1st Test: Shami, Jadeja put India on cusp of big win
Visakhapatnam, Oct 6: Mohammad Shami and Ravindra Jadeja ran through the South African batting in the morning session to put India on the cusp of a big win on day five of the first Test here on Sunday.
Chasing an improbable 395-run target, South Africa were expected to put up a fight like they did in the first innings but Shami's three-wicket burst and Jadeja's probing spell has made it all but certain that India will reach finishing line much faster than what was expected before start of play.
South Africa, resuming the day at 11 for one in nine overs, were 117 for 8 at lunch with Senuran Muthusamy (19 not out off 47) and Dane Piedt (32 not out off 56) delaying the inevitable.
The morning session was extended by 15 minutes for India to complete the formalities but Piedt and Muthusamy frustrated them.
The pitch, which had played fairly for the first four days with the odd ball surprising the batsman, turned tricky on day five. The spinners got the ball to turn sharply and the variable bounce also helped the pacers, as predicted by Cheteshwar Pujara on Saturday.
The collapse began in the second over of the day when Ravichandran Ashwin castled Theunis de Bruyn (10) with one that turned back sharply from wide outside of the off-stump for his record equalling 350th wicket.
With that dismissal, the 33-year-old became the joint fastest to 350 wickets, matching Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan's feat in his 66th Test.
After Ashwin provided the early breakthrough, Shami castled Temba Bavuma (0), Faf du Plessis (13) and first innings centurion Quinton de Kock (0) in two short bursts to break the backbone of South African batting.
Bavuma stayed back to ball that jagged back in at low bounce while du Plessis offered a leave to another one which seamed back in, only to see his stumps rattled.
Shami got rid of de Kock with an inswinger, leaving the visitors reeling at 60 for five. It became 70 for six when innings top-scorer and opener Aiden Markram did not get the required elevation and hit it back to Ravindra Jadeja, who took a brilliant one-handed reflex catch.
Jadeja was all over with South African tail, trapping Vernon Philander and Keshav Maharaj in front of the stumps off successive balls to make it 70 for eight in the 27th over.
Piedt and Senuran delayed the inevitable by going for their strokes. Piedt's slog sweep over deep mid-wicket went the distance for the 37th six of the game, breaking the record for most number of maximums in a Test match.
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Integrity of electoral process severely compromised, Cong to soon launch movement: CWC
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress Working Committee met here on Friday and adopted a resolution alleging the integrity of the entire electoral process was being severely compromised against which the party would soon launch a movement.
In the resolution of the top body of the Congress, the party said free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that was being called into "serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission".
The CWC, which met amid the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament, said the session has been a washout so far because of the Narendra Modi government's "stubborn refusal" to have an immediate discussion on three pressing national issues -- "the recent revelations regarding corruption by a business group, and the violence in Manipur and Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal".
Asked why the Congress Working Committee (CWC) resolution does not name the business group, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "The answer is the Adani group".
"The CWC believes the integrity of the entire electoral process is being severely compromised. Free and fair elections is a Constitutional mandate that is being called into serious question by the partisan functioning of the Election Commission.
"Increasing sections of society are becoming frustrated and deeply apprehensive. The Congress will take these up these public concerns as a national movement," the resolution stated.
Addressing a joint press conference along with Ramesh and Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera, party general secretary, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party discussed the political situation in the country for four-and-half hours and adopted the resolution.
He said the CWC has decided to constitute internal committees to look into electoral performance and organisational matters.
About the Assembly polls results in Maharashtra, Venugopal said the electoral outcome in the state was "beyond normal understanding and it appears to be a clear case of targeted manipulation".
