PTI
Cape Town, January 12
Mohammed Shami bowled a magical over to get two wickets in three balls as India forced South Africa to press the panic button going into tea at 176 for 7 on an interesting second day of the third and final Test here on Wednesday.
South Africa still need 48 runs to cross India’s first innings score of 223 and a lot will depend on South Africa’s find of the series Keegan Petersen (70 batting), who remained solid at one end despite three wickets tumbling at the other.
The session also turned out to be a good one for Indian captain Virat Kohli, who also completed a personal milestone of 100 catches in Test cricket with a couple of smart pouches in the slip cordon.
If Umesh Yadav (12-3-50-2) set up the session with an conventional outswinger that saw Rassie van Der Dussen (21) edging one to Kohli at second slip, Shami (16-4-39-2) removed the dogged Temba Bavuma (28) and Kyle Verreynne (0) with two ideal Test match deliveries in the 56th over.
The deliveries had everything, upright seam and pitched fuller on the off-stump with just about adequate movement.
Bavuma was caught low by a diving Kohli while Rishabh Pant had a smart take to remove his opposite number.
At stroke of tea, Jasprit Bumrah (17.2-6-29-3), who has been incredible in the two sessions, settled his scores with Marco Jansen sending his off-stump for a walk.
The best part of the session was skipper Kohli’s adjustment when he, at second slip, decided to stand a few steps ahead of the first slip after realising that the ball is not carrying in full.
There were a couple of times Shardul Thakur (6-1-21-0) did find the outside edge of Petersen’s bat but on both occasions, the ball died down before skipper Kohli at first slip.
The bounce available on the Newlands track isn’t as steep as it was at Centurion and Wanderers which belong to the Highveld region.
Perhaps, standing up a few yards ahead, especially to someone like Shardul who bowls just about skiddy medium pace, perhaps would have been an ideal decision.
The morning started on a bright note for India as Markram got a beauty from Bumrah that jagged back enough to hoodwink him and take the off-stump away when the batter must have thought that it would just go straight.
Maharaj, on his part, did a very good job and played out the first 45 minutes before Umesh bowled a classical inswinger that uprooted the middle stump.
Petersen, however, has shown positive intent and struck nine boundaries in his 159-ball knock so far.
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