IND v SA [W] 2024, IND-W vs SA-W Only Test Match Report, June 28 – July 01, 2024

South Africa 232 for 2 (Luus 109, Wolvaardt 93*, Harmanpreet 1-24) and 266 (Kapp 74, Luus 65, Rana 8-77) route India 603 for 6 dec by 105 runs

At stumps on the third day, South Africa were 232 for 2 in their second innings, with Luus scoring his maiden Test century and Wolvaardt remaining unbeaten on 93. South Africa will be hoping for more of the same on the fourth and final day to push for a draw.

Rana got the first breakthrough in his third over, his fifth of the day, when he dismissed Kapp for 74 with an almost unplayable delivery. Kapp was included with extra bounce as the ball, after being pitched on mid-off, came up to hit his outside edge and take the top of the stumps. This led to a collapse as three balls later, Rana removed Sinalo Jafta, who edged one to Shubha Satheesh at short leg.

Three overs later, Deepti Sharma got her second wicket. This time the ball stayed down when first baseman Annerie Dercksen missed with her prod and was hit on her back pad. South Africa took the review but to no avail. In the next over, Rana took his sixth wicket when Nadine de Klerk was bowled towards square leg where Rajeshwari Gayakwad dived in front to complete the catch. Number 7 and No. 8 came quickly as Rana finished the innings.

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India chased down South Africa by 337 runs. They then lost Anneke Bosch early to low bounce when she was trapped in front by Deepti in the first over. But Wolvaardt stuck to his covers and looked sure of his approach.

At lunch, South Africa were 29 for 1. India struggled from that point, going wicketless in nearly 66 overs in the second and third sessions.

South Africa came out of the afternoon session determined to play the long game and they succeeded, scoring 95 runs in 34 overs to take tea at 124 for 1. wind, to 64 off 121 balls at the end of the second session.

Caught lbw on a low single from Rana in the first innings, Wolvaardt used the depth of the crease over the second dig. He pulled the short deliveries to square leg and drove the fullers to long on.

India worked hard to break the field with Harmanpreet Kaur trying seven bowlers, including herself. But they were not disciplined for their height and speed. Maybe not getting used to it for so long between contacts. Deepti also dropped two catches – Kapp claimed both times – in the last two overs of the day.

Wolvaardt and Luus, however, reaped the rewards of perseverance in a field that slowed down after the first session.

Using more than 200 balls meant that Luus and Wolvaardt were also used to low bounces, which turned out to be unusual deliveries in the final two sessions of the day. Luus spent 234 minutes at the crease, hitting 18 fours. When he reached his half-century, Luus threw a rocking baby shower, a show of strength with team coach Zane Webster, who is an expectant father. She scored her first century in the last over, and became the second South African player to score a century in India in women’s Tests.

The big stand was finally broken by Harmanpreet when he cleaned up Luus in the 74th over. A low jump helped him as Luus went back for a pull but missed.

With Kapp on the other side, Wolvaardt went on to finish unbeaten. That raised hopes that South Africa would go ahead on the final day, a scenario that looked unlikely earlier on Sunday.

In India, Jemimah Rodrigues was out of the field for most of the last two sessions due to cramps.