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Mon, 08 January 2018
1st Test: Philander's six lifts South Africa to victory

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20:26   Philander's six lifts South Africa to victory


India 135-all out (42.4 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Pacer Vernon Philander claimed a career-best six for 42 to lift South Africa to a convincing 72-run on Day 4 of the first Test in Cape Town.

Chasing 208 for victory, India crashed for 135 in their second innings to go down 0-1 in the three-match series.

India's batsmen struggled on a lively pitch, losing wickets at regular intervals. Ravichandran Ashwin was the top scorer with 37, while Virat Kohli made 28 as their much-vaunted batting line-up struggled yet again against the South African pace attack.

Philander finished with nine wickets in the match and got a deserved applause from his home fans at Newlands.

India's top and middle order also struggled in the first innings before Hardik Pandya's 93 saw them post 209 in reply to South Africa's 286.

India's fast bowler then launched a super comeback as they sent South Africa crashing for 130, but the batting line-up once again disappointed.

The second Test will be played in Centurion from January 13 to 17.
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20:21   Philander's six lifts South Africa to victory


India 135-all out (42.4 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Philander keeping it in the channel just outside the off-stump as Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar before the former defends watchfully.

In the next over, Ashwin gets an edge which flies past the slip fielder for two runs and he steers the next ball through the same region for another couple.

He gets a thick inside edge off the last ball for a single on the leg side as the target goes under the 80-run mark.

The wicketkeeper comes up for Philander and the move works as Ashwin gets the edge and Quinton de Kock takes a superb standing up to the stumps.

Ashwin played a good hand with the bat, hitting 37 to revive India's hopes but his dismissal could be a death blow for India's victory bid.

Mohammed Shami lofts the first ball he faces over long-on for a four but Philander gets revenge off the next ball.

Shami throws his bat at a wide ball but gets an edge and is caught at second slip for four.

Philander picks up his fifth wicket to bring his team on the verge of victory with India having just one wicket in hand.

Jasprit Bumrah falls off the very next delivery, getting caught in the slips as India are bowled out for 135 in their second innings to lose by 72 runs.

Philander picks up three wickets in the innings to finish with career-best figures of six for 42 to give South Africa a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
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20:05   Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar rally India after batting collapse


India 123-7 (40 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Ashwin looking in good touch as he drives Rabada straight down the ground, beating the fielder at mid-off for his second boundary to take India past the 100-run mark, in the 35th over.

Spin introduced as Keshav Maharaj is brought into the attack, to bowl the 36th over as the pacers are given a bit of rest.

He has a huge appeal for leg before wicket turned down against Bhuvneshwar, with the ball sliding down the leg side and the Proteas rightly decide against the DRS.

Philander comes back, taking over from Rabada as South Africa look for their first breakthrough of the post-lunch session.

He starts with a full delivery on the stumps as Ashwin clips it through midwicket for a four despite a good slide from the fielder on the ropes.

Philander gets Ashwin to edge one but it falls short of the slips and goes through the gap for a four before he takes a single on the leg side to take his score to 25 and also bring the target under the 100-run mark.

Maharaj has a huge appeal for leg before turned down against Ashwin and this time India take the DRS. The ball has pitched in line but going down and missing the stumps so a review wasted by South Africa.

Ashwin plays another nice flick using his wrists to good effect for a couple on the leg side.

The partnership is worth 32 runs as Bhuvneshwar plays another good hand with the bat, following his impressive effort in the partnership with Pandya in the first innings.

A single to Bhuvneshwar to deep point off Philander before Ashwin steers the pacer fine on the off-side for a four.

That boundary takes his score to 31 and makes him the highest scorer in India's second innings.

Maharaj drops short as Bhuvneshwar makes room and slaps it off the backfoot through the covers for a four.

India have recovered to reach 123 for seven in 40 overs, still needing another 85 runs for victory.

Ashwin is playing a crucial knock with the bat, scoring 31 from 44 balls, while Bhuvneshwar has made 11 as the duo have added 41 runs for the eighth wicket to keep India alive.
19:39  


India 95-7 (33 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Morkel begins proceedings with the ball for South Africa, with the hosts needing just three wickets for victory.

Ashwin defends the first two balls before he clips the third ball fine but just for a single as Rabada does well on the fine leg boundary.

Bhuvneshwar gets a thick outside edge off the last ball for a single on the off-side to get off the mark.

Rabada continues to give the batsmen problems as Bhuvneshwar is comfortably beaten as he plays down the inside line. He taps the last ball and looks to steal a quick single as Ashwin has to dive at the end of the second run to make his crease.

Ashwin drives Morkel through the covers for two runs and then two balls later turns the pacer through square leg for a four.

Rabada giving Bhuvneshwar a few problems outside the off-stump despite the ball not doing much at the moment. Ashwin plays another good drive through the off-side for two runs.
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19:03   Batting collapse leaves India on the brink


India 82-7 (29 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


India's much vaunted batting line-up failed to live up to expectations as the visitors collapsed to a lowly 82 for seven in 29 overs at tea on Day 4, of the first Test.

India, who were chasing 208 for victory, still need another 126 runs for victory with just three wickets in hand.

Captain Virat Kohli top-scored with 28 but the rest of the batsmen struggled on a lively pitch and were dismissed cheaply.

The pace of trio of South Africa made up for the absence of Dale Steyn with a fiery spell with the new ball. Philander showed his class as he claimed three for 22, while Morkel and Rabada picked up two wickets each.

Earlier, Indias seamers exploited the lively Newlands wicket to tear through South Africas brittle batting line-up and leave themselves with a victory target of 208.

India bowled South Africa out for 130 in their second innings as they took eight wickets for 65 to swing the test in their favour, though they must still bat last on a wicket offering pace, bounce and lateral movement.

After the third day was a complete washout, South Africa resumed on 65 for two, but apart from a fighting 35 from AB de Villiers, they had no answer to the venom and accuracy of the Indian attack.
18:59   Batting collapse leaves India to 82-7 at tea


India 82-7 (29 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Saha plays a rare shot over the top as he flicks a full delivery from Philander over midwicket for a four.

In the next over, Ashwin drives Rabada through the off-side for one before Saha is beaten outside the off-stump.

Philander bowling on the stumps with an extra man at short midwicket, trying to catch Ashwin leg before wicket with his tendency to shuffle across the stumps.

Not much time left before tea and India would be hoping the two batsmen can see off the session without any more damage.

Rabada bowls a beauty to Saha, who is lucky not to have edged it as the cordon behind is interested but not the bowler.

Rabada sets him up nicely with a few outswingers but the full incoming delivery which hits Saha on the pads and the umpire rules it out leg before wicket.

Saha has a word with his partner Ashwin before they decide to take the DRS.

The ball tracker shows that it is clipping the leg stump which means the decision stays with the umpire's call.

Saha is dismissed on the stroke of tea, leg before wicket for eight, as India go into the break at 82 for seven in 29 overs, needing another 126 runs for victory.
18:41   Pandya out for 1, India 6 down


India 77-6 (25 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


The Indians are collapsing out in the middle. This time Pandya edges Rabada as de Villiers takes a sharp catch at third slip to perish for one.

From 30 for no loss, India have slipped to 77 for six, losing six wickets for 47 runs in the space of nearly 16 overs.

Infact, Pandya pushes at one outside the off-stump and the ball from Rabada moves away enough to take the edge.

India are 77 for six in 25 overs, needing another 131 runs for victory with four wickets remaining.
18:33   Kohli and Rohit fails, India 5 down


India 76-5 (24 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Rohit plays a reckless shot, but gets lucky that the catch is put down. He looks to pull a short ball from Rabada but only gets a top edge but Maharaj on the square leg fence drops a simple catch.

Saha then gets off the mark with a nice drive through the covers for a four.

But Rohit doesn't make the opportunity count. The right-hander drags a wide delivery back on to his stumps to be bowled for 10 as India slip to 76 for five.

Hardik Pandya nearly gets the edge as Philander produces another beauty before he takes a single off the last ball to get off the mark.
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18:23   Kohli dismissed for 28, India in big trouble


India 71-4 (22 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Philander bowls another quiet over as Kohli picks a single on the off-side for the only run of the over.

Rabada comes in from the other, replacing Morkel. Kohli slaps the first ball straight but the fielder at mid-off does well to put in the dive and save a certain boundary.

The next ball is full but down the leg side as Kohli clips it fine for a four.  The India captain seems to have learnt from his dismissal in the first innings and not going after wide deliveries. He brings his feet out and taps Rabada on the off-side for a single before Rohit plays an unsure leave as the ball hits the bat but falls short of the slips.

Philander strikes with the key wicket of Kohli, who comes across and looks to flick it on the leg side but misses and hit right in front.

The on-field umpire rules it out instantly before Kohli takes the DRS. The ball tracker shows the ball is clipping the leg stump as Kohli has to make his way back after scoring just 28.

India slip to 71 for four with their top four batsmen back in the hut and another 137 runs needed for victory.

India spring a surprise as they promote Wriddhiman Saha to No. 6 ahead of Hardik Pandya, who hit a brilliant 95 in the first innings, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
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18:09   Kohli, Rohit steady India after early wickets


India 65-3 (19 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Kohli walks across and glances Rabada fine on the leg side for a four and then takes a single two balls later.

Rohit then hits it down through the vacant mid-off region for three runs before Kohli also plays it down the ground for two runs.

Rohit lashes at a wide delivery from Morkel for one to deep point to bring up India's 50, in the 15th over.

Kohli leaving a lot of deliveries, making the bowlers bowl at the stumps, giving him the opportunity to score runs on the leg side.

Morkel makes Kohli chase a wide one outside the off-stump which the India captain hits through the covers for a four. He again plays a loose shot outside the off-stump off the next ball and is beaten this time around.

The next ball is clipped on the leg side as Kohli pick two runs to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Philander comes back as Rabada is given a rest with South Africa rotating their bowlers around.

Rohit taps a single on the off-side for a single as the duo look to string together a partnership and build the Indian innings.

Morkel seems to be tiring and his pace has dropped down considerably. He bowls a bouncer which doesn't rise much as Rohit pulls it deep midwicket for two runs.

He bowls another short ball as Rohit flicks it uppishly to fine leg who does well to stop it on the bounce for one.

Morkel doesn't look too comfortable out in the middle as Kohli picks the last ball to fine leg for one.
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17:48   Pujara falls for 4, India 3 down


India 39-3 (13 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Pujara gets a thick outside edge past the gully fielder as captain Kohli pushes him to get back for the second run.

Kohli realises the value of every run and he wouldn't let any opportunity go waste.

In the next over, Kohli plays away from his body as he guides a wide short delivery from Rabada through the vacant thirdman region for a four. A similar delivery accounted for him in the first innings, when he was looking to defend but this time he played with an open face of the bat.

Kohli then taps it in the covers and calls Pujara for a quick single, who is struggling to make his crease and has to dive at the end before he also keeps strike with one from the last ball.

Morkel comes back, replacing Philander and he strikes with the big wicket of Pujara. Against his natural length, Morkel pitches it up as Pujara gets an edge trying to defend and is caught behind for four.

This is not looking good for India, who are reduced to 39 for three, still needing another 169 runs for victory.

New batsman Rohit Sharma plays a reckless pull shot off the last ball of the over but is beaten.
17:27   Vijay and Dhawan perish, India in trouble


India 30-2 (10 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Philander bowls that teasing line and length as Vijay is drawn forward into the shot, and is beaten with the ball passing closing to the stumps.

However, he strikes a few deliveries later as Vijay also gets the edge and is caught in the slips for 13.

India in trouble on 30 for two with another 178 runs needed for victory.

Virat Kohli defends the last ball of the over from Philander.

Kagiso Rabada comes into the attack, taking over from Morkel, who is taken off despite taking a wicket in his previous over.

Pujara turns the first ball to fine leg for a single before Kohli sees off the rest of the over with caution.
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17:17   Dhawan out for 16, India lose 1st wicket


India 30-1 (8 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Vijay gets a thick outside edge off Philander as the ball goes through the thirdman region for a four.

A few deliveries later he comes down the track as he tries to defend but the ball moves away enough and goes past the edge. The umpire rules it out caught behind and again Vijay takes the DRS and again he manages to overturn the decision. It turns out to be a poor decision from the on-field umpire as there looks to be some gap between the ball and bat and captain Kohli shows his disgust in the dressing room.

But South Africa get the wicket in the next over. Dhawan takes his bottom hand off the bat, trying to fend a short delivery from Morkel on the legs but only ends up spooning it high to be caught for 16.
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17:03   India off to a good start after SA crash for 130


India 24-0 (6 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


Morkel bowls a short ball as Dhawan pulls it to fine leg for a single to get off the mark.

Vijay trusts the bounce as he offers no shot to a short ball which comes in and goes comfortably over the stumps.

Morkel then bowls it fuller and Vijay despatches the half-volley through the covers for a four.

In the next over, Dhawan taps Philander on the off-side and looks for a quick single but his partner is unmoved. The left-hander then steers a slightly wide delivery pat the slips along the ground for a four before he clips the next off his pads to deep square leg for two runs.

He keeps strike with a single from the last ball of the over.

Dhawan then punches the first ball from Morkel, which is fuller, straight down past mid-on, for three runs. Vijay gets a half volley on the pads but he is unable to beat the fielder at midwicket before he does well to defend a short ball in front of his helmet and Dhawan calls him across for a quick run.

The last ball is down the leg side as Dhawan glances it fine for a four to take India to 24 for no loss in six overs, with another 184 runs required for victory.
16:50  


India 4-0 (3 ovs) vs SA; Target: 208 | Scorecard


India's openers -- Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan -- stride out the middle with their task cut out.

Their primary objective will be see off the shine and wear out the opening bowlers, time is not a concern in this game.

With the absence of Dale Steyn, South Africa are severely depleted and spinner Keshav Maharaj will have to bowl more than in the first innings.

There is a shout for leg before wicket against Vijay by Philander but the appeal is turned down with the ball slipping down the leg side.

Vijay gets a thick edge off the next ball for a single on the off-side off pacer Morkel.

Philander gets Vijay leg before wicket as he walks across his stumps but misses and is hit in line. The decision looks dead but Vijay takes the DRS and rightly so as the ball tracker shows that it would have gone over the stumps.

A good review by Vijay as the ball had struck over the knee roll and would have gone over the stumps. Captain Virat Kohli is jubilant in the dressing room.

Vijay edges the next ball which goes past the gully for a couple of runs. Two balls later, he pokes at a wide delivery only to see it miss the edge of the bat.
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16:01   SA bowled out for 130, India need 208 for win


SA 130-all out (41.1 ovs) & 286 vs India 209 | Scorecard


Bumrah ends South African's innings as he gets AB de Villiers caught at deep midwicket for 35, with Bhuvneshwar doing well to judge the catch just inside the ropes.

South Africa are bowled out for 130, losing eight wickets for 65 runs in 21.1 overs in the morning session on Day 4.

India will need 208 for victory with five sessions still left in the match but batting is still not easy and the pitch still has a lot for the fast bowlers.

However, credit to the fast bowlers for giving their team hopes with a fiery spell in the morning session.

Bumrah and Shami triggered the South African collapse as they picked three wickets each, while Bhuvneshwar and Pandya bagged two wickets apiece.

The bowlers have done their job with the ball and the onus is now on the batsmen to show some character and make most of the opportunity.
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15:54   Morkel out for 2, SA lose 9th wicket


SA 130-9 (41 ovs) & 286 vs India 209 | Scorecard


AB de Villiers turns down the singles off the first four balls as India spread out the field.

The field comes in for the fifth ball as AB lofts it straight down the ground over mid-off for a six.

Bumrah bowls a quick bouncer to end the over as AB goes for the pull but misses and can't get the single.

Dale Steyn is padded up and waiting in the dugout near the boundary, so he will definitely have a bat even though he has been ruled out of bowling in this Test and the rest of the series because of injury.

Bhuvneshwar bowls a quick bouncer to Morkel, who looks to take evasive action but is hit on the gloves to be caught behind by Saha.

It remains to be seen if Dale Steyn will chance a quick single but in this over his task is cut out, just to block everything and everything defensive shot earns him a huge cheer from the home crowd.
15:47   Maharaj falls for 15, SA 8 down


SA 124-8 (39 ovs) & 286 vs India 209 | Scorecard


De Villiers slashes hard at a wide delivery from Bumrah for a single to deep point before Maharaj drives it trough the covers for a couple to get off the mark.

The next ball is a full toss as Maharaj drives it to deep point for one followed by a single each to the two batsmen in the next over bowled by Shami.

Bumrah bowls a beauty to de Villiers, the ball moving away a lot along with the extra bounce and the right-hander must consider himself lucky not to have edged it.

De Villiers waiting for the right opportunity to score as he smashes a full delivery through the covers for a four.

In the next over, Maharaj lofts Pandya over mid-on for a four but the pacer hits him on the body with a short ball next up.

Bhuvneshwar comes back and strikes in his first over with the wicket of Maharaj, who is caught behind for 15.

Morne Morkel clips the last ball of the over behind square on the leg side for a couple to ensure that AB stays on strike for the next over.
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15:18   Philander out for a duck, SA 7 down


SA 95-7 (34 ovs) & 286 vs India 209 | Scorecard


Shami comes back into the attack as de Villiers flicks it on the leg side for two runs. He punches the next ball down the ground but Dhawan's diving stop saves a certain boundary for India.

Bumrah has settled into a good rhythm as Philander defends watchfully, he will be looking to give AB de Villiers support.

Shami strikes again, this time with the wicket of Philander, who is trapped leg before wicket for a duck. A full delivery catches the right-hander on the pads in line with the stumps as the umpire gives it out but he decides to take the review. The ball is going on to hit the leg stump which means the review is lost and also a wicket for Proteas.

Shami has a confident shout for leg before wicket turned down against Keshav Maharaj. This time India take the DRS but end up losing it as the ball is headed way down the leg side.

SA in trouble on 95 for seven, with an overall lead of 172 runs.
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15:02   Bumrah's double strike leaves SA in a mess


SA 92-6 (31 ovs) & 286 vs India 209 | Scorecard


Hardik Pandya comes into the attack as Shami is taken off after a short burst in which he picked up two wickets to leave South Africa in a mess.

South Africa nearly lose another wicket as de Villiers calls Quinton de Kock for a quick single but the latter is struggling. However, Shikhar Dhawan fails to hit the stumps at the batting end with de Kock well out of his crease. That is an opportunity lost for the Indians!

De Kock slashes the last ball past the slips for a boundary to get off the mark.

Bumrah bowls a beauty to de Kock but the edge goes past the slips for a four. However, Bumrah gets his man off the very next delivery and this time he gets the inside edge of the bat to be caught behind for eight.

The on-field umpire Richard Kettleborough ruled it not out and captain Kohli immediately decides to take the DRS, which confirms the edge.

South Africa have lost four wickets for 27 runs in 11 overs to be reduced to 92 for six in 31 overs, with an overall lead of 169 runs.
14:49   Du Plessis out for a duck, SA in trouble


SA 82-5 (29 ovs) & 286 vs India 209 | Scorecard


Bumrah replaces Bhuvneshwar and he bowls a beauty to AB, the ball bouncing from length and moving away to hit the arm but it falls short of the keeper. The next ball is short as de Villiers cuts to the fielder at deep point for one.

De Villiers look to be positive as he did in the first innings to rally the Proteas. A short wide delivery from Shami is steered over the thirdman fence for a six before he takes a single.

Bumrah strikes with the key wicket of captain Faf du Plessis in the next over. Once again the extra bounce does the trick as du Plessis looks to poke but the ball moves away to kiss the gloves and is gobbled up by wicketkeeper Saha.

Du Plessis walks back for a duck as South Africa are reduced to 82 for five, with an overall lead of 159 runs.
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14:32   Shami's double strike lifts India on Day 4


SA 73-4 (26 ovs) & 286 vs India 209 | Scorecard


Bhuvneshwar bowls slightly short as Rabada tucks it off his hips to square leg for a single and AB de Villiers sees off the rest of the over.

Shami on fire after the early wicket as he beats Rabada three times in his next over as he left-hander struggles outside the off-stump.

Bhuvneshwar gets AB de Villiers to edge one but it falls short of the slips before he takes a single. Rabada then takes a risky single as he struggles to make his crease but the throw was at the wrong end.

De Villiers hits the last ball off his pads through midwicket for a four.

After going past the edge a few times, Shami finally gets his man Rabada as he is caught at second slip for five. The left-hander tries to clip it on the leg side but the ball moves enough to take the edge and Kohli takes a good sharp catch at second slip.

South Africa have lost two wickets for eight runs in six overs to be reduced to 73 for four in 26 overs.
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14:14   Amla out for 4, SA lose 3rd wicket


SA 66-3 (22 ovs) & 286 vs India 209 | Scorecard


Bhuvneshwar Kumar begins with the ball for India. Hashim Amla carefully plays out the first over of the day, treating every delivery with utmost caution as he looks to get his eye in at the start of the day.

Mohammed Shami from the other end. He tries a short ball to nightwatchman Kagiso Rabada, who manages to pull it behind square for a single.

Amla slashes hard at the next ball but gets a thick outside edge which is well taken by Rohit at third slip. He does well to take a low catch but the umpires want to have another look as they signal to the television umpire with 'out' the soft signal.

Rohit looks to have got his fingers underneath and because the umpire has given it out, unless there is conclusive evidence that the ball touched the ground, Amla will be given out caught behind.

And the decision goes in favour of India as Amla suffers another failure in the match with South Africa reduced to 66 for three, with an overall lead of 143 runs.
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14:02   Play resumes on Day 4 after third day washed out


SA 65-2 (20 ovs) & 286 vs India 209 | Scorecard


Welcome to the coverage of Day 4 of the first Test between India and South Africa in Cape Town on Monday.

The fans will be delighted as play resumes on time after the whole of Day 3 was washed out due to rain.

To recap the action so far, all-rounder Hardik Pandya smashed a quickfire half-century and then claimed a couple of wickets to keep India in the hunt, on Day 2.

Pandya blasted 93 from 95 balls, laced with 14 fours and a six, to help India rally to 209 in their first innings.

South Africa, who grabbed a 77-run first innings lead, reached 65 for two in their second innings to swell their lead to 142 runs.

Pandya dismissed both the openers -- Markram (34) and Elgar (25) to keep India's hopes alive in the contest.

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