Two good, two bad as Philander leads Proteas to victory over India in first Test

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  • Vernon Philander led South Africa to a victory at Newlands.

    South Africa’s fast bowlers, led by Vernon Philander, blasted through India’s batting as the host nation gained a 72-run win on the fourth day of the first Test on Monday.

    Set 208 to win the first of three matches between the world’s two leading Test teams, number one-ranked India were bowled out for 135 by their nearest challengers.

    Here, we look at the good and bad performances of an action-packed Monday in which 18 wickets fell at Newlands.

    THE GOOD

    SHAMI FINDS HIS RHYTHM WHILE BUMRAH CONFIRMS HIS TEST CREDENTIALS

    India’s senior-most pacer may have looked off colour in the first innings, but he came out all guns blazing on Monday and was on song from the first delivery of the day.

    Mohammed Shami looked to be back at his best as he generated good rhythm and pace clocking over 140 km/h regularly.

    The 27-year-old removed both of South Africa’s overnight batsmen in Hashim Amla and Kagiso Rabada to provide India with the early advantage before trapping Vernon Philander in front of the wicket to cap off a stunning display.

    Jasprit Bumrah may have leaked runs in the first innings on his Test debut but he did show promise with some uncomfortable deliveries for the batsmen.

    The 24-year-old showed his class in the five-day format with a hostile and fiery spell that broke down South Africa’s attack.

    He accounted for three of the home side’s notable strong middle-order. He first sent back Faf du Plessis with a venomous delivery that gave the Proteas skipper no chance, before finding a faint inside off Quinton De Kock’s bat to remove the menacing wicket-keeper batsman.

    He finished off South Africa’s resistance with the wicket of AB De Villiers to complete a remarkable opening session for India where they picked up eight wickets for 65 runs.

    PHILANDER SHOWS WHY HE IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS

    After India’s pacers had run riot in the first session of the day, Philander demonstrated why there is no one better than him in such seaming conditions.

    With the Proteas attack a bowler short in Dale Steyn, Philander made up for it in a masterful display of swing and seam at the Newlands.

    With his ability to move the red-ball both ways, India’s batsmen were left second-guessing as the 32-year-old piled on one unplayable delivery after the other with breathtaking regularity.

    He coxed Vijay into a forward defence to a delivery aimed at off-stump and the ball moved away at the last instance to take the opener’s outside edge.

    Virat Kohli managed to get off to a confident start but his stay was short-lived after being trapped lbw to an in-swinging Philander delivery while trying to play across the line.

    The seamer’s unpredictable movement then got the better of Rohit Sharma who could only play-on to his stumps.

    He returned to pick up three wickets in a single over to claim his best-ever Test figures of 6-42.

    Philander was literally unplayable on the Newlands pitch.

    THE BAD

    INDIA’S TOP THREE FAIL FOR THE SECOND TIME

    While Cheteshwar Pujara had expressed confidence in India’s batting-card, the 208-run target was always going to be a mountain to climb for the visitors on a lively pitch.

    India’s openers got positive starts but the pair fell in quick succession to give the Proteas the solid start they required in defence of a not-so-intimidating total.

    After falling to an ill-conceived pull shot in the first innings, Shikhar Dhawan repeated his error as he seemed caught in two minds against a sharp Morne Morkel delivery.

    Murali Vijay reviewed successfully twice in the opening half hour to earn a couple of reprieves but he would not be a third time lucky as Philander hit the sweet spot to take the right-hander’s outside edge.

    With India reduced to 30-2, the pressure was on Pujara to provide some stability but the 29-year-old received an unplayable delivery from Morkel which kissed the outside edge of his bat to leave the visitors tottering.

    Dhawan fell prey to the bouncer for the second time in the match.

    INDIA’S MIDDLE-ORDER DOES NOT FARE ANY BETTER

    While India’s top-order had failed spectacularly, their middle-order comprising captain Kohli fared no better as the visitors lost seven wickets before tea to all but end its hopes of a famous win.

    Kohli seemed determined to set things right after his horrific dismissal in the first-innings as he ran hard between the wickets showing strong intent. He missed an in-swinger from Philander while playing across the line to fall lbw and his dismissal started a procession for India’s lower middle-order.

    Sharma wafted weakly to a Philander delivery outside off and paid the price as he chopped onto his stumps. First-innings hero Hardik Pandya poked loosely to a Rabada delivery which straightened after pitching to compound India’s misery. It was all but over for the tourists when Wriddhiman Saha was trapped on the pads in the last delivery before tea to the excellent Philander.

    Pandya was unable to repeat his first-innings exploits.

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