Day 3 is termed the moving day, but during the India vs South Africa Test, it was anything but. India Women were already on top before the day’s play, with the Proteas trailing by 367 runs. Having already taken 3 wickets the day before, Sneh Rana came in and ripped South Africa apart. She alone took five wickets to end with an 8-wicket haul, while Deepti Sharma chipped in with a wicket as well.
South Africa’s epic collapse
The Proteas lost 6 wickets for 30 runs in just 12.3 overs. A collapse that you don’t normally see. Team India decided to send the visitors in for a bat with an early finish in mind. It looked like Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. would wrap up the match by the third session.
But skipper Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus had other things in mind. Despite a poor show in the first inning and losing an early wicket (Anneke Bosch), South Africa weren’t ready to give up. After a disappointing outing in the first dig, Wolvaardt was ready to give her all.
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Luus & Wolvaardt lead resistance
She decided that the Indian bowlers weren’t dismissing her today, and she batted the whole day, facing 252 balls. Luus, who’d missed out on a ton in the first inning (65), took the proactive approach. She brought up her maiden Test ton in 179 balls, becoming the fourth South African women’s cricketer to score a century.
Unfortunately for her, she’ll soon depart. The 190-run stand was broken at last, and that too was due to a slice of luck for India. Bowling her sixth over of the day, Harmapreet bowled a ball outside off that spin, skidded, and kept low to rattle the stumps. Luus walked back with a 109-run knock and a standing ovation from teammates and the crowd.
Wolvaardt ended the day, 7 runs away from her maiden century as well. While Luus’ ton was more about counterattacking, the South African captain represented an old-school style of play, grit, and determination. With back behind the wall, Wolvaardt produced an inning to remember and one that could play a huge role in women’s first-class cricket future back home.
Although the visitors still trail by 105 runs, with Laura Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp still in the middle, South Africa will feel safe. As for India, they’d hope another collapse would happen, and if not for those two drops by Deepti Sharma at the end of the day, they would be in a much better position.
