A spectacular top-order batting collapse left South Africa floundering on 213 for six on the second day of the first Test against India.
The Proteas slipped from a commanding 130 for one to 146 for six in reply to India's total of 280 before an unbeaten partnership of 67 between Vernon Philander (48 not out) and Faf du Plessis (17 not out) steadied the innings.
They remain 67 runs behind India's first innings total on a Wanderers wicket that usually quickens on the second and third days, as was the case in the afternoon session when the tourists tore through the home side's top order.
Ishant Sharma (three for 64) and Mohammed Shami (two for 48) were the chief destroyers in a brilliant spell of fast bowling after tea.
The day should have been better for India as well after Rohit Sharma dropped a simple chance off Du Plessis at second slip off the bowling of Shami with 10 minutes of play remaining.
India lost their last five wickets for 16 runs in the morning session and South Africa suffered the same fate in the afternoon. But while it was the Indian tail that were skittled, for the Proteas it was the wickets of Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith, JP Duminy and AB de Villiers.
Amla (36) was the first to go then Kallis fell for a first-ball duck, Sharma trapping him lbw. Smith batted doggedly for 68 but became India's third wicket in nine balls when Khan trapped him leg before.
Ten minutes earlier South Africa had looked comfortable at the crease but suddenly the Indian quicks appeared unplayable. Duminy scratched around for his two runs before edging Shami to Murali Vijay. Two balls later the tourists had the prized wicket of De Villiers (13), beaten for pace and given lbw.
South Africa had run through India's tail in the morning session with some excellent seam bowling.
The tourists resumed on 255 for five, but Philander (four for 61) and Morne Morkel (three for 34) restricted them to 280 all out, a total that now looks like a good one.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article