India vs South Africa, Live Cricket Score, 2nd Test Day 4: Mohammed Shami took 3 wickets in the first session. (Reuters)
The first session of the fourth day remained a mixed one with AB de Villiers and Dean Elgar getting on to a good start and Mohammed Shami turning on the heat in the final hour. The right-arm seamer took three wickets in quick session to slow down the hosts who scored at a fast pace early in the day with de Villiers and Elgar striking boundaries at regular intervals. Elgar went on to complete his 9th Test fifty early in the day. But Shami got the better of both de Villiers and Elgar with short deliveries. The seamer also dismissed Quinton de Kock in his next over, after getting struck for three boundaries in the first three balls. Vernon Philander and du Plessis carried on to bat after three wickets in quick succession and ensured they do not lose any more wickets before the close of the session. South Africa reached 173/5, with a lead of 201 runs at Lunch. Catch live scores and updates from India vs South Africa, 2nd Test Day 4.
India vs South Africa, Live Cricket Score and Updates, 2nd Test Day 4: 1824 hrs IST: TEA at Centurion, South Africa 230/7, lead India by 258 runs, Du Plessis 27 (122), Rabada 0 (12).
1810 hrs IST: The two quick wickets had momentarily taken the momentum to India but Du Plessis is ensuring that it doesn’t remain with them for too long. He has taken a couple of hits to the fingers off Hardik Pandya and then pushes one to the boundary
1754 hrs IST: GONE! And another! Keshav Maharaj nicks it to Parthiv Patel and Ishant Sharma gets a second wicket. India smelling the coffee now
1751 hrs IST: GONE! And finally India have the breakthrough, Vernon Philander pulls Ishant Sharma straight to square leg.
1732 hrs IST: Philander and Du Plessis soldier on but their slow run rate means that they have not run away with the match yet. It is all going in slow motion at the moment.
1725 hrs IST: This partnership between Faf du Plessis and Vernon Philander is becoming increasingly frustrating for India. It is close to 50 runs these two have stitched together and the visitors need a wicket here.
1705 hrs IST: India continue to hunt for wickets here but this has been a good partnership between Faf du Plessis and Vernon Philander. It has brought the momentum back to South Africa.
1650 hrs IST: Another desperate review call from Indian skipper Virat Kohli with Hardik Pandya going for a huge LBW appeal. It went down to Umpire’s call and a review is saved for India.
1635 hrs IST: India waste review in a dramatic fashion. Bumrah goes for a huge LBW appeal and convinces Virat Kohli to go for a review call. The replay showed it struck the middle of the bat. Waste of a review!
1625 hrs IST: It has been a slow start in the session for both the teams. South Africa are playing it safely here, looking to settle down and increase the lead.
1605 hrs IST: We are back from Lunch. This will be a crucial session for both the teams and India will look to bring an end to South Africa’s innings as soon as possible here. It is Jasprit Bumrah who starts with the ball.
1530 hrs IST: LUNCH ON DAY 4. South Africa reach 173/5 on Day 4 at Lunch with a lead of 201 runs over India. Faf du Plessis and Vernon Philander are still in the middle for Proteas.
1515 hrs IST: South Africa extend their lead to 200 in the first session but it has come at the price of three wickets.
1510 hrs IST: Mohammed Shami has proved to be extra effective today with his short balls. And with tailenders coming in to bat, he will look to bowl the same length and line before the close of the session.
1455 hrs IST: WICKET! Mohammed Shami gets another one and what an over this has turned out to be. The first three balls went for four after getting an edge from Quinton de Kock, but the fourth one went straight to Parthiv Patel’s gloves. SA 163/5
1450 hrs IST: WICKET! Dean Elgar is gone for 61 and it is Mohammed Shami who gets another wicket here. Another short ball by the seamer which surprises Elgar. He pulls it straight to KL Rahul at deep square leg. He almost fumbles it out of hands but manages to keep it in the end.
1440 hrs IST: 150 is up for South Africa in the first session and the lead is now of 178 runs. India need to 2-3 quick wickets to get back into the game. At the moment, it is looking way too comfortable for the hosts, with the wicket not doing too much for the bowlers.
Huge wicket by shami. come on Indiaaaaaaa #INDvSA
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) 16 January 2018
1425 hrs IST: WICKET! AB de Villiers is gone for 80 and it is Mohammed Shami who gets the much-needed breakthrough. Extra bounce from the seamer does the trick for India and South Africa lose their first wicket in the session.
1420 hrs IST: Mohammed Shami is struck for two boundaries in his first over of the day. South Africa are scoring at a fast pace in the first session. India badly need a wicket here.
1410 hrs IST: FIFTY FOR DEAN ELGAR! The opening batsman brought his 9th Test fifty in style with an elegant cover drive for a four off Ishant Sharma.
1405 hrs IST: The longer this partnership continues between AB de Villiers and Dean Elgar, the longer it will frustrate Indian bowlers. Seamers Ishant Sharma has looked pretty ineffective so far. Should Virat Kohli look to bring on Ravichandran Ashwin into attack?
1351 hrs IST: Just in: Virat Kohli has been fined 25 per cent of his match fee and has received one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of ICC Code of Conduct. The incident happened on Day 3 when Kohli complained to umpire Michael Gough about the ball being affected by a damp outfield following a rain delay, before throwing the ball into the ground in an aggressive manner.
1347 hrs IST: 100 up for South Africa in the fifth over this morning. The 100-run stand approaching too. And it comes up with a double. AB de Villiers plays it down to third man and both are quick in between the wickets. 101 run parntership from 168 balls
1330 hrs IST: AB de Villiers and Dean Elgar resume from the overnight 90/2, lead by 118 runs. Ishant Sharma has the ball and Jasprit Bumrah operates from the other end
1320 hrs IST: There was a thunderstorm last night in Centurion but it is bright and sunny now. No weather issues here. Pitch: Despite the rain, the cracks haven’t opened up, it still looks like a good surface to bat on. There are some foot-holes but still looks good to bat is the opinion from the centre by Shaun Pollock and Kepler Wessels.
1300 hrs IST: Hello and Good Afternoon for our continued live coverage of the 2nd Test between India and South Africa. We’re on to Day 4 and it increasingly looks like a result is possible. But, at this stage, it is tough to call where this game would head. This surface was expected to become hard to bat on as the match went on. AB de Villiers and Dean Elgar have shown that it needs patience to get going even with the ball behaving erratically – which the dismissals of Amla and Markrram highlighted.