India edge ahead on difficult pitch
JOHANNESBURG: Wickets tumbled and batsmen were struck on the fingers and body as South Africa and India battled for supremacy on the second day of the Third and Final Test yesterday.
Hashim Amla’s 61 enabled South Africa to squeeze into a seven-run first innings lead before India nudged ahead again by reaching 49 for one at the close, an overall lead of 42 at Wanderers Stadium.
Batsmen faced extreme difficulties on a pitch criticised by two former South African and Indian captains, Shaun Pollock and Sunil Gavaskar, who are commentating on the match for TV.
Pointing to cracks and indentations on a good length, with graphics showing extravagant movement and unpredictable bounce, Pollock said: “If you’ve got deliveries behaving like this on day two of a Test match it can’t be judged a good surface.”
Gavaskar said the pitch was “totally in favour of bowlers.”
With the South African bowlers proving surprisingly erratic, both Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay were able to put some loose deliveries away.
Amla battled for four hours and faced 121 balls in making the highest score of the match. Bowlers Kagiso Rabada (30) and Philander (35) were the only South Africans to reach double figures in a total of 194.
Amla survived two reviews for leg before wicket, being saved by the “umpire’s call” provision on both occasions, and took some painful blows, including one in the ribs and another on his hand.
• AUCKLAND: Pakistan crushed New Zealand by 48 runs in the second T20 in Auckland yesterday to notch their first win of the tour over the Black Caps.
The tourists finally found form with both bat and ball to level the three-match T20 series after a humiliating losing streak that included a 5-0 ODI series whitewash. They set an imposing target of 202 after winning the toss and electing to bat, with half centuries for Babar Azam and Fakhar Zaman.
In response, New Zealand’s top order crumbled to 64 for six under a combination of tight bowling and commitment in the field from Pakistan.