With a lead of 130 runs in the first innings, India reached 16 for 1 at stumps for the loss of Mayank Agarwal’s wicket.
Mohammed Shami It was a very hot sunny day. He was lively, swung the ball and hit the target.
He was quick and straight. Go about your business with focus, skill and control against a transitional South African line-up.
What makes Shami dangerous is the subtle movement from the off-stump line to a quick one, enough to breach the defense or find an edge.
With exemplary wrist and seam condition, the inspired Shami scored five for 44 as South Africa responded to India’s 327 by bowling out for 197 on the third day of the first independence test.
India were 16 for one in their second innings, with Mayank Agarwal defeating debutant left-armer Marco Jensen.
In the morning, Lungi Ngidi showed his mettle with a six as India fell to 272 for three.
This pitch, as is often the case at Centurion, intensified as the match progressed. There was more bounce, more carry.
Hurt by his batting prowess, India took an early lead.
Southpaw Dean Elgar, with limited leg movement, angled down Jasprit Bumrah’s ball badly.
Keegan Pietersen was dismissed by pacer Shami after some lovely drives.
Then, Shami delivers a beauty, a good length, which comes back and hits it over the off stump to end Aiden Markram’s innings.
Already after scoring 30 for three, things got worse for South Africa.
Rassie van der Dussen hits Ajinkya Rahane around the corner, hitting Mohammad Siraj’s far seamer.
Siraj could have slashed his next ball to left-hander Quinton de Kock – but was caught by KL Rahul in the hoop.
Amidst the carnage, India suffered a setback when Bumrah left the field with an ankle sprain. The pace ace, however, returned to the arena close to tea.
Bavuma and de Kock put up some resistance. Bavuma, small and compact, walked in front of the wicket with a pancake,
De Kock is a natural. He picks up the length quickly, and can lower the ball through gaps with left-handed elegance.
However, he can also give away his wicket like he did this time to play off Shardul Thakur.
Bavuma covers for the swing, cuts Thakur for the boundary and continues the fight while running straight.
He completed his half-century by defeating Shami. Shami, however, laughed for the last time.
He seamed the ball a bit away from Bavuma (52) to find the elusive edge.
Earlier, Shami ate Viaan Mulder with a trademark away seamer.
Janssen, and Kagiso Rabada fought. R Ashwin’s straight six off Rabada was a forceful blow.
Thakur’s ball got angry and ended Johnson’s innings. And the versatile Shami, this time seaming a left-handed Rabada delivery, took his fifth wicket.
In the morning Lungi Ngidi bowled with rhythm, pace and lift. their release [front on] Was exemplary and used his strong shoulder to extract the extra bounce.
The rapid fall of wickets underscored the value of Rahul’s century.
Ngidi and Rabada bowled with lion-heartedness throughout the first hour. He bowled short, pitched it and mixed his length cleverly.
Rabada angled the short-pitched delivery to KL Rahul’s shoulder early and tried to take the opener over the hook.
There is flexibility and discipline behind Rahul’s 123 Timing and Grace.
Rahane (48) was dismissed for extra bounce from NGD. Ashwin succumbed to a leading edge after trying to work Rabada, and the southpaw Pant, trying to stop an Ngidi lifter, was held at short leg. [rightly kept by Elgar],
The Indian innings soon came to an end and the visitors retaliated.
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