Off-spinning all-rounder Simon Harmer finished with four for 78, and Morne Morkel three for 35.
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India and South Africa last played a test at this venue in 2010 when the visitors secured an innings victory on a good batting pitch.
“We are 1-0 down so it is certainly a must-win match for us to stay in the series (with just one additional Test to play in Delhi)”.
“As a team, the bowlers doing well gives you a lot of confidence because the momentum is always with you”.
Morkel then saw off Ajinkya Rahane for 13, removing his off stump with another terrific delivery, and in his next over dismissed Virat Kohli (22), inducing an outside edge from the India captain which was snapped up by wicketkeeper Dane Vilas. Their departures left India on 116-5.
The scores are a far cry from Amla’s fantastic record in India where in six previous Tests before the current series he had scored 823 runs at an average of 102.87 with four centuries. Realising that there was very little on offer for the seamers, he stuck to one channel of attack, kept drawing the batsmen forward, and got the ball to bend prodigiously to reap the rewards.
Harmer’s first wicket was Cheteshwar Pujara lbw on 21 after lunch, and Rohit Sharma was a bat-pad catch at short leg for his second wicket of the session. Dhawan advanced down the wicket but could only manage to spoon the ball back to the bowler, who took a smart diving catch. Of course, the danger of a bowler consistently getting on top of batsmen is that is becomes mental, much like Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath used to do back in the day. They have taken 27 out of the 30 South African wickets in three innings so far. Still, Kohli is determined that the 11-day layoff since the last action in the series will not disrupt India’s rhythm. The wicket came at a crucial stage as India were setting up a base for a big score.
Amla s own poor form with the bat will worry the tourists after he made 43 and 0 in the first Test and seven in the rain-ruined second game in Bangalore.
But India batting coach Sanjay Bangar felt the batsmen applied themselves well, and the Saha-Jadeja stand could prove decisive.
Amla, asked about the pitch, said: “It looks like a good cricket wicket, one that we kind of expect in the sub-continent”. “Saha has loads of runs in first-class cricket, and is someone who is developing really well”. It does allow us to play with risk, but that is the mentality that we came here with, we came here to win the series.
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Fast bowlers Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron’s role on this track could be a mere formality.
