Cape Town: Vernon Philander picked up a career best 6/42 as South Africa beat India by 72 runs to win the first Test at Newlands, Cape Town on Monday.
After India were given a target of 208 for victory, the Proteas rattled the Indian top order to leave them tottering at 82/7 before Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar stitched together a handy 49-run partnership before Philander broke through and wrapped up the rest.
Earlier, South Africa resuming at their overnight score of 65/2, were bowled out for 130 after an inspired bowling performance from India. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami picked up three wickets apiece while Bhuvneshwar scalped two wickets.
But the South Africans found the same life in the wicket and despite missing experienced seamer Dale Steyn, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the series with a heel injury, picked up wickets at regular intervals.
Openers Murali Vijay (13) and Shikhar Dhawan (16) took the score to 30 before the latter sparred a rising deliver from Morne Morkel to gully.
Philander picked up his first wicket six balls later when Vijay edged to AB de Villiers at third slip and he completed a diving catch.
Cheteshwar Pujara (four) became Morkel’s second victim with the score on 39, before Kohli (28) took the attack to the South Africans.
He was undone playing across a straight delivery from Philander and with his wicket possibly went India’s hopes.
Rohit Sharma (10) was bowled off the inside edge by Philander before the tourists’ first-innings hero Hardik Pandya edged Kagiso Rabada to De Villiers in the slips.
Rabada claimed the wicket of Wriddhiman Saha (eight) with the last ball before tea.
The South Africans had found batting equally challenging in the morning session as India’s seamers ripped through them.
Mohammed Shami (3-28) and debutant Jasprit Bumrah (3-39) were the pick, but there were wickets too for Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-33).
Only an attacking 35 from De Villiers stemmed the tide to a degree before he was the last man out, caught on the boundary with a limping Steyn at the non-strikers end.
South Africa host India in three tests this month, with matches in Pretoria and Johannesburg to come. — Reuters
scoreboard
South Africa first innings: 286
India first innings: 209
South Africa second innings (O/n: 65/2):
A Markram c Kumar b Pandya34
D Elgar c Saha b Pandya25
K Rabada c Kohli b M Shami5
H Amla c Sharma b M Shami4
AB de Villiers c Kumar b Bumrah35
F du Plessis (c) c Saha b Bumrah0
Q de Kock c Saha b Bumrah8
V Philander lbw M Shami0
K Maharaj c Saha b Kumar15
M Morkel c Saha b Kumar2
D Steyn (not out)0
Extras:2 (W-2)
Total: 130 all out (41.2 overs)
Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-59, 3-66, 4-73, 5-82, 6-92, 7-95, 8-122, 9-130.
Bowling: B Kumar 11-5-33-2, J Bumrah 11.2-1-39-3, M Shami 12-3-28-3, H Pandya 6-0-27-2, R Ashwin 1-0-3-0.
India second innings
M Vijay c de Villiers b Philander13
S Dhawan c sub b Morkel16
C Pujara c de Kock b Morkel4
V Kohli lbw Philander28
R Sharma b Philander10
W Saha lbw Rabada8
H Pandya c de Villiers b Rabada1
R Ashwin c de Kock b Philander37
B Kumar (not out)13
M Shami c du Plessis b Philander4
J Bumrah c du Plessis b Philander0
Extras:1 (LB-1)
Total: 135 all out (42.4 overs)
Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-30, 3-39, 4-71, 5-76, 6-77, 7-82, 8-131, 9-135.
Bowling: V Philander 15.4-4-42-6, M Morkel 11-1-39-2, K Rabada 12-2-41-2, K Maharaj 4-1-12-0.
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