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Australia’s captain Steven Smith has aired his concerns about playing a pink-ball Test at the Gabba, despite the fact that the Brisbane match against Pakistan is locked in while Adelaide Oval’s fixture remains unresolved due to South African hesitance.Casting an eye towards the Gabba match against Pakistan next summer, Smith said he expected the faster pitch and subtropical conditions to pose multiple challenges for the competing teams. This is particularly true for batsmen on both sides, as they will have to cope with a ball that is likely to swing and seam even more than it did in Adelaide.Representatives of the PCB were present for the inaugural day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand in Adelaide last summer, and agreed to play the match in Brisbane notwithstanding the markedly different conditions likely to be at play. South Africa, meanwhile, have baulked at a pink-ball match even though Adelaide is Smith’s preferred venue for it.”I think it worked well last year, playing the one Test at Adelaide Oval,” Smith said of the move towards multiple day-night matches. “I personally believe that’s the best place to play a day-night Test match. We’ve got one game at the Gabba this year so it will be interesting to see how that goes. I still think we need plenty of development with the ball.”I think it’s just a little bit different with the ball and the humidity that is quite often around in Brisbane. [It] Could be very difficult for the batters, particularly if there is to be grass left on the wicket so I guess there is only one way to see how it’s going to go and we have an opportunity to do that against Pakistan this year.”It worked well in Adelaide last year. We were [playing on] 2mm of grass away from it being a four-day game instead of a three-day game. I think it’s certainly a place that it can be successful and I’d be happy to play another pink-ball game at Adelaide Oval.”Smith’s mixed feelings about the pink-ball Test reflect those of many players, who agree the spectacle witnessed in Adelaide last year was on a scale worth pursuing while retaining reservations about the ball and the variation in conditions. The concept’s momentum has grown in recent months as other countries become interested; most recently the ECB chairman Colin Graves expressed an eagerness to host day-night Tests in England.”Cricket Australia is keen to get as many pink-ball games in as possible,” Smith said. “You only have to look at the spectacle last year at Adelaide, it was absolutely remarkable the amount of viewers at the game and on television as well so I think it’s certainly a step forward and we have to keep improving as much as we can to make sure that the game can survive. I think it’s a great game of cricket and we have to just continue to get it right as much as possible.”I think the players have to buy into it as well. In the end, we are the ones out there doing the job and it is our job so we have to make sure it’s right for us and we want to win as much as possible and we have to find a way to do that with the pink ball. There was obviously an amazing Test match last year and we were able to get over the line at the end, which I think is the most important thing from my aspect and we have to keep looking at ways to be successful with the pink ball.”

“Where’s my cake?” birthday boy Suryakumar Yadav asked, as he fielded questions at the press conference after India’s seven-wicket win against Pakistan in Dubai on Sunday night.Suryakumar was, quite obviously, asked about India’s decision to not shake hands with Pakistan after the match. He was asked about sporting spirit, and if India’s actions were politically motivated. But beyond that, Suryakumar also gave more than just a peek into India’s thinking as they prepare for the Super 4s and beyond.For starters, Suryakumar was himself coming off a neat, little unbeaten 47 to see off India’s modest chase of 128 after Abhishek Sharma set the foundation. But Suryakumar deflected all his attention to the frontline spinners, and how they have made his job easier after they returned combined figures of 6 for 60 in 12 overs to restrict Pakistan to 127 for 9.Related

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“I gave all of them 12 overs combined – it was a return gift from me,” Suryakumar joked when asked if India’s spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy had given him the perfect birthday gift.”They’re all working hard; you can see it at practice. They want to prepare really well. Once you come to the ground, you can see how well they’re prepared. And they’re very clear with their plans – that’s what I want. It makes my job very easy when I’m on the ground. They’re happy with fields, [and] happy with ends they’re bowling from. It’s good to see all three spinners firing, very well supported by Hardik [Pandya] and Jasprit Bumrah.”While some of the on-field decisions can be instinctive, Suryakumar said part of India’s planning on how to bowl spin and whom to target was often planned keeping in mind the opposition. On Sunday, for example, the call to bowl Axar even with a left-hand batter like Fakhar Zaman at the crease was part of a plan even if it went against what he referred to as a “traditional match-up”.”We prepare well for every team. The coaches – we all sit together, see if there are left-handers, right-handers, how to bowl in the middle, how to start in powerplay,” Suryakymar said. “All this comes with preparation, so when we go on the field, everything moves on autopilot.”The other aspect to India’s bowling performance was how they used Bumrah. When he bowled three overs up front against UAE, it was presumed the move may have been to get some miles under him, ahead of bigger challenges. But Bumrah was used similarly against Pakistan too, which Suryakumar highlighted as part of India’s plans in trying to make all their bowlers take ownership.”Till today, we’ve bowled him two overs in the powerplay, he’s never bowled three in the powerplay,” Suryakumar said. “We’re very happy using him as an attacking option. If he picks two wickets, even if he bowls a tight spell of his overs, later on we can have a good cushion for all the spinners to come over and make our job a little easier.2:02

Bangar: Axar doesn’t really try too many things

“He’s very happy with it [this plan]. Few days, if he has to bowl only two overs, he’ll bowl only two overs, but at least me and the management want to use him as an attacking option. That gives a good platform to someone like Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube to raise their hand to bowl crucial overs in the end and also in the middle. So we’re very happy with that.”Suryakumar was also asked about his own game, and if it was a relief to finally come good in a T20I against Pakistan after managing just 64 runs in five previous innings prior to Sunday’s unbeaten 47 off 37 balls.”Whichever team you play, there’s pressure. If there’s no pressure, no butterflies in your stomach, you won’t have fun in being able to overcome it after going to the ground,” he said. “Numbers are up and down, but what can you do? You’ve got to see how you can be better. If today hadn’t gone right, no problems; I would’ve gone back to the drawing board and focused on doing well in the next match.”It felt good to finish the match. It was important to stay there in the moment. [With regards to] batting position, we’re clear with management. Apart from openers, all other batters will be flexible, got to prepare in such a way where you can bat anywhere. If you play seven batters, it’s important for everyone to make a small impact. Everyone has accepted it. Everyone is flexible. If you are flexible to bat anywhere, the team becomes even more dangerous.”

Ajinkya Rahane has given up the captaincy of the Mumbai Ranji Trophy team ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season, saying he believes “it’s the right time to groom a new leader”. In a communication to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), Rahane, now 37, said he wants to continue as a player for the team.”Captaining and winning championships with the Mumbai team has been an absolute honour,” Rahane wrote in a social media post. “With a new domestic season ahead, I believe it’s the right time to groom a new leader. And hence I’ve decided not to continue in the captaincy role. I remain fully committed to giving my best as a player and will continue my journey with MCA to help us win more trophies. Looking forward to the season.”Rahane helped Mumbai break a nine-year drought by leading them to their 42nd Ranji Trophy title in 2023-24. While his red-ball form over the past two years has been patchy (467 runs in 27 innings with just one century), he was more fluent in the shorter formats. At the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in December last year, when he played under Shreyas Iyer, Rahane was the Player of the Tournament for his chart-topping 469 runs in a title-winning season.Related

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Rahane was most recently in charge of Kolkata Knight Riders at IPL 2025, for whom he was the highest scorer with 390 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 147.27. The team had a mediocre season, though, finishing eighth with just five wins.In July, Rahane said he still possessed the “hunger and passion” for the game and for red-ball cricket, stating he even carried his trainers and cricket gear while on holiday in London to begin preparations for the upcoming domestic season.”I still want to play Test cricket,” Rahane had told Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton in an interview with . “I’m really passionate about playing Test cricket. I’m enjoying my cricket at the moment. For me, it’s all about focusing on the controllable things. Frankly, I tried to have conversations with the selectors, but [there are] things as a player I cannot control. I got no response.”As a player, all I can do is keep playing cricket, keep enjoying the game, and give my best each and every time. I love playing Test cricket, love playing red-ball [cricket], it’s a passion. The love for the game keeps me going.”Mumbai are currently preparing for the upcoming season by playing the Buchi Babu Invitational Tournament in Chennai, with a young squad led by 18-year-old Ayush Mhatre. Mumbai allrounder Shardul Thakur, a key member of their 2024-25 Ranji campaign, was named captain of West Zone for the season-opening Duleep Trophy.

Vidarbha and Royal Challengers Bengaluru wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma will represent Baroda in the upcoming season.The 31-year-old did not feature in any matches during the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, playing second fiddle to captain and first-choice wicketkeeper Akshay Wadkar. He remained part of Vidarbha’s white-ball squads, led by Karun Nair.The transfer to Baroda has reportedly been in the works for some time, with Jitesh’s close ties to Baroda captain Krunal Pandya, his fellow Royal Challengers Bengaluru teammate during their maiden IPL title win earlier this year, believed to have helped facilitate the move.The shift could give Jitesh a renewed opportunity to cement his place as a regular in first-class cricket. Since making his debut in 2015-16, Jitesh has managed to feature in just 18 first-class games over the past ten seasons. He averages a modest 24.48 with four half-centuries. His most recent first-class game came nearly 18 months ago.Despite limited match time in red-ball cricket, Jitesh has made a mark in the shortest formats over the past few years. After breaking through for Punjab Kings in 2023, Jitesh earned an India T20I debut during the Asian Games in October that year. He has featured in nine T20Is.Earlier this year, Jitesh played a key role as finisher for RCB at IPL 2025, including scoring a maiden half-century, an unbeaten 85, in a must-win against Lucknow Super Giants that helped them finish in the top two. He was vice-captain to Rajat Patidar, and also stood-in as captain when Patidar was injured towards the back end of the competition.Meanwhile, Jitesh’s IPL team-mate Swapnil Singh, RCB’s only RTM (right to match) at the mega auction, is set to move to Tripura. Swapnil didn’t feature in a single game for RCB and last played domestic cricket for Uttarakhand in 2024-25, picking up 18 wickets in five matches during the Ranji Trophy. His white-ball numbers were modest.Swapnil, a regular in the club cricket scene in Chennai, was most recently part of Chepauk Super Gillies in the Tamil Nadu Premier League 2025, picking up three wickets in eight matches while scoring 85 runs in eight games with the bat.

Ben Stokes, England’s captain, heaped praise on his opening pair of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley after their crucial final-day stand of 188, as history repeated itself with a spectacular 371-run chase in the first Test against India at Headingley.Three years after the two teams’ last meeting in England ended with Stokes’ men hunting down a record 378 to square the series at Edgbaston, this latest epic was sealed in the first over of the match’s final hour. Jamie Smith’s slog-swept six over wide long-on capped an unbroken 71-stand for the sixth wicket with Joe Root, who finished unbeaten on 53, after India had threatened a fightback with England at 302 for 5.The bulk of England’s work, however, had been done across the first two sessions, and Duckett was named Player of the Match for his scores of 62 in the first innings and a brilliant 149 from 170 balls in the second, an effort that spanned the first 55 overs of their chase.Related

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“It was unbelievable,” Stokes said at the post-match presentations. “Unless you’re involved in it, [it’s hard to know] the pressure of the fourth innings, going out there. Opening the batting is hard enough, especially in England. So that partnership that Zak and Ben got us off to was just incredible.”Those two complement each other so well. Obviously, Ducky got the big score that contributed towards us winning this game. But I thought the way that Zak was able to stay composed, and stay in the moment, and sense that Ducky was getting off to the flyer [was crucial].”Despite England’s recent reputation for aggression from the get-go, the pair took a more measured approach to this latest chase. Faced with the dangerous Jasprit Bumrah in gloomy morning conditions, they set themselves to build a platform through the morning session, and it was only when the change bowlers, Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur, entered the attack that Duckett accelerated through to a 66-ball half-century.”In that period, it was really important that me and Zak got through without losing any wickets,” Duckett said at the presentations. “It was pretty clear to us this morning. If we batted for the whole day [at the tempo that] we normally do, we’d probably get the total, so we didn’t overthink anything. Certainly we had to get through Jasprit’s first spell and that new ball, and from there on, we were just playing our natural games.”He’s a world-class bowler,” Duckett added, after England had denied Bumrah any wickets in the second innings, despite his brilliant five-for in the first.3:26

Harmison: Not sure India believed they could get Duckett out

“In that first innings, he was superb, so to limit his damage was massive for us. Our individuals are all going to go about it differently, but I thought we did play him very well today.”Despite the flourish with which they finished the Test, Duckett acknowledged that England “had been completely behind the eight-ball” at certain periods of the game, thanks to Bumrah’s brilliance as well as a total of five individual Indian centuries, including one in each innings for wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.However, Stokes was especially pleased with the spirit in adversity that his team showed, and singled out Josh Tongue’s key helpings of “rabbit-pie” in each innings, with his seven wickets helping to restrict India to 7 for 41 in the first innings, and 7 for 73 in the second.”There’s been a lot of skill that’s contributed towards us winning this Test match,” Stokes said, “but also the attitude that the team has showed towards this game.”We’ve been in the field for long periods of time twice throughout this game, but I thought every session we turned up with the attitude that we could blow this game open at any point. We always knew that we were only a couple wickets away from running through the pack, and Josh Tongue’s spells in both innings were massively game-changing.”2:38

Is Stokes’ bowling workload a worry?

England’s five-wicket victory was their sixth in a row at Headingley, dating back to 2018, and on each occasion they had bowled first.On this occasion, Stokes’ decision at the toss had looked like back-firing, with former England captain Michael Vaughan saying he was “staggered” at India being given first use after they finished the opening day on 359 for 3. Stokes, however, insisted that at no point had he second-guessed his call.”You don’t know what’s going to happen before a ball is bowled, you’ve got to go with what you think is going to give you the best chance of winning the game,” he said. “The wicket here on day one looked like there was a bit of grass on top of it. There was a bit of moisture underneath it.”We backed ourselves to win that toss and bowl first, and try and strike a couple of early poles. But the opposition is allowed to play well. This is international-level cricket, where the quality of players on either side are very good. We bowled pretty well on that first session. But India played incredible.”

A smart half century from Beth Mooney and a five-wicket haul for spinner Alana King have propelled Perth Scorchers to a 28-run WBBL win over Brisbane Heat at the WACA.Mooney rescued her side after a mid innings collapse left them precariously placed at 106 for 6 in the 17th over.Laura Harris (40 off 21) threatened to snatch victory from Scorchers, bludgeoning 16 in the space of four balls from spinner Amy Edgar in the 17th over, to leave the visitors needing 31 off the last three.But the end came quickly after King had Harris caught at long off. It was the first of three wicket in five balls, with just one run added, as Heat were dismissed for 114 with two overs left. King took all of the last four wickets as she returned her best WBBL figures.Scorchers improved to 2-1 and Heat dropped to 2-2.Scorchers were quite well placed at 81 for 2 in the 12th over, but lost 4 for 15 before Mooney boosted her side with some effective late hitting. She looked all at sea in the first over, playing and missing three times against impressive Indian quick Shikha Pandey.Mooney put on 40 in an opening stand with Sophie Devine. Devine struck some handsome offside boundaries before being yorked by Nadine de Klerk.Nicola Hancock induced two batters into mistiming a short ball and giving an easy catch.Mooney struck just three fours in her first 40 runs of steady accumulation, but went through the gears and into overdrive in the last three overs. The prolific left-hander struck five of her nine fours in that period as the Heat piled up 34 runs off the last three, before she was bowled behind her legs by Hancock off the last ball of the innings.Mooney appeared to injure a finger and handed the gloves over to England wicketkeeper Amy Jones halfway through Heat’s innings.Heat lost both openers in the powerplay and slumped to 38 for 3 in the sixth over, despite a typically belligerent start from opener Grace Harris.They looked out of contention at 87 for 7 after 15 overs, but Laura Harris made them sweat before King’s final over proved decisive.

Sam Konstas has continued to flag his strong potential as a superstar of the future, writing his name alongside Ricky Ponting in the history books with another Sheffield Shield century.The teenage opener put New South Wales in control of their clash with South Australia at Cricket Central in Sydney, compiling 105 from 225 balls after making 152 in a breakout first innings.The hosts declared at 282 for 6 late on day three, with South Australia 7 for 1 chasing 389 runs for victory on day four after Nathan Lyon struck early to dismiss Conor McInerney without scoring.Earlier, 19-year-old Konstas became the youngest player since Ponting to record two centuries in the same Shield game. Australia’s most successful Test captain achieved the feat as an 18-year-old playing for Tasmania against Western Australia in 1992-93.Konstas is the third youngest to do so in Shield history behind Ponting and Archie Jackson. Konstas beat Sir Donald Bradman who first achieved the feat as a 20-year-old.”Obviously very special,” Konstas said of the feat. “But hopefully we get the job done tomorrow and keep doing our basics well.”Konstas was given an extra life by Test wicketkeeper Alex Carey, who dropped a sitter before the teenager got off the mark on day three.Having also missed a stumping in the first innings, Carey saved face with a diving catch that dismissed Nic Maddinson and continued the opener’s meagre start to his second stint at NSW.But Konstas nevertheless made the visitors pay. He brought up his half-century off Lloyd Pope in the 37th over with a four that rushed past extra cover so fast that Jordan Buckingham needed to jump to avoid the fence as he chased the ball past the boundary.South Australia managed to slow Konstas down after tea as batting partners fell around him.”They had different plans, they were bowling a wider line,” Konstas said. “I had to be a bit ruthless and cop my medicine a bit.”But the teenager finally brought his century up as the final hour of play approached, smacking a six over deep midwicket from Ben Manenti’s bowling.South Australia finally removed him, with McInerney sprinting to long-on to catch him off Pope.Earlier, Lyon continued an impressive lead-in to the Test summer, finishing his first Shield innings of the summer with a five-for.Lyon ripped through the South Australian tail to ensure they were back in the sheds inside the first hour on day three, all out for 260.Nathan McAndrew skied Lyon to deep square leg before Pope nicked off two balls later and set the stage for NSW to extend their lead, which was already 106 runs at the innings break.Lyon expects to play two more matches for NSW ahead of the five-match Test series against India that begins in Perth late next month.

Sanath Jayasuriya’s contract as men’s head coach is likely to be extended for a year, following his success with the Sri Lanka team over the past few months. The team has beaten India in an ODI series, won a Test at The Oval, and another in Galle against New Zealand since he took over as interim coach in early July.Sri Lanka Cricket had advertised the permanent head coach position following Chris Silverwood’s exit in late June. But with at least two of Sri Lanka’s three sides showing signs of improvement under Jayasuriya, SLC has initiated the process to bring Jayasuriya in on a longer term.”We are in the final stages of negotiating the contract with him,” board CEO Ashley de Silva told ESPNcricinfo. “Probably in the next two or three days you will get to hear more.”Related

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Jayasuriya had originally been appointed cricket consultant for one year in December last year, a role that would have mostly had him working with the High Performance Centre. But he traveled with the team to this year’s T20 World Cup, and subsequently took the head coach role.Under him, there have also been a T20I series loss against India, plus two Test defeats in England. But the successes have outweighed these. Sri Lanka are now in the hunt for a World Test Championship final place, and Jayasuriya’s next contract will take the team past the end of the ongoing cycle.Feedback from players has also been positive, with Angelo Mathews – the most experienced player in the Test side – having described Jayasuriya taking over the team as a “turning point”.”Sanath Jayasuriya was superb as cricket director and now as coach,” he said. “He communicates well and has given us a lot of freedom. We are all working towards one goal, and now everyone is on the same page. He’s also done a superb job grooming the players. He has been amazing. I wish him all the very best.”Jayasuriya had previously been chief selector in two different stints in the last decade, but these had largely been defined by modest performances from the men’s team. There has been more stability during his ongoing assignment, however.

Lewis Goldsworthy hit a career-best 115 not out as Somerset progressed to the final of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup with a 23-run victory over holders Leicestershire Foxes at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.The hosts posted 334 for 4 after losing the toss, Goldsworthy blasting five sixes and six fours in a brilliant 86-ball innings against the team he represented on loan in this season’s Vitality Blast. James Rew contributed 71 and Andy Umeed 57.In reply, Leicestershire made 311 for 9, Peter Handscomb leading the way with 111 off 86 balls, including 13 fours and two sixes, while Ben Cox hit 49. Somerset go forward to face Glamorgan in the final at Trent Bridge on September 22.Somerset openers Umeed and George Thomas took time to assess the pace of the pitch with a solid stand of 91 in 19 overs. It ended when Thomas, on 47, departed lbw to Tom Scriven falling across his stumps, having struck seven fours.Umeed’s half-century was the tenth in his last 15 One-Day Cup innings. His 76-ball knock concluded when he tried to lift a ball from Roman Walker over mid-on and was well caught by the back-pedalling Ian Holland above his head.After 30 overs, Somerset were becalmed on 135 for 2. But Goldsworthy and Rew soon began to raise the tempo, Goldsworthy going to fifty off 52 balls and Rew quickly following off 44.The pair had taken the score to 251 in the 44th over when Rew was superbly caught by the diving Louis Kimber on the midwicket boundary off Chris Wright. By then Goldsworthy was in full flight, smashing two of his sixes in the same Holland over as Somerset plundered 119 off the last ten overs of their innings.Goldsworthy, the 23-year-old Cornishman, raised his second List A century off 79 deliveries and he went past his previous career-best score of 111 with a pulled four off Walker. Skipper Sean Dickson made a rapid 18 and Ben Green, another Leicestershire loanee this summer, cleared the ropes off Walker.Peter Handscomb’s century was not enough for Leicestershire•MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images

It was Somerset’s highest-ever List A total against Leicestershire. But soon Sol Budinger and Holland were eating into it, putting on 54 in eight overs before Budinger, on 33, pulled a catch to deep square off Josh Davey.Holland and Lewis Hill then accumulated sensibly and had taken the total to 92 in the 17th over when Hill top-edged a pull off Green to be caught for 19. Holland followed in Green’s next over, bowled by a slower ball that kept low, having moved comfortably to 40.Green struck a third and vitally important blow when Ajinkya Rahane pulled a short ball straight to substitute fielder Ned Leonard at deep backward square and Leicestershire were in disarray at 106 for 4 in the 21st over.Kasey Aldridge bowled his first five overs for 11 runs to increase the pressure and at halfway in their innings the Foxes were 126 for 4, needing a further 209 at more than eight an over.While Handscomb was going strong there was hope. The experienced Aussie went to a 42-ball half-century with a six off Goldsworthy, whose second over went for 18 runs. Cox provided impressive support as the fifth-wicket partnership reached the century mark off 13.4 overs.Aldridge switched to the Marcus Trecothick Pavilion End to have Cox caught behind, having faced 55 balls. Kimber quickly followed, skying a catch off Jack Leach to long-on and Aldridge took a steepling caught and bowled to remove Liam Trevaskis.Scriven provided some belligerent blows and Handscomb went to a deserved hundred by lofting Aldridge over mid-off for four, having faced 75 balls. But when he holed out to long-on off Davey with 42 still needed, Leicestershire were a spent force.

For the second consecutive day, South Africa’s batters showed great grit to stay in the game after being put on the back foot by the India bowlers in the one-off women’s Test in Chennai. If Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp fought hard on the second day after India declared at 603 for 6, Luus was at it again on Sunday, in the company of Laura Wolvaardt this time, which helped South Africa cut down the deficit to 105 runs after they were bowled out for 266 in the first innings.At stumps on the third day, South Africa were 232 for 2 in their second innings, with Luus scoring her first Test hundred and Wolvaardt remaining unbeaten on 93. South Africa will hope for more of the same on the fourth and final day to push the game to a draw.Related

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It was an eventful opening session for India on a hazy morning where Sneh Rana’s sensational bowling on a pitch offering more turn fetched her five wickets – to go with three from Saturday – to give her figures of 8 for 77. South Africa lost six wickets for 30 runs after starting the day on 236 for 4.Rana got the first breakthrough in her third over, the fifth of the day, when she dismissed a well-set Kapp for 74 with an almost unplayable delivery. Kapp was done in by the extra bounce as the ball, after pitching on off and middle, popped up to beat her outside edge and take the top of off stump. This triggered a collapse as three balls later, Rana removed Sinalo Jafta, who inside-edged one to Shubha Satheesh at short leg.Three overs later, Deepti Sharma picked up her second wicket. This time the ball stayed low when debutant Annerie Dercksen missed with her prod and was hit on her back pad. South Africa took the review but it was in vain. In the following over, Rana took her sixth when Nadine de Klerk perished whipping towards square leg where Rajeshwari Gayakwad dived in front to complete the catch. No. 7 and No. 8 came soon after as Rana finished off the innings.Rana became only the second Indian woman to pick up eight wickets in an innings in Test cricket after Neetu David, now India’s chair of selectors, who took 8 for 53 in a two-run loss against England in Jamshedpur in 1995.Sneh Rana finished with a career-best 8 for 77 in the first innings•BCCI

India enforced the follow-on with South Africa 337 runs behind. They then lost Anneke Bosch early to low bounce when she was trapped in front by Deepti in the first over. But Wolvaardt nailed her cover drives and looked assured in her approach.At lunch, South Africa were 29 for 1. India struggled from that point, going wicketless for close to 66 overs across the second and third sessions.In this period, Luus and Wolvaardt shared a mammoth 190-run partnership for the second wicket to provide South Africa hope of a draw. It was South Africa’s highest partnership for any wicket in women’s Tests.South Africa came out in 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. Luus, who made 65 off 164 balls in the first innings, carried forward that form and temperament, moving to 64 off 121 balls at the end of the second session.Having been trapped lbw to one that kept low from Rana in the first innings, Wolvaardt used the depth of the crease more in the second dig. She pulled short deliveries through square leg and drove the fuller ones to long-on.Deepti Sharma dropped Marizanne Kapp off her own bowling in the last over of the day•BCCI

India toiled hard to break the stand with Harmanpreet Kaur trying as many as seven bowlers, including herself. But they weren’t disciplined with their lengths and speeds. Perhaps not being used to such a long time in the middle affected them. Deepti also dropped two catches – Kapp benefitting both times – in the last two overs of the day. The first was at slip off a Rana delivery that Kapp edged, and the second was a straightforward return catch.Wolvaardt and Luus, though, reaped the rewards of patience on a pitch that got slower after the first session.Consuming more than 200 balls meant Luus and Wolvaardt also had gotten used to the low bounce, with only the odd delivery popping up in the last two sessions of the day. Luus spent 234 minutes at the crease, hitting 18 fours. When she reached her half-century, Luus brought out the rocking-baby-cradle celebration, a gesture for the team’s strength and conditioning coach Zane Webster, who is an expectant father. She scored her maiden century in the final session, and became only the second South African to score a hundred in India in women’s Tests.The huge stand was finally broken by Harmanpreet when she cleaned up Luus in the 74th over. The low bounce came to her aid as Luus went back to pull but missed.With Kapp at the other end, Wolvaardt marched on to finish unbeaten. That has raised hopes of a South African lead on the last day, a scenario that looked near-impossible at the start of Sunday.For India, Jemimah Rodrigues was off the field for a majority of the last two sessions because of cramps.