SA vs IND, 1st Test, Review: Vernon Philander leads South Africa to 1-0 lead

The fourth day’s play began with South Africa in driver’s seat with a lead of 142 runs on a helpful pitch with eight wickets still in hand. Though India were in with a fighting chance was only due to their star all-rounder Hardik Pandya who played a match-saving knock of 93 runs. If not for his innings, the visitors would have been out of the game on the second day itself. However, Vernon Philander led his team to the victory with a sensational bowling effort as the home side now lead the series by 1-0.

The action resumed under the sunny skies on Monday with Kagiso Rabada and Hashim Amla coming out to bat to extend their team’s lead. But the latter was scalped by Mohammad Shami in his first over of the day as Rohit Sharma plucked out an excellent catch in the gully. Soon Rabada edged one off the same bowler after frequent plays and misses as the home side were struggling at 73/4. The onus was once again on AB de Villiers and the skipper Faf du Plessis much like the first innings to resurrect.

Indian pacers wreak havoc

Du Plessis received a snorter of a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah then as he was dismissed for a five-ball duck with the hosts in real trouble now as the lead was hardly extended. There was no respite for them as the rejuvenated duo of Shami and Bumrah snaffled Quinton de Kock and Vernon Philander to leave them reeling at 95/7. Virat Kohli was extremely vocal from the slips encouraging his players sensing a chance to win the Test match. Though Keshav Maharaj showed some resistance and supported de Villiers.

Both added 27 runs for the eighth wickets and took the lead past 200 runs which once again rose the tension in the Indian ranks. But the swing king of India, Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled the nagging line to find the edge of Maharaj as he also sent back Morne Morkel in his next over. The injured Dale Steyn then came out to bat for a rousing applause from the crowd. But de Villiers, in trying to add some quick runs, holed out in the deep as Bhuvi held on to the catch and balanced himself.

He made a decent 35 which helped his team’s cause as South Africa were skittled out for only 130 runs. Indian bowlers bowled extremely well as they snuffed out 8/65 in the first session itself much against all the odds. While Bumrah and Shami scalped three wickets each, Bhuvi and Pandya shared four wickets between completing a stunning fightback.

Indian batsmen fail once again

The visitors needed to be at their best chasing 208 against the best bowling attack in the world. The openers Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan weathered the new ball early on even as the former survived twice using the DRS off Philander. But he was snaffled by the same bowler as he poked at an away going delivery only to edge it to de Villiers. The wicket brought couple more as Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara followed suit. The new Indian wall though was unlucky as he got a snorter from Philander.

The procession was arrested by the skipper Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for some time and both looked confident. They added a crucial 32 runs before Kohli played across a straight delivery and was caught plumb in front. Again there was a collapse as India were reduced further from 71/3 to 77/6. It was in the hands of Wriddhiman Saha and Ashwin to play out the deadly attack until tea. But the former was done by a serious inswinger of Rabada with the team’s score reading 82/7.

The match was expected to finish soon after the tea break but there was a brilliant rescue-attack put forward by Ashwin and Bhuvi. They added 49 runs looking very much comfortably and got closer to the total. Just when the Indian camp was hoping for another resurgence in the match, Vernon Philander scalped Ashwin, the man that mattered the most, and ended the last ray of hope for the visitors. He ended the proceedings in the same over sending back Shami and Bumrah.

Bhuvneshwar was left stranded on 13 at the other end. Philander proved why he is the favourite son of Newlands and ended the game with the career-best figures of 6/42. The celebrations started in the South African camp as the players hugged the elated Philander who just loved bowling on the surface. On the other hand, India was disappointed as they started the chase with a real hope of completing a brilliant fightback in the Test match. But that didn’t happen as they concede the lead once again in the first Test of the away series.

Brief Scores

South Africa 286 (de Villiers 65; B Kumar 4/87) & 130 (de Villiers 35; M Shami 3/28, J Bumrah 3/39)

India 209 (H Pandya 93; V Philander 3/33, K Rabada 3/34) & 135 (R Ashwin 37; V Philander 6/42)

Result: South Africa won by 72 runs

Man of the Match: Vernon Philander