Ken Borland

India’s attack, led by the accurate and constantly probing Mohammed Shami, brought the Proteas batting to their knees on the third day of the first Test at Centurion on Tuesday, with the tourists finishing the day with a 146-run lead and nine wickets in hand.

After the entire second day was washed away, the third morning was a great success for South Africa as they took India’s last seven wickets for just 55 runs, dismissing them for 327. Lungi Ngidi once again led the way with superb figures of 6/71 in 24 overs, while Kagiso Rabada backed him up on Tuesday with 3/72 in 26 overs.

The Proteas had reached 21/1 in reply at lunch, losing captain Dean Elgar for just a single, caught behind the wicket off Jasprit Bumrah, who produced a fine delivery angled across the left-hander.

By that stage it was clear that this SuperSport Park pitch is not a 272/3 wicket, which is what India scored on the first day, thanks to a poor bowling effort by the Proteas.

And India showed exactly what South Africa did wrong on that opening day as they attacked off-stump with precision on Tuesday and reduced the Proteas to 32/4 half-an-hour after lunch. Shami did the bulk of the damage as he bowled both Keegan Petersen (15) and Aiden Markram (13).

This carnage happened despite Bumrah, India’s spearhead, having to pull out of the attack in his sixth over after rolling his ankle in his follow-through.

Temba Bavuma and Quinton de Kock then prevented a total collapse as they added 72 for the fifth wicket. De Kock had been at the crease for 63 balls when a lame horizontal-bat attempt to steer Shardul Thakur to third man saw him play the ball on to his own stumps.

Bavuma stayed at the crease for three hours in compiling a disciplined, skilful 52, before Shami returned to have him caught behind with another beautiful delivery that drew the batsman forward just outside off-stump, and then extra bounce and some straightening off the seam found the edge.

The late efforts of debutant Marco Jansen (19), Rabada (25) and Keshav Maharaj (12) ensured that India had to be satisfied with a first-innings lead of 130 as South Africa were bowled out for 197.

Considering the absence of Bumrah from the attack – he did return at the end to claim the last wicket and finish with 2/16 in 7.2 overs – India will obviously be delighted. Shami stepped up brilliantly to take 5/44 in 16 overs and was well-supported by Thakur 2/51.

Jansen picked up the wicket of Mayank Agarwal (4), caught behind, in the last over of the day, but with the disadvantage of having to bat last, South Africa obviously need to strike quickly and often on the fourth morning. And the discipline of their top-order batsmen will then have to be much better.

The Proteas put aside all the misleading claims that their fortunes are at an all-time low as they hammered Sri Lanka by nine wickets with 35 balls to spare in Colombo on Sunday to clinch their third consecutive T20 series win.

In their final dress rehearsal before next month’s T20 World Cup in similar conditions in the United Arab Emirates, South Africa took an unbeatable 2-0 lead, winning both games comfortably. They will now go into the showpiece event with both a settled, confident team and a game-plan that is working.

Sri Lanka had won the toss and batted first, but paceman Anrich Nortje ended a fast and accurate second over by removing Dinesh Chandimal, mishitting a pull to mid-on, for just 5.

Although Kusal Perera (30 off 25) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, who was particularly severe on ace fast bowler Kagiso Rabada in his 20 off 13 balls, swung lustily to add 28 for the second wicket in three overs, the Proteas kept taking wickets, with the spinners leading the way.

It was the part-timer, Aiden Markram, who made the breakthrough with Rajapaksa’s wicket, before Tabraiz Shamsi took wickets in successive overs to reduce Sri Lanka to 71 for four in the 10^th over.

Markram then trapped Kusal lbw and the rest of the batting folded as Sri Lanka were bundled out for just 103, their lowest completed score against the Proteas.

Shamsi returned to his best after missing the mark in the first T20, taking three for 20 in four superb overs, while Markram did a brilliant job in taking three for 21 in four overs that included a maiden.

Orthodox left-armer Bjorn Fortuin returned the magnificent figures of two for 12 in four overs, while Keshav Maharaj chipped in with a wicket and was tidy as ever.

Quinton de Kock then killed off any aspirations Sri Lanka may have had of snatching a comeback win and dismissed all claims that he will be under-prepared for the World Cup as he cruised to 58 not out off 48 balls to steer South Africa to one of their most comprehensive victories ever in T20 Internationals.

De Kock collected seven fours as he unveiled the full array of his wonderful strokeplay, and his skill and placement was on full display as well.

South Africa’s charge to victory was delayed by rain after nine overs, with their score on 65 for one, but Aiden Markram (21* off 19) helped De Kock seal their biggest ever victory over Sri Lanka batting second. Reeza Hendricks scored a run-a-ball 18 adding 62 for the first wicket with De Kock.