Du Plessis leads South Africa’s recovery
Skipper scores century as Indian spinners take five wickets in first ODI
India’s wrist spinners took five wickets as South Africa made 269-8 in the first One Day International at Kingsmead yesterday.
Kuldeep Yadav took 3-34 and Yuzvendra Chahal 2-45, leaving South Africa captain Faf du Plessis fighting a lone battle with his 120 from 112 balls.
South Africa were in deep trouble at 134-5 when Kuldeep took his third wicket. There was a late-innings revival as du Plessis was part of stands of 74 with Chris Morris (37) and 56 with Andile Phehlukwayo (27 not out).
Du Plessis finally fell, caught at long-off in the final over having hit 11 fours and launched two sixes over midwicket. He survived two big chances, the crucial one early on in his innings when he appeared out lbw but was given not out and India didn’t ask for a DRS review.
Pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah
South Africa innings
Q de Kock lbw b Chahal H Amla lbw b Bumrah F du Plessis c Pandya b Kumar A Markram c Pandya b Chahal JP Duminy b Kuldeep Yadav D Miller c Kohli b Kuldeep Yadav C Morris b Kuldeep Yadav A Phehlukwayo not out
may have made the first breakthrough for India to trap Hashim Amla lbw for 16 in the eighth over, but it was all the slow bowlers after that.
Chahal removed the out-ofform Quinton de Kock (34) and Aiden Markram (9). Kuldeep reeled off the next three wickets to put India in a strong position.
Injury scare
34 16 120 9 12 7 37 27
Kuldeep had South Africa 134-5 when he deceived JP Duminy with a ball that spun the other way and bowled the left-hander. He then removed the dangerous David Miller to a catch by captain Virat Kohli.
Morris hit 37 in his 74-run partnership with du Plessis for the sixth wicket. Just as that K Rabada run out 1 M Morkel not out 0 (lb3, nb1, w2) 6 (for eight wickets) 269 1-30, 2-83, 3-103, 4-122, 5-134, 6-208, 7-264, 8-268 B Kumar 10-1-71-1, J Bumrah 10-056-1, H Pandya 7-0-41-0, Y Chahal 10-0-45-2, K Yadav 10-0-34-3, K Jadhav 3-0-19-0.
Extras Total Fall of wickets:
Bowling:
stand began to revive South Africa’s innings, Morris missed a full toss and was bowled by Kuldeep having hit a six over wide long-off the ball before.
But Phehlukwayo provided more support for du Plessis in a half-century stand that dragged South Africa toward a decent score. Indian captain Kohli gave his team an injury scare when he landed awkwardly on his left knee while fielding.
Kohli made a sliding stop in the seventh over but his boot took a big divot and he appeared to jar his knee as he landed on an outfield softened by overnight rain. He left the field briefly but returned in the next over.
After fielding in the covers for five overs, Kohli went to slip but then left the field again in the 14th over. He recovered to take his place in the batting line-up Earlier, South Africa won the toss and elected to bat.
South Africa are on top of the International Cricket Council one-day rankings by a slender one point from India.