Player of the Match
Player of the Match
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    13.1 Morkel strikes first ball after drinks, pitches it up from round the stumps, Dhawan pushes forward at it, and it moves away slightly in the air to hit the edge and it is a simple catch to third slip 41/1
    68.5 no century for Vijay, he is caught behind, he doesn't look happy, need to see whether that was about the decision or just at missing out on a hundred, it was a short ball at the body, off the glove as he looks to defend, he had taken the bottom hand off but that hit the top hand, and through to the keeper, Steyn is making up for 69.2 overs here, but the end of an innings that will give Vijay huge confidence in the overseas challenge coming up over the next year 199/3
    66.3 140 kph, Steyn explodes! Perfect ball on that off stump corridor, it was full enough to draw Pujara to drive at it. The outside edge is taken and AB makes no mistake. The short ball peppering has worked as his feet were stuck in the crease and his bat was pushing at the ball. Steyn's been his menacing best in this short little spell and early strike for South Africa, just what they would have been discussing about during that annoyingly long rain delay 198/2
    92.3 he's been caught down the leg side and Kohli cannot believe what he has done. Again, AB behind the stumps pulls out a brilliant grab! It was a touch short, it was an easy put away through fine leg, but Kohli's flick went off the face and the keeper moves to his left having anticipated it, dives and holds on to another screamer. Ten minutes to tea and that was exactly what South Africa wanted. Morkel's exultation tell as much 265/5
    68.6 wow! never write off Steyn, two-in-two! Rohit Sharma leaves the ball and loses his middle stump, a golden duck, what was he thinking? definitely what Amla would call a 'bad leave', that one swung in from Steyn, perhaps Rohit didn't realise how much, but that crashes somewhere between the top and middle of middle stump 199/4
    not out
    51
    121
    191
    8
    0
    42.14
    106.4 another one for Steyn, the chainsaw celebration is back, he was pumped up, this one is pitched up outside off, bit wide of the stumps, not much movement, Dhoni chases it and gets a thick edge to first slip, Smith takes it, not the first time Dhoni has been dismissed this way 320/6
    107.5 there's catch No 200 for Jacques Kallis, one milestone done, a thick outside edge as Jadeja pokes off the front foot and goes low to slip, Kallis pouches it as he has innumerable times before, Jadeja gone for a duck, Kallis now in third place for most catches in international cricket, moving ahead of Dravid 321/7
    108.2 Steyn is well and truly back, he has five! stunner from de Villiers, that was serious athleticism from the keeper as he leapt and plucked that high to his right, it as a shortish ball, Zaheer backed away towards leg and slashed, got a thick edge, for a second I thought it flew over AB 322/8
    108.5 Steyn has six, shortish ball just outside off, a thin edge through to de Villiers, who didn't need any acrobatics to snaffle this one, also his career average back below 23 330/9
    111.3 guides it to first slip and India are done for 334. That's nine wickets for 153 runs today. Rahane is stranded at the other end as he watches this back of a length ball being swiped at with Shami moving as far leg side of the ball as he can and just guides it to Smith at first slip 334/10
    Extras
    12 (lb 7, nb 1, w 4)
    TOTAL
    334 all out (111.3 Overs, RR: 2.99, 502 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-41 (Shikhar Dhawan, 13.1 ov), 2-198 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 66.3 ov), 3-199 (Murali Vijay, 68.5 ov), 4-199 (Rohit Sharma, 68.6 ov), 5-265 (Virat Kohli, 92.3 ov), 6-320 (MS Dhoni, 106.4 ov), 7-321 (Ravindra Jadeja, 107.5 ov), 8-322 (Zaheer Khan, 108.2 ov), 9-330 (Ishant Sharma, 108.5 ov), 10-334 (Mohammed Shami, 111.3 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    DW Steyn30910063.3320
    VD Philander2165602.6611
    M Morkel23.365032.1210
    JH Kallis1113603.2700
    RJ Peterson2227503.4000
    JP Duminy401012.5000
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    27.1 outstanding catch from Dhawan breaks the opening stand, Smith wanting to go for a big one, down the track and looked to launch that over mid-on, hit high on the blade and the ball swirls towards midwicket, Dhawan has to run back a long way to get to that one, judges it perfectly and takes it as it drops over his shoulder, falling over as he collects it, it was the bounce off the footmarks that did Smith in, rising up lot more than he expected 103/1
    33.1 another one for India! outside edge snapped up at slip. Darts in on middle and gets good turn, but it's the bounce that ruined it for Petersen. The ball takes the very shoulder of the bat and was dying on M Vijay, but he dove forward and a touch to his right to pick up a smart catch. India are getting on a roll here, with the ball reversing a touch as well 113/3
    32.6 he's stuck on the crease, Shami gets this one to straighten and the off stump is grazed just hard enough for the bails to be dislodged. That was a pretty good cherry as it began angling in and seamed just enough away off the wicket to beat Amla's prodding bat. Think he might have been searching for the reversing inswinger there 113/2
    133.3 top edge off a sweep and he's been safely pouched by the keeper. The Kingsmead crowd rises up and Kallis salutes them as he raises his bat and soaks in the applause. The South African team comes down the steps of the change-room and congratulate him and shower him with hug. Possibly his last Test innings ever and he scores a very stoic ton. In the midst of all that, Jadeja has taken five. This was tossed up on off stump and he had gone for a wild sweep over square leg, too full for it I thought as he only gets the ball to go straight up and Dhoni calls for it and takes it cleanly. No room for that stroke either 384/6
    73.6 lovely ball, simple catch, India celebrate a very big wicket! Drifts it in, not too much flight on offer but AB still goes forward. The ball pitches just in front of his left leg and turns appreciably to take the outside edge and present a simple catch to first slip 240/4
    28
    82
    102
    4
    0
    34.14
    103.2 Duminy's caught on his back foot in front of the stumps and Jadeja's darts come through again! It turns from off stump and he was looking to whip it away through midwicket but misses and is struck on the pads on the knee roll, with him in front of leg stump. Jadeja's shoulders are given a bit of a massage by one of his team-mates. He's deserved it today 298/5
    136.1 very little celebration as this is full, wide and outside edged to the keeper. Success for India as Steyn walks back after a very good hand. Had a flash at it, needed to it was that far outside off and some easy runs seemd to be on offer, but it wasn't the case as Dhoni takes that low to his right 387/7
    154.6 Faf du Plessis is run out once again, another direct hit has ended his stay, but has it ended South Africa's innings? a mix-up after Philander worked the ball to midwicket, Philander takes 3-4 paces before rethinking, Faf was too far out to get back, he puts in the dive but the throw from Rohit is spot-on 500/9
    154.1 120 kph, length ball, in the slot to slam over the top, Peterson needs no second invitation, but he's not connected well. It went straight up in the air, comes off rather high on the bat and Vijay runs around from mid-off to pick up a decent catch. 497/8
    not out
    0
    3
    6
    0
    0
    0.00
    155.2 forget the declaration, South Africa have been bowled out for 500 thanks to an outstanding return catch from Jadeja, who ends with six wickets, a push back from Morkel, and Jadeja moves across and dives to his right to pouch that, the lead is 166, Morkel whacks the ground with his bat in frustration 500/10
    Extras
    23 (b 3, lb 15, nb 3, w 2)
    TOTAL
    500 all out (155.2 Overs, RR: 3.21)
    Fall of wickets: 1-103 (Graeme Smith, 27.1 ov), 2-113 (Hashim Amla, 32.6 ov), 3-113 (Alviro Petersen, 33.1 ov), 4-240 (AB de Villiers, 73.6 ov), 5-298 (Jean-Paul Duminy, 103.2 ov), 6-384 (Jacques Kallis, 133.3 ov), 7-387 (Dale Steyn, 136.1 ov), 8-497 (Robin Peterson, 154.1 ov), 9-500 (Faf du Plessis, 154.6 ov), 10-500 (Morne Morkel, 155.2 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    Z Khan2849723.4611
    Mohammed Shami27210413.8500
    I Sharma31711403.6712
    RA Jadeja58.21513862.3600
    RG Sharma1112902.6300
  • BATSMEN
    R
    B
    M
    4s
    6s
    SR
    27.5 Faf, you absolute beauty! There's the breakthrough South Africa were looking for. Dhawan danced down the track and whipped it over midwicket, or so he thought. Faf propels himself up and just plucks it from over his head. Goes at it wrong-handed as he had to dive to his left, but the right hand does the job. What a catch! He lands on his knee and stays down a little bit, but he's okay. Oh and not to forget, Dhawan had nailed it. 53/2
    5.3 a classic Philander wicket there, Vijay has gone early for the first time on this tour, the familiar off stump channel, pitched up, Vijay had only taken a half-step forward as he pushed at that one, it moved just a bit away, enough to take the edge, through to Smith at first slip 8/1
    32
    100
    137
    4
    0
    32.00
    38.6 135 kph, corker! Pujara's off stump is knocked back and India's two big guns are already back in the hut! Dale Steyn on a rampage! It was full, it was angling in, Pujara was getting ready to dead bat it again. But alas, the ball pitches then seams away and canons into the stumps before he could do anything. Unplayable. No need for DRS there. South Africa are rolling 71/4
    36.1 he's gone first ball! Kohli is not impressed with the decision, in fact he looks shell-shocked and keeps staring back at the South Africans who are in an euphoric huddle. It was shortish in that off stump channel and he pushed at it with minimum foot movement, the ball carries through low to the keeper who pouches it safely. Only it seemed to come off the batsman's shoulder. Oops. Very difficult call, but he's made the wrong one 68/3
    50.4 another one gone, Rohit's tour ends in disappointment, that one shaped in sharply, Rohit was stuck in the crease as he played that, the movement takes the ball past the bat, struck on middle and off, no doubt about that one, Rohit has to go, South Africa five wickets away 104/5
    96
    157
    219
    11
    2
    61.14
    85.6 132 kph, Philander sends a flurry of kisses, possibly to the batsman as Rahane goes for a slog and the leg stump is disturbed. Jacques Kallis leads them off the field again while Rahane gets a few pats on the back from the opposition, including the captain Graeme Smith. Not at all a threatening delivery, he was searching for his ton but had to settle for being four short 223/10
    61.1 downright horrible. He moved onto the back foot and looks to flick it away, but has made the mistake of hitting it in the air. Midwicket is gleefully behind it and South Africa cannot believe they have got a wicket out of such an innocuous, almost short ball outside leg stump delivery. Dhoni knows it as well as he smacks his bat on his pad while walking off. Robbie P is over the moon 146/6
    61.6 he has two in the over and Peterson's joy knows no bounds. The India change room is absolutely stunned as Jadeja's intention to go over the top again results in a leading edge and he's safely pouched at mid-off. Absolute sillyness after he had just struck a six a couple of balls previously. He wasn't to the pitch of this which added to his downfall. Morkel gives a kiss to the ball and India flounder 154/7
    77.6 huge lbw appeal, upheld, Zaheer's resistance is over, the carrom ball from Peterson comes in towards Zaheer, who doesn't read it, struck on the pad in front of middle, big stride in from Zaheer, was that going on to hit leg stump? umpire thinks so, Hawk-Eye doesn't, in any case wicket No. 4 for Peterson, he's enjoying this game 189/8
    84.1 short ball at the body, too good for Ishant, that was heading for his head, Ishant somehow manages it get bat on it, hits high on the blade and the ball lobs up, Ab de Villiers moves across to the leg side and collects that, exuberant celebrations from Steyn as he reaches 350 Test wickets, I wonder whether he'll injure himself one day during these celebrations 206/9
    not out
    1
    1
    11
    0
    0
    100.00
    Extras
    6 (b 4, w 2)
    TOTAL
    223 all out (86 Overs, RR: 2.59, 381 minutes)
    Fall of wickets: 1-8 (Murali Vijay, 5.3 ov), 2-53 (Shikhar Dhawan, 27.5 ov), 3-68 (Virat Kohli, 36.1 ov), 4-71 (Cheteshwar Pujara, 38.6 ov), 5-104 (Rohit Sharma, 50.4 ov), 6-146 (MS Dhoni, 61.1 ov), 7-154 (Ravindra Jadeja, 61.6 ov), 8-189 (Zaheer Khan, 77.6 ov), 9-206 (Ishant Sharma, 84.1 ov), 10-223 (Ajinkya Rahane, 85.6 ov)
    BowlingOMRWEconWDNB
    DW Steyn2184732.2310
    VD Philander1644332.6800
    M Morkel1663402.1200
    RJ Peterson2437443.0810
    JP Duminy822002.5000
    F du Plessis10101.0000

Close of Play

  • Thu, 26 Dec - day 1 - India 1st innings 181/1 (M Vijay 91*, CA Pujara 58*, 61 ov)
  • Fri, 27 Dec - day 2 - South Africa 1st innings 82/0 (GC Smith 35*, AN Petersen 46*, 20 ov)
  • Sat, 28 Dec - day 3 - South Africa 1st innings 299/5 (JH Kallis 78*, DW Steyn 0*, 104.5 ov)
  • Sun, 29 Dec - day 4 - India 2nd innings 68/2 (CA Pujara 32*, V Kohli 11*, 36 ov)
  • Mon, 30 Dec - day 5 - South Africa 2nd innings 59/0 (11.4 ov) - end of match

Match Notes

Amla answers

I could have used my bat, or tried to.

Hashim Amla answers a question on how he could have avoided getting dismissed