance at the bowler’s end as he barely made his crease by a whisker as Siraj did well to throw down the stumps. NOT OUT loaded on the screen. Ravindra Jadeja came into the attack for the first time today. He bowled a decent over. Sundar continued and bowled a decent over.
Jadeja continued and after overstepping he removed Rickelton for 35 off 64 balls with 4 fours to his name. Jadeja bowled a length ball around the middle and leg stump that turned back in a shade. Rickelton stepped out and looked to play out the inside out shot. He chipped it in the air from the outer half of the blade. Siraj jumped and took a good catch with both hands at cover. Tristan Stubbs walked out to bat next.
Sundar continued and bowled another decent over. Jadeja continued and kept the flow of runs under check. Sundar followed it up with a maiden. Jadeja bowled another good over. Sundar bowled another decent over as South Africa reached 66/1 in 24 overs when the players paused for the Drinks Break as the Proteas made decent progress in the first hour.
India strike twice to peg South Africa’s progress a little bit going into the Tea Break
Ravindra Jadeja continued after the break and bowled a decent over. Washington Sundar continued and bowled a decent over. Jadeja bowled a decent over yet again. Sundar continued and bowled another decent over. Jadeja got another wicket to his name as he dismissed Markram for 29 off 84 balls with 3 fours to his name. He pitched it full on the middle stump line angling back with the arm but turning sharply away after pitching. Markram committed forward in defence and got beaten on the outside edge as the ball spun away and clipped the top of off-stump. Captain Temba Bavuma came out to bat next and got off the mark soon.
Sundar continued and bowled a decent over. Jadeja also bowled a tight over. Sundar continued and got his first wicket as he dismissed Bavuma for 3 off 11 balls. Sundar bowled a good length off-break delivery on the pads, Bavuma lunged forward trying to work the ball away in the leg side. It spun back to take the glove. Pant moved with the ball to his left but it evaded him as Reddy kept his hands in the right position at leg slip and snatched the simple catch. Tony de Zorzi came out to bat next.
Jadeja continued and bowled a decent over. Sundar continued as Stubbs survived a stumping chance as Pant got surprised with the extra bounce. Jadeja continued and overstepped but bowled decently. Sundar continued as de Zorzi broke the shackles by dancing down the track and whacked it down the ground over long-on for the maximum. Jadeja continued and bowled a decent over.
Sundar continued as de Zorzi swept the ball hard in front of square down on one knee as the ball went away to the midwicket fence. Stubbs got into the act as he brought out the reverse sweep along the ground to deep backward point for a boundary. Kuldeep Yadav came into the attack for the first time today. de Zorzi got down on one knee and dragged the sweep shot towards deep square leg for a boundary as the 100 came up for South Africa in 38.3 overs.
Sundar came to bowl the last over before Tea Break. He bowled a decent over as South African batters played through till the Tea Break. South Africa are 107/3 in 40 overs with Stubbs batting on 14* off 56 balls while Tony de Zorzi is with him on 21* off 28 balls as Tea was called on Day 4. 5 extras given by India so far.
It was a better session for India with Ravindra Jadeja being the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/20 in 12 overs while Washington Sundar has picked up 1/38 in 15 overs. The others bowlers bowled decently but without much luck and stayed wicketless.
What Lies Ahead in Afternoon Session
Despite losing 3 wickets and scoring at a relatively slow run rate, South Africa are in a commanding position with the score at 107/3 in 40 overs with an overall lead of 395 runs with 7 wickets in hand. The Proteas will look to up the ante and score quick runs while India will hope to take wickets to stem the run flow. India still up against it despite picking 3 wickets in the morning session.
Let’s see what the afternoon session has instore for all of us. South Africa on top as usual.
Also Read:Â IND vs SA: Proteas Continue Extending Their Lead After A Dominating Bowling Performance