Ngidi pushes India to brink of series defeat

By AFP

January 17, 2018

CENTURION, South Africa: New fast bowling discovery Lungi Ngidi plunged India into deep trouble as they struggled in pursuit of a victory target of 287 on the fourth day of their second Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park on Tuesday.

India were 35 for three at the close, having lost both openers and the key wicket of captain Virat Kohli on a pitch with uneven bounce.The hosts will head into the final day confident of picking up the seven wickets they need to wrap up an impressive victory in the three-match series, after a 72-run win in the first Test at Cape Town.

The unpredictability of the wicket contributed to the dismissal of Murali Vijay, who was bowled off an inside edge by a ball from Kagiso Rabada which cut back at him and kept low.

Debutant Ngidi, who came on as first change, took a wicket on his first ball of the innings when Lokesh Rahul played a loose forcing shot off the back foot and was caught at backward point.

That brought Kohli, who made 153 in the first innings, to the wicket.Ngidi, 21, forced India’s champion batsman to play defensively before he scored his first runs with an edge for four which flew wide of third slip.

Kohli had scored five when he went back on his stumps to a ball which cut back sharply and struck him on the pad. Kohli sought a review of umpire Michael Gough’s decision but replays showed the ball was crashing into the top of middle stump.

India had been reduced to 26 for three. Ngidi caused more damage when the left-handed Parthiv Patel was struck in the ribs and collapsed to the turf. Patel recovered and battled to five not out at the close.

Ngidi, playing in only his tenth first-class match, took two for 14 in six overs.The slowness and uneven bounce of the pitch made for slow going as South Africa ground out 258 in their second innings. There was some bright batting early in the day when AB de Villiers and Dean Elgar added 54 runs in the first hour, taking their third-wicket partnership to 141.

South Africa won toss

South Africa 1st Innings 335 all-out (A Markram 94; R Ashwin 4-113)

India 1st Innings 307 all-out (V Kohli 153; M Morkel 4-60)

South Africa 2nd Innings 258 all-out (De Villiers 80; Shami 4-49)

India 2nd Innings

M Vijay b Rabada 9

K L Rahul c Maharaj b Ngidi 4

C A Pujara not out 11

*V Kohli lbw b Ngidi 5

†P A Patel not out 5

Extras (b 1) 1

Total (3 wickets; 23 Overs) 35