Finance
In the 1st Test at SuperSport Park on Thursday, a dominant South Africa crushed a hapless India by an innings and 32 runs in three days, driven by outstanding bowling efforts and a magnificent 185 from Dean Elgar.
Elgar’s fifty-plus and those of Marco Jansen and David Bedingham helped South Africa reach 408 after India had given up a 163-run lead. The second innings of India’s batting resembled a horror film, as did their dismal bowling performance.
Eight batsmen fell for single-digit scores during their 34.1-over second innings as South Africa’s bowlers, headed by Nandre Burger’s four-fer to bring his match total to seven scalps, reveled in their home conditions.
The legendary batsman Virat Kohli made a valiant 76 off 82 balls in an attempt to spare himself the shame of an innings loss. Nevertheless, his knock was insufficient to save the inevitable as India was bowled out for 131 and now trail 1-0 in the two-game series. His teammates were falling without putting up much of a fight.
With a 163-run advantage, South Africa might have dismissed birthday boy Jaiswal with the first ball if Aiden Markram hadn’t dropped a fairly easy chance at second slip. However, Kagiso Rabada quickly claimed the opening wicket for the Proteas, bowling a brilliant delivery that skimmed over Rohit Sharma’s off-stump.
Nandre Burger quickly removed Jaiswal with a rising, well-directed short ball, which he tried to evade. But the ball just brushed past the glove and edge was safely taken by Kyle Verreynne.
After getting a four off Rabada on the outside edge, Shubman Gill started off with a short arm and flick, giving him two fours. He then looked amazing with his drives both up and down the ground. However, he was caught off guard when Marco Jansen played a fuller ball, and he saw his middle stump rocked. He fell for number 26.
While playing some stunning shots, Kohli was fortunate. The short ball from South Africa’s pacers was bothering Shreyas Iyer, who was fortunate not to be out when Keegan Pietersen clobbered his catch at third slip on the cusp of tea.
After lunch, India came back from 62/3, and Marco Jansen looked uncomfortable right away. Shreyas Iyer performed with a more direct delivery and inside-edged to his stumps. Kohli was determined to grind it out and picked a short and wide ball from Gerald Coetzee by punching above cover point for six.
Kohli continued to be exquisite, clipping Coetzee twice through leg-side for boundaries. But he was losing partners from the other end as KL Rahul went for a big drive off Nandre Burget and nicked to second slip. One brought two immediately as Ravichandran Ashwin punched away from the body and was caught at gully for a golden duck.
Kohli survived the hat-trick ball from Burger and notched up a 61-ball fifty with a wristy whip past mid-on for four. Shardul Thakur was dropped at first slip, but it didn’t cost much as an outside edge on being squared up was caught by gully off Kagiso Rabada.
Jasprit Bumrah couldn’t complete the second run and was run-out in pursuit of it, while Mohammed Siraj became the second batter in the Indian innings to be caught behind while trying to leave the bouncer from Burger, with review showing the ball had a spike while brushing the gloves.
Even with a nine-run deficit, Kohli attacked, slicing and lofting Burger for consecutive fours. But Rabada came streaking in from long range and made the diving catch to pull off a remarkable catch out of thin air as Kohli attempted to pull over the bowler’s head, only for Jansen to take him out for 76.
Elgar top-scored in the morning session with a magnificent 185. After the two-match Test series concludes, Elgar will retire from international cricket. Along with Jansen, he shared a 111-run sixth-wicket partnership. Jansen smashed 11 fours and a six in his 84 off 147 balls, combining solid discretion with crisp driving shots.
For India, Bumrah was pick of bowlers with 4-69, while Siraj briefly shined in his 2-91. But their change bowlers, Prasidh and Thakur, were ineffective and lacklustre in their lines and lengths while taking a wicket each, and allowed the Proteas batters to score freely in what was a disappointing bowling show from the visitors’.
Bumrah and Siraj produced a few plays and misses in their first six overs, but that was it and Jansen began by capitalising on Prasidh’s poor lines by taking back-to-back fours. Elgar then feasted on Prasidh’s bowling by reaching his 150 with a nice drive in the gap between mid-off and extra cover for four off a low full toss.
Jansen struck two fours off Thakur as there was no end to India’s misery, especially after Rahul couldn’t quickly take the chance of Jansen off Ashwin’s bowling. Despite taking the new ball, South Africa continued to take runs quickly as Indian fielders’ shoulders continued to drop, with the bowlers unable to create pressure and take wickets.
Jansen got his second Test fifty by chipping Siraj for consecutive boundaries. The duo continued to pick boundaries freely till Elgar was caught down the leg side thanks to Thakur extracting extra bounce on a back of the length delivery. It ended Elgar’s innings at 185, his second highest Test score, as the left-handed batter walked off to a standing ovation from his home crowd.
India tried a short-ball assault, but it was ineffective as Jansen pulled and tickled for four and six, respectively, after Gerald Coetzee tucked Thakur for four. After that, Coetzee put Prasidh down for six over long-on, then picked off mid-off against Ashwin.
Just a few balls into the second session, Bumrah made a brilliant strike to send Rabada’s off-stump spinning around. Although Jansen’s strokes were outstanding, Bumrah yorked Burger’s stumps to conclude the innings, and Temba Bavuma did not take the field because of a strained left hamstring.
Brief Scores: India 245 and 131 in 34.1 overs (Virat Kohli 76; Nandre Burger 14-33) lost to South Africa 408 in 108.4 overs (Dean Elgar 185, Marco Jansen 84 not out; Jasprit Bumrah 4-69, Mohammed Siraj 2-91) by an innings and 32 runs
Source:IANS
