JOHANNESBURG, Jan 25: Indian bowlers continued their stellar show as Jasprit Bumrah restricted South Africa�s lead to a bare minimum with his maiden five-wicket haul, keeping the visitors in the contest after an engaging second day�s play in the third and final cricket Test.
In reply to India�s 187, South Africa didn�t fare any better being all-out for 194 in 65.5 overs with their lead being an insignificant seven runs.
The Indian top-order showed more application as they were 49 for 1 at stumps with an overall lead of 42 runs.
Murali Vijay (13 batting, 49 balls) was in company of KL Rahul (16 batting, 38 balls). The team management wanted to shield Rahul from the new ball bowlers by sending Parthiv Patel (16) to open the innings but the plan didn�t work as he quickly removed by Vernon Philander.
Rahul-Vijay left the ball well and showed more patience than the first innings as they batted out 12 overs.
They added 32 runs for the second wicket, running judiciously between the wickets and hitting 3 boundaries together.
On a pitch that is offering extensive lateral movement, a target of 175 could prove to be a match-winning for India.
Playing only his third Test match, Bumrah polished the lower-middle order with figures of 5 for 54 in 18.5 overs ably complemented by Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/44 in 19 overs).
While Bumrah�s maximum victims were at the rear of the Proteas innings, Bhuvneshwar inflicted the early damage including a beautiful indipper that knocked back AB de Villiers� (5) middle-stump.
Hashim Amla (61, 121 balls) batted with grit and determination and was given good support by nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada (30) during the first session, when they had added 64 runs for the third wicket.
This was after Bhuvneshwar had removed Dean Elgar with a beauty, a delivery that pitched on the leg-middle, induced him to go for a drive and got an edge. � PTI
India 1st innings: 187
South Africa 1st innings:
Elgar c Parthiv Patel b Bhuvneshwar 4
Markram c Patel b Bhuvneshwar 2
Rabada c A Rahane b Ishant 30
Anmla c Pandya b Bumrah 61
De Villiers b Bhuvneshwar 5
Du Plessis b Bumrah 8
De Kock c Patel b Bumrah 8
Philander c Bumrah b Shami 35
Phehlukwayo lbw b Bumrah 9
Morkel not out 9
Ngidi c Patel b Bumrah 0
Extras: (LB-14, W-9) 23
Total: (all out in 65.5 overs) 194
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-16, 3-80, 4-92, 5-107, 6-125, 7-169, 8-175, 9-194, 10-194
Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 19-9-44-3, Jasprit Bumrah 18.5-2-54-5, Ishant Sharma 14-2-33-1, Mohammed Shami 12-0-46-1, Hardik Pandya 2-0-3-0.
India 2nd innings:
India 2nd innings:
Vijay not out 13
Patel c Markram b Philander 16
Rahul not out 16
Extras: (LB-4) 4
Total: (for one wicket in 17 overs) 49
Fall of wickets: 1-17
Bowling: Vernon Philander 5-2-11-1, Kagiso Rabada 6-1-19-0, Morne Morkel 4-1-9-0, Lungi Ngidi 2-0-6-0.
