India reached the close of play on 28/3 in reply to South Africa’s 286 all out on day one of the first Test at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday.
The Proteas found themselves on 12/3 after winning the toss and deciding to bat first under hazardous conditions in three testing overs from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, but still had AB de Villiers at the crease.
The Proteas returning player launched a calculated counter-attack that set the mood for the rest of the innings as he and his captain, Faf du Plessis, shared a stand of 114 that enabled the Proteas to score 107/3 in the first session and then 123/4 in the second.
Their final total of 286 coming at a rate of almost four to the over must have exceeded their expectations after the first half-hour’s play.
In reply India had lost the wicket of their captain, Virat Kohli, to the first delivery sent down by Morne Morkel, coming on at first change behind Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn who between them accounted for both the Indian opening batsmen.
As always it is better to pass judgment on who holds the advantage until both sides have completed their first innings, but with 13 wickets having already fallen for 314 runs the match is moving forward rapidly.
The Proteas opted for the attacking option of choosing four specialist pace bowlers plus the spin variety of Keshav Maharaj, before opting to bat first.
Both De Villiers and Du Plessis hit 10 boundaries in reaching their half-centuries and this was followed by the 60 that Quinton de Kock and Philander put on for the sixth wicket in just nine overs.
There was also the justification for the line-up chosen with the first five-wicket partnerships contributing 142 runs and the last five 144.
India’s attack was superbly led by Khumar who deserved a five-wicket haul but had to settle for 4/87 from his 19 overs. Jasprit Bumrah, chosen for his debut Test, started what should be a substantial career with the wicket of De Villiers while the all-rounder, Hardik Pandya, also proved his worth.
They will, however, reflect on what a dropped chance by Shikhar Dhawan at third slip cost them as it enabled Maharaj to rally the lower-order with invaluable innings of 35. It is margins of this sort that could well determine which side comes out on top.-
African News Agency (ANA)
