S.Africa struggle at 230/7 vs India at tea on Day 1

South Africa continued to struggle on the opening day of their first cricket Test against India at Newlands here on Friday reaching 230/7 at tea.

Tailenders Kagiso Rabada (1) and Keshav Maharaj (23) were at the crease when the umpires called for the break.

Resuming the post-lunch session at 107/3, the South African pair of AB de Villiers and skipper Faf du Plessis continued from where they left, piling on the runs.

But debutant pacer Jasprit Bumrah provided the much needed breakthrough for India claiming the prized scalp of de Villiers (65) -- who slammed 11 boundaries in 84 balls.

The fall of de Villiers (at 126/4) brought in Quinton de Kock, who along with du Plessis played cautiously.

But in the 36th over when the scoreboard was reading 142/4, du Plessis (62) was sent back to the pavilion by all-rounder Hardik Pandya. Stumper Wriddhiman Saha took a brilliant catch to dismiss the Proteas skipper.

Paceman Vernon Philander then joined de Kock in the middle.

Just when things seemed good for the hosts, Saha took another spectacular catch off pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar to dismiss the Proteas wicket-keeper de Kock (43).

With three set batsmen back in the hut, it was now on the lower middle-order batsmen Philander and Maharaj. The duo faced the Indian bowlers confidently.

But towards the end of the second session, pacer Mohammad Shami produced a perfect in-swinger to dismiss Philander (23). He played 35 balls and hit four boundaries.

For India, Pandya, Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar and Shami took one wicket each in the second session.

Brief Scores: South Africa 230/7 (AB de Villiers 65, Faf du Plessis 62, Quinton de Kock 43; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 4/68) vs India.

--IANS

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