Pacers sizzle as batters wither

Cape Town: Nothing felt right on the morning of the second Test at Newlands. 

India had lost the first Test by an innings and 32 runs. India’s bowlers were awful in that game. India had never, ever, won a game in Cape Town. South Africa chose to bat. It was hot as hell.

One hundred and twenty-one minutes later, everything felt right. For India that is. In what will go down as one of the most efficient bowling performances by an Indian unit, Rohit Sharma’s men bowled South Africa out for 55 in 23.2 overs.  

That was the lowest any team has ever scored in an innings against India. It also is the quickest (in terms of overs) India has bowled an opposition out.

Typically, you would expect Jasprit Bumrah’s alien-like abilities to inspire such damage, but on Wednesday, it was all Mohammed Siraj. 

Bumrah was good for 2 for 25 from eight overs, but how does one hold a candle to six for 15 in nine uncompromising overs? That’s how hostile Siraj was. 

His spell meant South Africa would end up being bowled out for their lowest total after opting to bat first. The previous mark was 84 against England in Port Elizabeth on March 12, 1889. 

And yet, somehow - even though the sun began to lose some of its cursed sharpness by evening - it felt like hell all over again. For India that is. 

The visitors were bowled out for 153 in 34.5 overs to establish a 98-run lead. But that’s not even the interesting bit. Here it is: India lost six wickets in eleven balls on that same score. 

That’s the first time in history such a thing has happened. How that came about is Lungi Ngidi picked up three wickets in the 34th over and Kagiso Rabada picked up three wickets in the 35th over. Done. 

What that meant is that the first two innings concluded in a total of 349 deliveries, making it the second-fewest in Test cricket after the 287 deliveries faced by Australia and England combined in 1902. 

And before you think this was because the pitch was devilish, never has Newlands played host to as many scalps in an opening day of a Test prior this. In fact, Newlands has only once before witnessed 23 wickets fall on the day, and that was back in 2011 when Australia played South Africa. 

That’s how absurd the day was, and it ended with the hosts on 62 for 3 from 17 overs, trailing India by 36 runs. 

There was literally no time to breathe during these innings, but the best part is that the game is likely to get over in a few sessions so everyone will get time to rest, recover and celebrate how they couldn’t during Christmas and New Year’s.

The fans, though, will be disgruntled because the first Test got over on day three, and that too was aided by rain stoppages on the opening day and the second day. This one is on course for a quick finish too. 

At a time when the very identity of Test cricket is in question, these two Tests don’t bode well for those who desire its continued presence. Then again, one could always make an argument the second Test is exactly why Test cricket is fun and should be persisted with. 

It’s all a matter of perspective. What isn’t though is that cricket is a funny, funny game, and it now makes sense why over ten thousand people braved a very plausible chance of sunstroke to be in attendance at the Newlands.

Surely, they don’t regret it at all. What’s more, they got to say ‘goodbye’ to one of their most cherished ‘knobs’ as Dean Elgar walked away for the last time as a batter. The stand-in skipper still can lead them to a clean sweep so the crowds will be back - sunscreen and hats - on Thursday for what could well be his last day in the office, and the last day of the Test. 

Phew!

SCOREBOARD

SOUTH AFRICA (I Innings):

Markram c Jaiswal b Siraj  2

(10b)

Elgar b Siraj  4 

(15b)

Zorzi c Rahul b Siraj  2 

(17b)

Stubbs c Rohit b Bumrah  3 

(11b)

Bedingham c Jaiswal b Siraj  12 

(17b, 2x4)

Verreyne c Gill b Siraj  15 

(30b, 1x4) 

Jansen c Rahul b Siraj  0 

(3b)

Maharaj c Bumrah b Mukesh  3 

(13b)

Rabada c Gill b Mukesh  5 

(13b)

Burger c Jaiswal b Bumrah  4 

(11b, 1x4)

Ngidi (not out)  0 

(0b)

Extras (B-4, LB-1)  5 

TOTAL (all out, 23.2 overs)  55

Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Markram), 2-8 (Elgar), 3-11 (Stubbs), 4-15 (Zorzi), 5-34 (Bedingham), 6-34 (Jansen), 7-45 (Verreyne), 8-46 (Maharaj), 9-55 (Burger). 

Bowling: Bumrah 8-1-25-2, Siraj 9-3-15-6, Prasidh 4-1-10-0, Mukesh 2.2-2-0-2. 

INDIA (I Innings):

Jaiswal b Rabada  0 

(7b)

Rohit c Jansen b Burger  39 

(50b, 7x4)

Gill c Jansen b Burger  36 

(55b, 5x4)

Kohli c Markram b Rabada  46 

(59b, 6x4, 1x6)

Shreyas c Verreyne b Burger   0 

(2b)

Rahul c Verreynne b Ngidi  8 

(33b, 1x4)

Jadeja c Jansen b Ngidi  0 

(2b)

Bumrah c Jansen b Ngidi  0 

(2b)

Siraj (run out)  0 

(1b)

Prasidh c Markram b Rabada  0 

(3b)

Mukesh (not out)  0 

(0b)

Extras (B-4, LB-10, NB-5, W-5)  24

Total (all out, 34.5 overs)  153

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Jaiswal), 2-72 (Rohit), 3-105 (Gill), 4-110 (Shreyas), 5-153 (Rahul), 6-153 (Jadeja), 7-153 (Bumrah), 8-153 (Kohli), 9-153 (Siraj). 

Bowling: Rabada 11.5-2-38-3 (w-1), Ngidi 6-1-30-3 (nb-3), Burger 8-2-42-3, Jansen 9-2-29-0 (nb-2). 

SOUTH AFRICA (II Innings):

Markram (batting)  36 

(51b, 6x4)

Elgar c Kohli b Mukesh  12 

(28b, 2x4)

De Zorzi c Rahul b Mukesh  1 

(7b)

Stubbs c Rahul b Bumrah  1  

(14b)

Bedingham (batting)  7 

(6b, 1x4)

Extras (LB-1, NB-4)  5

TOTAL (for 3 wkts, 17 overs)  62

Fall of wickets: 1-37 (Elgar), 2-41 (De Zorzi), 3-45 (Stubbs). 

Bowling: Bumrah 6-0-25-1 (nb-1), Siraj 5-2-11-0, Mukesh 6-2-25-2 (nb-3).