SA ring changes but call goes unanswered

“I was just hoping for a wicket somewhere,” Anrich Nortjé on dismissing Virat Kohli to take his first Test wicket.

TELFORD VICE in Cape Town

FIVE changes to their XI failed to move South Africa out of India’s shadow on the first day of the third men’s Test in Ranchi on Saturday.

And that despite the visitors enjoying their most successful first hour of the series to reduce India to 39/3, largely thanks to Kagiso Rabada’s rasping first spell of 2/15.

But, at stumps, which bad light forced six overs after tea, the home side were 224 runs to the good with seven wickets still standing.

Rohit Sharma became Dane Piedt’s least favourite batter in reaching 117 not out, his third century in four innings.

No-one has hit more sixes this year than Sharma’s 17, all in this rubber, and no bowler has been hammered for more sixes in a series than the 11 Sharma has sent arching off Piedt.

The hapless off-spinner might have wished he hadn’t been one of the straws clutched at in the wake of two heavy defeats.

Heinrich Klaasen and George Linde — in for Aiden Markram and Keshav Maharaj, both injured — earned debuts, and Theunis de Bruyn, Vernon Philander and Senuran Muthusamy were axed in favour of Zubayr Hamza, Lungi Ngidi and Piedt.

Quinton de Kock handed the wicketkeeping gloves to Klaasen and will fill the vacancy, left by Markram, at the top of the order.

Linde looked like making a dream start when Sharma blipped his third delivery towards short leg — where Hamza couldn’t hold a difficult chance.

Sharma would have been gone for 28, his stand with Ajinkya Rahane would have been capped at 21 instead of resuming on Sunday at 185, and India would have been 60/4.

Ah well. At least Anrich Nortjé will always have the memory of trapping Virat Kohli in front with an inswinger, which followed two outswingers, for his first Test scalp.  

“I was just hoping for a wicket somewhere,” Nortjé told reporters.

Let no-one remind him that the only other bowler to dismiss India’s captain in the series, Muthusamy, is no longer in the team.

First published by the Sunday Times.