Cricket - Second Test - South Africa v India - Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town, South Africa - January 4, 2024 India's Jasprit Bumrah celebrates taking the wicket of South Africa's Keshav Maharaj REUTERS/Esa Alexander
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - India seamer Jasprit Bumrah took 6-61 as the tourists bowled South Africa out in their second innings for 176 on the stroke of lunch on the second day of the second and final test at Newlands on Thursday and face a victory target of 79.
Bumrah bowled a superb probing line but also profited from poor shot selection by the home batters, who seemed in a hurry to score runs on a difficult wicket.
South Africa opener Aiden Markram blasted a quick-fire 106 from 103 balls as he defied the conditions but lost partners at regular intervals, which forced him to launch a blistering assault with the bat.
India will have plenty of belief they can level the series at 1-1 but having bowled South Africa out for 55 in the first innings of the match they will also be wary of getting through the new ball relatively unscathed.
After South Africa resumed their innings on 62 for three, David Bedingham was Bumrah’s first victim in the opening over of the morning as he chased a delivery outside off-stump and was caught by wicketkeeper KL Rahul for 11.
Kyle Verreynne tried an ill-advised pull and was caught at mid-on by Mohammed Siraj for 9, before Marco Jansen was caught and bowled by Bumrah for 11.
Keshav Maharaj became the seamer’s fourth victim of his spell when he guided a delivery to Shreyas Iyer at slip when he had 3.
Markram took the attack to India and it worked as he raced to his century in 99 balls but played one big shot to many as he skied a Mohammed Siraj delivery to Rohit Sharma at mid-off to end an innings of 17 fours and two sixes.
South Africa eked out a further 14 runs before Bumrah claimed his sixth wicket to end the home side's resistance.
South Africa won the first test by an innings and 32 runs.
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Ken Ferris)
