Pace and spin strike sweet blows as Proteas take control in Guwahati
SA TOUR TO INDIA
Proteas spinner Simon Harmer celebrates another Indian wicket to fall in Guwahati.
Image: AFP
The Proteas have maintained their vice-like grip on the second Test against India in Guwahati at “tea” on the third day.
The close of the first session is just a 20-minute break due to the early start at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium with the regular “lunch” 40-minute interval set for the afternoon.
India, who resumed on 9/0 overnight, lost four crucial wickets during the session as both the Proteas’ pace bowlers and spinners stuck to their disciplines.
India’s openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal moved steadily to 65 without loss, but the visitors never allowed the run-rate to get away from them.
KL Rahul showed good patience in his 22 off 63 balls, but Keshav Maharaj provided the breakthrough for the Proteas when he managed to extract extra bounce and turn away from the right-hander. Rahul lunged forward in defence, but the edge was found where Aiden Markram took a sharp catch at slip.
Jaiswal was playing more freely at the other end and moved to his 13th half-century in just 21 Tests and seemed set for the long haul before Simon Harmer intervened.
The surface seemed to slow down from the first two days with Jaiswal (58 off 97 balls) deceived by the sluggish nature and could only manage to fend off a turning delivery to a diving Marco Jansen at backward point. Jansen utilised his long arms to full effect to get his hands under the ball.
First Test hero Harmer struck again shortly afterwards when Sai Sudharsan (15) could not get on top of short delivery from the off-spinner, and only managed to offer Ryan Rickelton a sharp catch at short mid-wicket.
But the coupe de grace was provided by Jansen when the lanky left-arm seamer claimed the fourth Indian wicket of the morning shortly before the break when Dhruv Jurel (0) was caught at mid-on attempting a hook shot off a rising delivery.
SCOREBOARD
2nd Test, Day 3, 'Tea'
South Africa: 489 all out
India: 102/4 (Jaiswal 58, KL Rahul 22, Harmer 2/39, Jansen 1/23, Maharaj 1/29)
South Africa leads by 387 runs