Proteas win against India for the first time in 25 years. Pictures Credits: Cricket Fanatics Mag
By Moyahabo Mabeba
This has truly been a prolific year for the South African senior cricket side in test history.
This comes after the Proteas’ comprehensive 2-0 series victory over India — their first in 25 years in the country — after claiming a dominating 408-run victory in the second Test match of a two-match series in Guwahati.
This comes after their 30-run win over India in Kolkata a week prior. The last time South Africa won a single match in India, prior to this series, was 15 years ago.
Shukri Conrad’s charges put produced a volcanic display by dominating the proceedings from the first ball on day one to the final on day with clinical display.
The collective effort by South Africa’s batters, led by a Senuran Muthusamy (109) maiden Test century in the first innings, set the tone on day one and two, with a mammoth 489 runs.
With India having spent an over and one ball more than 150 overs in the field, their tired batters were flummoxed by the bounce of Marco Jansen — who claimed a fourth career five-wicket haul — to dismiss the Indians for 201.
Captain Temba Bavuma opted not to enforce the follow-on and batted again instead, this time taking 78.3 overs to score 260 runs before declaring after five wickets had fallen.
In total, India had spent two balls shy of 230 overs across the first four days chasing leather in the field.
The fatigued Indian batters lasted 63.5 overs before they were rolled over for 140 in their final innings, with the Proteas’ spinners doing most of the destruction on a worn Guwahati wicket on day five.
Aiden Markram and his massive, steady hands also set a record after claiming nine catches in the match — mostly taken in the slips — the most ever taken in a Test match by an outfielder.
Simon Harmer again led the way with the ball with his accurate off-spin bowling.
The series provided a glimmer of hope for the Proteas with an impressive quality spin bowling that no other bowler from either side displayed across the Test match, despite the helpful conditions.
Harmer claimed a total of nine wickets in the match while conceding only 101 runs and was duly named the Player of the Series for his glimpses of brilliance in both Test matches.
The Freedom Trophy the team received for the series victory over India will also sit pretty in the cabinet next to the World Test Championship (WTC) mace the side claimed in June after beating Australia at Lord’s.
