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India win second test, tie series with South Africa

cricket04 January 2024 11:54| © MWP
By:Neil Manthorp
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India galloped to a series-levelling victory by seven-wickets before tea on the second day of the second test against South Africa at Newlands chasing down their modest target of 79-runs in just 12 overs for the loss of three wickets.

Captain Rohit Sharma guided his team to victory with an unbeaten 17 after Yashasvi Jaiswal (28), Shubman Gill (10) and Virat Kohli (12) had perished in the unrelentingly bowler-friendly conditions with India finishing on 80-3.

Jasprit Bumrah (6-61) claimed five wickets in the morning session to set up the tourists’ victory despite a remarkable century from opener Aiden Markram who made 106 out of South Africa’s second innings total of 176.

It was the shortest test match in history containing just 107 overs, or 642 deliveries, after the home side were dismissed for 55 before reaching 62-3 after dismissing India for 153 on the first day.

The previous record was set in 1932 when Australia beat South Africa at the MCG in a match spanning 656 balls.

Having conceded a first innings lead of 98 on a chaotic first day on which 23 wickets fell, South Africa had squeezed out a lead of 64 on the second morning with Markram reaching his seventh test century and were beginning to contemplate an extraordinary victory until Markram was dismissed.

Bumrah was in imperious form from the start when South Africa resumed on 62-3 inducing an edge from David Bedingham (11) with the sixth ball of the day.

Kyle Verreynne (9) miscued a Bumrah bouncer to mid on, Marco Jansen (11) drove a fierce return catch to the fast bowler and Keshav Maharaj (3) was caught in the gully as Bumrah claimed his fifth wicket and took a well-deserved rest.

The clatter of wickets and change of bowler saw Markram’s resilience make way for some ferocious counter-attacking as he hooked Prasidh Krishna onto the adjacent railway line and then drove him over long for a second maximum in the same over.

His magnificent innings finally came to an end with a spliced pull to Rohit at deep mid off with his 106 coming from just 103 deliveries with 17 fours and the brace of sixes.

The last pair of Lungi Ngidi (8) and Nandre Burger (6*) added 14 for the last wicket prompting Rohit to recall Bumrah to the attack after a brief rest and he responded immediately by having Ngidi caught at slip to finish with 6-61 from 13.5 overs.

It was only the second time two Indian pace bowlers had claimed six-wicket hauls in the same test following Mohammad Siraj’s 6-15 on the first day one.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma first achieved the feat against England at Lord’s in 2014.

Report Day 1

SOUTH AFRICA: Dean Elgar (captain), Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi

INDIA: Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar

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