Cape Town: Cricket in modern times has always mostly been bat winning over ball – a one-sided affair where bowlers play the second or third lead. So when a game comes along where the ball challenges the authority of the bat, where pace, bounce, swing and spin makes batsmen struggle, there is almost a lyrical, magical feeling. The romance of that fascinating bat-ball duel slowly brews in one’s mind.
Newlands here brought back that romance on the first day of the first Test between South Africa and India. The ball ruled as 13 wickets fell, as South Africa were bowled out for 286, only for the hosts to hit back with a vengeance and have India tottering at 28 for three.
But did the ball rule always during the course of the day. It did not, as that genius of AB de Villiers (65, 84b, 11×4), the resilience of Faf du Plessis (62, 104b, 12×4), the brilliance of Quinton de Kock (43, 40b, 7×4) shone through. Add to the gritty resistance of the South African tail and that heady feeling of wanting more of such encounters continue to linger.
What a day it was after Bhuvneshwar Kumar (4/87) with his ability to move the ball both ways ripped apart the Proteas top-order to have them at 12 for three. In stepped ABD, and in a flash he counter-attacked, four boundaries in the fourth Bhuvneshwar over – two through the covers, one over point and the other through mid-wicket – proved the class that he is. Yes, he was beaten a couple of times, but then on this pitch everyone was entitled to his share of luck.
With Du Plessis who held forte at one end, De Villiers started the repairing job and in a flash the two had put on 114 runs for the fourth wicket, when debutant Jasprit Bumrah had the latter playing on. A few overs later it was 142 for five as Du Plessis, uncharacteristically chased a wide one from Hardik Pandya to be caught behind by Wriddhiman Saha, who had a fantastic day behind the stumps. But the show was not over.
De Kock launched a vicious assault in the company of Vernon Philander (23, 43b, 4×4) putting on 60 runs, before Bhuvneshwar had him caught behind again with an angled delivery. But then Keshav Maharaj (35), Kagiso Rabada (26) and Dale Steyn (16 n o) all contributed to give the hosts a fighting total.
If the Indians had exploited the pitch to the hilt, it was just a matter of time before the Protea pacers hit back. And they did just that with Philander, Steyn and Morne Morkel picking up a wicket each. Morke got the Indian skipper Virat Kohli with a peach of a delivery. The ball grew big on Kohli and the batsman desperately trying to avoid it, could only nick it with both his feet in the air.
The battle lines have been drawn. And India certainly are not in the drivers’ seat.
Agencies