SA vs IND 2018: Vernon Philander's Six fer Skittles Out India for 135

South Africa won the first Test by 72 runs and took a 1-0 in the three match series at Newlands in Cape Town.

Day four of the first Test between South Africa and India belonged to the fast bowlers as 18 wickets fell in the day. After the third day of match was washed out due to rain, Hashim Amla and Kagiso Rabada began day four at 65/2. Indian bowlers made early inroads as Mohammed Shami removed Amla in the second over of the day. Amla nicked one to the slip cordon where Rohit Sharma took a good low catch.

Rabada and skipper Faf Du Plessis followed too. Du Plessis got a brilliant delivery from Jasprit Bumrah and the African Captain was removed for a rare fifth ball duck. Bumrah and Shami both bowled extremely well and did not give easy runs to the hosts.

Quinton De Kock and AB De Villiers who counter attacked the Indian bowlers in the first innings failed to repeat the same in the second innings as De Kock gloved one to Wriddhiman Saha who took ten catches in the match on 8. Saha became the first Indian wicket-keeper to take 10 catches in Test. After the dismissal of De Kock, De Villiers started playing his shots. Dale Steyn who has been ruled out of the Test series due to a heel injury also came to bat as the hosts were tottering at 130/9. The hosts lost their last eight wickets for just 65 runs.

However, Steyn’s effort did not benefit the hosts as De Villiers was caught at the boundary on the same score. India was set a target of 208 in the fourth innings.

Indian openers started well, with both Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay playing their shots. South Africa were without the services of Dale Steyn. Morne Morkel drew first blood for the hosts as Dhawan was the first Indian batsman to fall after lunch. Murali Vijay followed soon as he edged one to De Villiers.

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South African fast bowlers then took full control of the match as the wrapped up the Indian middle order in quick succession. Virat Kohli was the only batsman who looked in control but was trapped in front of the stumps by Vernon Philander on 28. Philander also removed Rohit Sharma who chopped one to his stumps.

First innings star performer for the Indian team, Hardik Pandya failed in the second innings and could only score one. Ravichandran Ashwin and Bhuvneshwar Kumar showed some resistance but Vernon Philander finished the match by picking up three wickets in four deliveries of his 16^th over. Philander finished the second innings with six wickets.

India could only manage 135 runs in the second innings and lost the match by 72 runs.

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