Early into the final session on the final day, India broke South Africa’s resolve to set up their thumping 10-wicket victory in the one-off Test in Chennai. Nadine de Klerk kept the spirited visitors going on the final day but India kept chipping away. They picked three each in the first two sessions, with Sneh Rana becoming just the second Indian to pick 10 or more wickets in a single game. De Klerk batted out 185 balls for her 61 to keep South Africa alive, but that only delayed the result that eventually swung in India’s favour.
South Africa began the day well in arrears after being asked to follow-on. But after Sune Luus’s century on Day 3 set up South Africa’s fight, Laura Wolvaardt got to her maiden Test ton in the second over of Day 4 to establish continuity. She and Marizanne Kapp even added 58 for the third wicket before Deepti Sharma trapped the latter leg before. New batter Delmi Tucker fell for a duck in the following over, driving a Sneh Rana delivery straight to Jemimah Rodrigues at cover.
Wolvaardt then found an able ally in Nadine de Klerk as they aimed to keep the rest of the morning session wicketless. That however, only stretched for six overs as Rajeshwari Gayakwad trapped Wolvaardt leg before. Wolvaardt trudged back with a review in tow. South Africa added 70 runs to their total in the morning session but also lost three wickets.South Africa had another setback before the start of the second session as de Klerk’s batting partner Sinalo Jafta retired hurt due to cramps. Then began de Klerk’s endeavour to defy India for as long as she could. South Africa scored less than half in the second session (34 in 29 overs) but de Klerk was at her gritty best to try and secure a draw for South Africa. But India were relentless. They remained patient for lengthy periods in this phase of play before Pooja Vastrakar struck to dismiss Annerie Dercksen. Dercksen was stuck deep in the crease against the spinner, whose delivery kept low and trapped the batter plumb in front.
Tumi Sekhukhune batted alongside de Klerk for 13.4 overs – adding just 14 runs – but the break in this stand was gift-wrapped by the former. Sekhukhune reacted very late to a call for a single from de Klerk and got run out. This wicket brought Jafta back to the middle and she nearly kept de Klerk company until the end of the session. But Rana returned to cause another dent in South Africa’s attempted blockathon with a tossed-up ball that Jafta prodded at and nicked behind. An alert Shubha Satheesh at first slip took a sharp, diving one-handed catch to leave South Africa eight down heading into the Tea break.
The ninth-wicket stand between de Klerk and Masabata Klaas lasted for nearly eight overs into the final session when Shafali Verma who breached the latter’s defence with a sharp turn. With only one wicket left, de Klerk began to chance her arms and even reached her half century before getting cleaned up by Gayakwad for 61. After folding in just 84.3 overs in the first innings, South Africa put up quite a show of resistance by lasting 154.4 while following-on, but even that left them with just a lead of 34 runs which India snared comfortably in 9.2 overs.
Brief scores:India 603/6 decl. (Shafali Verma 205, Smriti Mandhana 149, Richa Ghosh 86, Harmanpreet Kaur 69; Delmi Tucker 2-141) & 37/0 (Shafali Verma 24*) beat South Africa 266 (Marizanne Kapp 74, Sune Luus 65; Sneh Rana 8-77, Deepti Sharma 2-47) & 373 (Sune Luus 109, Laura Wolvaardt 122, Nadine de Klerk 61; Rajeshwari Gayakwad 2-55, Deepti Sharma 2-95, Sneh Rana 2-111 ) by 10 wickets
