10.13pm Shame there could be no second innings. Would have been a riveting chase. Some positive signs for both sides. Tazmin Brits continued her excellent form while Anneke Bosch also got among the runs. For India, Deepti picked two wickets for just 20 runs, while Pooja Vastrakar bowled with some pace. That will be all from us tonight. In case you missed any of the action, Shashank's report will be up soon. Till then, this is me Ashish Pant, signing off on behalf of Shashank Kishore and Ranjith. Good night.

10.05pm The weather has the last say with the second T20I in Chennai has been called off due to persistent rain. The no-result means that South Africa now cannot lose the series. India have a chance to level the series when these two teams come back for the third game on Tuesday (June 9). South Africa, meanwhile, will want to take the series 2-0.

Meenakshi : "We used to sing a song in school - I like the pit, pit, patter of the raindrops, I like the buzz, buzz, buzzing of the bees..and so it went. Seems cricket likes it too, that's why it leaves the rain alone so it can pour itself out to resume the match!"

9.53pm Nothing much to report other than that the drizzle has gotten heavier. The cut-off time is approximately 20 minutes away.

Asahel: "Well, if the "knowledgeable" Chennai crowd have given up hope, I don't think there is much left. "

9.40pm A steady drizzle is back, but the ground staff continue to work on the outfield with the Super Soppers. Srinidhi says people have started to leave the stadium.

9.32pm The umpires are out inspecting the conditions. The drizzle has thinned, says Srinidhi.

9.26pm More covers coming on. We've started losing overs from 9.16pm The cut-off time for a five-over game is 10.13pm

9.15pm Srinidhi is back with an update. "The drizzle has gotten a bit heavier," she says. "Umbrellas are out. They have covered the square of the wicket as well. There's a movement in the stands to find the shelter.

9.05pm We should've resumed by now, but sadly there's steady pitter-patter. Not torrential, but that irritating kind of rain that can't get the players back on once they're off the field.

No one is really scrambling for cover. So there is hope that this interruption is very brief. Let's hope we're back on very soon. The pitch has been covered, Srinidhi informs me from Chepauk.

Can assure you it's the kind of drizzle that won't bother umpires if they were on the field. But cricket's tryst with rigidity is something that's beyond me even in this day and age.

END OF OVER:
20 | 13 Runs 1 Wkt | SA-W: 177/6 | RR: 8.85

  • Annerie Dercksen12 (3b)
  • Eliz-Mari Marx1 (2b)
  • Pooja Vastrakar4-0-37-2
  • Shreyanka Patil4-0-37-1

8.52pm South Africa collect 31 runs off the final two overs and what was looking like a score in the mid 160s ends up being 177 for 6. India will still be pleased with their effort after the flier South Africa got. Tazmin Brits got a reprieve early and made the Indians pay as South Africa raced to 66 for 1 after six overs. But, Deepti Sharma and the spinners got India back in the game. Brits scored back to back fifties while Anneke Bosch's 40 off 32 and Annerie Dercksen's three-ball 12 too South Africa to a fighting total. Can India chase this down and save the series? Join Shashank in a bit to find out.

Anneke Bosch: It was good, it was a bit difficult, more difficult for me. It was a bit slower than I thought the wicket to be. I wanted to get a partnership in. We are pleased. Still have a job to do with the ball. But pleased with the score we got on the board today. We had a flier at the start and we were looking to get to a similar score to the other night. It was a little bit difficult to score later on with the pitch getting slower and the ball getting softer.

19.6
4
Vastrakar to Dercksen, FOUR, Ends the innings on a high and Annerie Dercksen has made India pay for that drop. Back of a length ball just outside off, she scythes it over extra cover to make it three fours in three balls.
19.5
4
Vastrakar to Dercksen, FOUR, Low full toss outside off, she drives with authority through the covers for four more
19.4
4
Vastrakar to Dercksen, FOUR, In the air and Rodrigues spills it! Banged in short around Annerie Dercksen's waist. She pulls, not out of the middle of the bat as Rodrigues sprints across from deep midwicket. Gets both hands to it but fails to hang on

Annerie Dercksen to face her first ball

19.3
1
Vastrakar to Marx, 1 run, Back of a length ball that thuds into Marx's thigh pad as they scamper through for a legbye. Annerie Dercksen has to put in a dive to make it home
19.2
0
Vastrakar to Marx, no run, Banged in short, Marx has to take evasive action quickly

Marx comes in

19.1
W
Vastrakar to de Klerk, OUT, And she strikes right away. Back of a length ball well outside off, De Klerk looks to pull it straight down the ground, gets it off the toe end up of the blade and balloons straight up for Sajana to take a simple catch

N de Klerk c Sajana b Vastrakar 14 (16m 9b 2x4 0x6) SR: 155.55

South Africa on 164. How many can they get in the last over? A slight drizzle setting in as well. Vastrakar to bowl the 20th. She is over the wicket. The ball is getting changed.

END OF OVER:
19 | 18 Runs 1 Wkt | SA-W: 164/5 | RR: 8.63

  • Nadine de Klerk14 (8b)
  • Shreyanka Patil4-0-37-1
  • Arundhati Reddy4-0-37-0
18.6
W
Patil to Bosch, OUT, Knocks her over! Patil keeps it on a length and the trajectory flatter on leg stump. Bosch gets across looking for a sweep, misses and the leg pole has been uprooted.

A Bosch b Patil 40 (45m 32b 6x4 0x6) SR: 125.00

Around

18.5
4
Patil to Bosch, FOUR, And another! This time over the offside. Gives way too much width outside off as Bosch charges down and lofts her over extra cover
18.4
4
Patil to Bosch, FOUR, Oh, what timing from Bosch! Jumps down, she was deceived by the shortened length but still manages to nail the flat-bat hit past a diving long-on
18.3
1
Patil to de Klerk, 1 run, Dragged down a touch ,she goes back and pulls to deep midwicket
18.3
1w
Patil to de Klerk, 1 wide, Ooh, called a wide. Think that was inside the tram line. Pushed quicker outside off, she lets it go. Patil is not impressed

Back over

18.2
4
Patil to de Klerk, FOUR, Dragged down and de Klerk gets two in two. Backs away and pulls to the right of deep backward square leg this time around.

Goes around

18.1
4
Patil to de Klerk, FOUR, Splits the gap to perfection! Looped up on leg stump, de Klerk gives herself room and brings out the slog sweep to the left of deep backward square leg

Can South Africa get to 170? Here's Patil from over the wicket

END OF OVER:
18 | 7 Runs | SA-W: 146/4 | RR: 8.11

  • Nadine de Klerk5 (5b)
  • Anneke Bosch32 (29b)
  • Arundhati Reddy4-0-37-0
  • Deepti Sharma4-0-20-2
17.6
1
Reddy to de Klerk, 1 run, Keeps it on a back of a length at 104kph on leg stump. De Klerk pulls it to deep midwicket
17.5
1
Reddy to Bosch, 1 run, Back of a length ball outside off, she punches to extra cover for a quick run
17.4
2
Reddy to Bosch, 2 runs, Good innovation from Bosch. On a length outside off, she gets across eyeing a scoop and gets it over the keeper's head for two
17.3
1
Reddy to de Klerk, 1 run, Gives herself room but Reddy follows her as de Klerk adjusts and ends up flaying it to deep square leg
17.2
1
Reddy to Bosch, 1 run, Keeps the length ball away from Bosch's hitting arc. She can only bunt to deep cover
17.1
1
Reddy to de Klerk, 1 run, On a length outside off, she punches to deep cover

Reddy back from over the wicket

END OF OVER:
17 | 8 Runs | SA-W: 139/4 | RR: 8.17

  • Anneke Bosch28 (26b)
  • Nadine de Klerk2 (2b)
  • Deepti Sharma4-0-20-2
  • Radha Yadav3-0-31-1
16.6
4
Sharma to Bosch, FOUR, Lofted up and over Deepti's head and Bosch ends the over on a high. Floated on the off stump, Bosch jumps down the track, gets to the pitch of the ball and swings cleanly
16.5
1
Sharma to de Klerk, 1 run, Keeps it wicket to wicket and there is not much de Klerk can do than to work it towards the short midwicket area

Adarsh: "If India manage to restrict SA below 170, it should be game-on!"

16.4
1
Sharma to Bosch, 1 run, Similar length ball on middle stump, she gets across and flicks to deep square leg

SA Women 1st innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st43T BritsL Wolvaardt
2nd32M KappT Brits
3rd38A BoschT Brits
4th18CL TryonA Bosch
5th33A BoschN de Klerk
6th0N de KlerkA Dercksen
7th13E MarxA Dercksen