Cape Town, Jan 3 (UNI) Mohammed Siraj hauled up his career-best figures of 6/15 as South Africa were bowled out for 55 in the morning session on Day 1 of the Cape Town Test.
This was South Africa’s lowest total in the last 96 years as Siraj scalped his third five-fer in Test cricket.
The Indian pacer ran through the South Africa innings, except David Bedingham and Kyle Verrenynne managed double-digit scores amid the cataclysm.
Jasprit Bumrah and debutant Mukesh Kumar proved to be the perfect foil for Siraj and plucked two wickets each as the Proteas folded their innings in 23.2 overs.
Siraj leaked just 15 runs in nine overs with three maidens as he spurred wretched submission by South African batsmen on a pacy and bouncing wicket.
Captain Dean Elgar’s decision to ask India to bowl first after winning the toss in his farewell Test turned out to be quite a terrifying ordeal.
Verreynne scored 15 and Bedingham 12 as all the other remaining South African batsmen were dismissed for single-digit scores.
Bumrah (2/25) and Mukesh (2/0) took the other South African wickets.
Siraj started with a few deliveries pitched on good length but soon realised the bounce in the pitch. He hurled one slightly fuller and Aiden Markram (2) wary of bounce did not get to the pitch of the ball and pushed with hard hands. The ball caught the outside edge for Yashasvi Jaiswal to complete the catch at second slip diving to his left.
After some time, Siraj knocked off Elgar (4) of an inside edge onto his stumps. Debutant Tristan Stubbs succumbed to pressure as he pushed at one that got an inside edge before scooting to Rohit Sharma at short leg giving Jasprit Bumrah his first wicket of the match.
In the next over, Siraj had his third wicket of Tony de Zorzi who fell to the legside trap, leaving South Africa at 15/4. He nearly had his fourth wicket when Kyle Verryenne survived an LBW decision on DRS.
In his 8th over though, Siraj forced Bedingham to glove one to the slip cordon. South Africa lost half their side for 34. He also had Marco Jansen nick one to wicketkeeper KL Rahul, getting to his third five-wicket haul in Test cricket. In the next over, Siraj struck by sending back Verreynne.
Brief Scores: South Africa: 55 all out in 23.2 overs (Kyle Verreynne 15; Mohammed Siraj 6/15).
