South Africa 232 for two (Luus 109, Wolvaardt 93*, Harmanpreet 1-24) and 266 (Kapp 74, Luus 65, Rana 8-77) path India 603 for six dec by 105 runs
At stumps on the third day, South Africa have been 232 for two of their second innings, with Luus scoring her first Check hundred and Wolvaardt remaining unbeaten on 93. South Africa will hope for extra of the identical on the fourth and ultimate day to push the sport to a draw.
Rana acquired the primary breakthrough in her third over, the fifth of the day, when she dismissed a well-set Kapp for 74 with an nearly unplayable supply. Kapp was performed in by the additional bounce because the ball, after pitching on off and center, popped as much as beat her exterior edge and take the highest of off stump. This triggered a collapse as three balls later, Rana eliminated Sinalo Jafta, who inside-edged one to Shubha Satheesh at quick leg.
Three overs later, Deepti Sharma picked up her second wicket. This time the ball stayed low when debutant Annerie Dercksen missed together with her prod and was hit on her again pad. South Africa took the assessment however it was in useless. Within the following over, Rana took her sixth when Nadine de Klerk perished whipping in the direction of sq. leg the place Rajeshwari Gayakwad dived in entrance to finish the catch. No. 7 and No. 8 got here quickly after as Rana completed off the innings.
India enforced the follow-on with South Africa 337 runs behind. They then misplaced Anneke Bosch early to low bounce when she was trapped in entrance by Deepti within the first over. However Wolvaardt nailed her cowl drives and seemed assured in her method.
At lunch, South Africa have been 29 for 1. India struggled from that time, going wicketless for near 66 overs throughout the second and third classes.
South Africa got here out within the afternoon session decided to play the lengthy recreation and so they succeeded, scoring 95 runs in 34 overs to take tea at 124 for 1. Luus, who made 65 off 164 balls within the first innings, carried ahead that type and temperament, transferring to 64 off 121 balls on the finish of the second session.
Having been trapped lbw to 1 that saved low from Rana within the first innings, Wolvaardt used the depth of the crease extra within the second dig. She pulled quick deliveries via sq. leg and drove the fuller ones to long-on.
India toiled exhausting to interrupt the stand with Harmanpreet Kaur attempting as many as seven bowlers, together with herself. However they weren’t disciplined with their lengths and speeds. Maybe not getting used to such a very long time within the center affected them. Deepti additionally dropped two catches – Kapp benefitting each occasions – within the final two overs of the day. The primary was at slip off a Rana supply that Kapp edged, and the second was an easy return catch.
Wolvaardt and Luus, although, reaped the rewards of persistence on a pitch that acquired slower after the primary session.
Consuming greater than 200 balls meant Luus and Wolvaardt additionally had gotten used to the low bounce, with solely the odd supply popping up within the final two classes of the day. Luus spent 234 minutes on the crease, hitting 18 fours. When she reached her half-century, Luus introduced out the rocking-baby-cradle celebration, a gesture for the staff’s power and conditioning coach Zane Webster, who’s an expectant father. She scored her maiden century within the ultimate session, and have become solely the second South African to attain 100 in India in ladies’s Checks.
The massive stand was lastly damaged by Harmanpreet when she cleaned up Luus within the 74th over. The low bounce got here to her support as Luus went again to drag however missed.
With Kapp on the different finish, Wolvaardt marched on to complete unbeaten. That has raised hopes of a South African lead on the final day, a situation that seemed near-impossible at the beginning of Sunday.
For India, Jemimah Rodrigues was off the sector for a majority of the final two classes due to cramps.
Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo
