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Left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann has been reported for a suspect action following Australia’s Test series in Sri Lanka.Kuhnemann, who claimed 16 wickets in the two matches in Galle, will now have to undergo independent testing at an ICC-accredited centre with Brisbane the likely location. Bowlers are permitted 15 degrees of flex in their actions.Related

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It is the first time in a professional career which began in 2017 that Kuhnemann’s action has been called into question. He is able to continue playing domestic cricket while his action is assessed and while he hasn’t been included in Tasmania’s squad for Thursday’s One-Day Cup match he could feature in the next of the Sheffield Shield.Should he fail the assessment in the coming weeks he would be banned from bowling until remedial work is undertaken and the corrections are approved.”The Australian team was notified of the match officials’ referral following the second Test against Sri Lanka in Galle and will support Matt through the process of clearing this matter,” a CA spokesperson said.”Matt has played 124 professional matches since his debut in 2017, including five Test matches and four One-Day Internationals. He has played 55 Big Bash League games since 2018.”This is the first time in those eight years of professional cricket that his action has been questioned.Matt Kuhnemann played a major part in Australia’s success•Getty Images

“Cricket Australia will liaise closely with the ICC and independent experts in line with ICC regulations. No further comment will be made by Cricket Australia or Matthew until the matter is resolved.”Kuhnemann was lauded as Australia’s best bowler in the Sri Lanka series by Nathan Lyon after the duo teamed up to take 30 off the 40 wickets in the 2-0 series sweep.He faced a race against time to be fit for the tour after breaking his thumb in the BBL in mid-January but made a remarkable recovery to be able to take his place in the side.There were no concerns raised about Kuhnemann’s action in the first Test.An ICC media release said: “Australia’s left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann has been reported with a suspect bowling action during the second match of their ICC World Test Championship series against Sri Lanka in Galle.”The match officials’ report cited concerns about the legality of the 28-year-old’s bowling action. Kuhnemann will undergo an Independent Assessment of his bowling action at an ICC Accredited Testing facility to determine the legality of his bowling action.”Kuhnemann has taken 25 wickets in five Tests at an average of 22.20.

It’s ending how it began, with a match between defending champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape (SEC) and highly-rated but underachieving Mumbai Indians Cape Town (MICT). And this time it’s in the final.There will be either a new winner or the same one crowned in front of a full house at South Africa’s premier cricket venue: the Wanderers, where no rain is forecast. What more could anyone want? A close game, perhaps. If there is one criticism of this edition of the SA20 it’s that result margins have been too big with only six tight matches out of 30 in the group stage – defined as games won by 10 or fewer runs of with six or fewer balls to spare – and one of the three qualifiers. No one quite knows why and SEC captain Aiden Markram put it down to either “coincidence,” or “guys are getting really big scores and then to chase it down is tough or starting badly with the bat,” and hoped for a “close, entertaining,” last match.Whether he really means that is doubtful after SEC had to play two games in two days to come through the Eliminator and Qualifier 2, and will now play a third in four days. Are they exhausted? “There are pros and cons,” Markram said. “We’re starting to do some good things and we’ve got answers to some questions. But the other side of it is rest and being completely fresh physically and mentally for the final.”Related

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The break Markram spoke of was the privilege of MICT, who had three days off. Rashid Khan confirmed he used the downtime to “just sit in my room and watch Netflix a lot.” His series of choice? “Prison Break. It gives you an idea of how to get out of difficulties.” How so? “Sometimes you forget as a captain so I have the idea to write things on my arm where you can write what’s going to happen in the next over.”It’s been done, of course. There are incidents of captains having so many team changes that they’ve written them on their palms and Scotland’s Mark Watt famously remembered his tactics with a cheat sheet that he pulled out of his pocket at the 2022 T20 World Cup and though Rashid may joke about it, he is unlikely to need it.MICT have been, by a distance, the most clinical of the six teams in this edition of the SA20. They won seven of their 10 league games – no team has won more in the group stage – qualified directly for the final on their first attempt and have completely turned themselves around from the team that finished last in the previous two editions. With a squad laden with players from the Highveld (Ryan Rickelton, Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Kagiso Rabada, Connor Esterhuizen and Delano Potgieter have all played at the Lions while Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis and Thomas Kaber all play down the road at the Titans), some would go as far as to say they are favourites, but they’d do that at their peril.Rashid Khan’s MI Cape Town have been the most clinical of the six teams this edition•SA20

After three losses from their opening three games, SEC are one of the last two standing. They’ve dug deep and scrapped, had their reserves tested and relied heavily on their two biggest national names: South Africa’s T20 captain Markram and premier allrounder Marco Jansen but they’re on track for a three-peat. If they do that, they will draw comparisons with South Africa’s national rugby team, the Springboks, who have won the World Cup three times and are seen as the ultimate symbol of national success. Not bad company to keep, but first they’ll need to overcome some challenges. We outline the main match-ups here.The batters: Test openers vs T20 stars The first clear point of difference between the finalists is how their opening pairs have performed. MICT, who have mostly used Rickelton and van der Dussen, had the leading top two of the group phase, with 523 runs and an average of 58.11. SEC had the least successful opening partnership, who averaged just 12.40.Both Rickelton and van der Dussen’s entire domestic careers have been played at the Wanderers, which is an obvious advantage. “To have those players around where they give you the best information and the ideas about the wicket and the conditions, is so great,” Rashid said.While SEC’s Tony de Zorzi grew up on the Highveld, both he and David Bedingham play at the coast (Cape Town, ironically) and neither are what you would call obvious T20 picks. Bedingham acknowledged to ESPNcricinfo that he is still trying to find the sweet spot in his short-format game while de Zorzi showed glimpses of it in his 49-ball 78 in Qualifier 2 against Paarl Royals. Both are in fairly good touch, which bodes well for Markram, especially as he has taken a personal interest in de Zorzi’s development.Tony de Zorzi played a match-winning knock in the Qualifier 2•SA20

“He’s a hell of a player but most importantly, I think he’s a really strong character mentally. He sets high standards and he’s mentally very strong as well,” he said. “Over the last few years he’s been playing some really good cricket and been scoring massive runs. I’m really chuffed for him last night that he did well and could sort of now just settle down and get into the competition just before the final. He’ll feel a bit more comfortable at the crease now.”This idea that the competition only starts at the end is something de Zorzi said Markram had mentioned before the knockouts, as a way to remind the team that everything they’ve done to get here is just preparation. The real test is now.The bowlers: Battle of the seamers (keep an eye on Ottneil Baartman and Corbin Bosch) Although the Wanderers has turned this season, it is known as the pace paradise in South African cricket and SEC, in particular, will hope it plays to reputation. Their seamers were the most successful of the group stage with 41 wickets and Marco Jansen – his height advantage means he often gets extra bounce and the regularity with which he takes wickets in the powerplay has made him the most difficult bowler to face across the tournament.Corbin Bosch has stood out for MICT•SA20

But pressure has not always been his friend and, by his own admission, he gets nervous in big moments and this one could be bigger than he thinks. SEC are sweating on the fitness of Ottneil Baartman, who left the field in his fourth over in Qualifier 2, and was assessed on Friday. His participation is in doubt, which could open the door for 21-year old Andile Simelane to play but would cost SEC experience.On MICT’s side, they have Rabada and Trent Boult but their leading seamer is Corbin Bosch, with 10 wickets. There’s extra motivation for him to show what he can do in the final: South Africa have yet to name a replacement for Anrich Nortje in their Champions Trophy squad and with Gerald Coetzee injured, Bosch is the front-runner. He offers pace, with speeds above 145kph, and a good showing in a crunch match will make him impossible to ignore.The coaches: Adi Birrell and Robbie P The people behind the scenes have no direct impact on what will happen on the field but the work they’ve done has helped put the teams in this position and has to be acknowledged.For SEC, Adi Birrell has masterminded two titles and has them on the brink of a third and his players are never short of praise for the kind of change-room environment he has created. “He’s seen so many things but just remains really calm, almost like a grandfather figure for us,” Markram said, quickly realising his terminology may not be seen as complimentary by his 64-year old coach. “He’s going to hate me but he knows anyone can chat to him, he manages each individual in the team with a lot of care which the players really appreciate and his values are really strong. He’s one of the best for sure.”MICT’s Robin Peterson has endured a tough two seasons but after first tasting success at the MLC with MI New York, where Rashid was also his captain, he has transferred to the SA20. “He is someone who always gives you that positive energy and that’s what you need as a captain,” Rashid said. “With him, I have that very good understanding and I’ve learned so many things from him. He keeps the environment very positive which is something which really helped in MLC and here as well.”

India captain Rohit Sharma has “chosen to rest” from the fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, according to Jasprit Bumrah who will lead the team in Sydney. Shubman Gill replaced Rohit in the XI and will slot in at No. 3.The issue of the change in leadership was not addressed directly at the toss at the SCG, with Bumrah only saying: “Our captain has shown his leadership as well, he has chosen to rest from this game. It shows the unity within the team.” Bumrah had captained India to victory in the first Test of the series in Perth when Rohit was on paternity leave.Rohit had been a peripheral presence as India went through their final preparations ahead of the first ball in Sydney. He and the rest of the team arrived at the ground at 9am but it wasn’t till 15 minutes later that he stepped onto the outfield at the SCG. By that time, Bumrah had gone up to the pitch, got through a spot-bowling routine and checked in with Gautam Gambhir. Rohit stepped onto the ground at 9.15am. He too made a beeline for the pitch, bending down and pressing his hands into it. He played a bit of football with Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant. He was conspicuously quiet at the team huddle with Gambhir and Virat Kohli doing the talking. Finally he left the field at 9.40am, just before the toss. The reserve players and the support staff lined up on the edge of the boundary for the national anthems but Rohit wasn’t with them.Sunil Gavaskar said Rohit’s Test career was likely over. “I think it probably means that [if] India don’t qualify for the WTC final, the Melbourne Test will be Rohit Sharma’s last game,” Gavaskar said during the lunch break on day one. The [next] WTC cycle will start with the England series, and the selectors would likely want someone available for the 2027 final. Whether India gets there or not is another matter, but that’s is what the selection committee is likely to do. We have probably seen Rohit Sharma for the last time in Test cricket.”Ravi Shastri was also of the same opinion. “If there was a home season coming up he might’ve thought of carrying on, but I think he might just pull the plug at the end of this Test,” he said on commentary. “He’s not getting younger … it’s not that India don’t have youngsters. There are very, very good players in the wings and it’s time to build. Tough decisions, but there is a time for everything.”Speculation around Rohit’s place in the team began after India lost the fourth Test in Melbourne, where he made scores of 3 and 9, as reports emerged that he was planning to retire from the format at the end of the series. On the eve of the fifth Test, India coach Gautam Gambhir did not confirm or deny whether Rohit would play in Sydney – he only said the XI would be decided after taking a look at the pitch. Rohit did not have as active a training session as some of his team-mates.He was subsequently left out of a Test that India must win to draw the series and avoid handing over the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia for the first time in ten years. After joining the squad midway through the Perth Test following the birth of his son, Rohit gave up his opening position to KL Rahul, who had played a crucial role at the top of the order as India took a 1-0 lead in the series.But after scoring only 3, 6 and 10 in the middle order in the second and third Tests, Rohit moved back to open at the MCG but suffered two failures again, leaving his average for the series a paltry 6.2 after five innings. He had averaged only 13.30 in ten innings against Bangladesh and New Zealand during the home season before the Australia tour.Rohit’s year in Test cricket had started positively, with two hundreds and a fifty in India’s 4-1 victory at home against England between January and March. He then captained India to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup in June, after which he retired from that format, and it was only in September that his form dipped sharply.If Rohit’s Test career does end with this Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he finishes with 4301 runs at an average of 40.57 with 12 hundreds and 18 half-centuries in 67 Tests. His was a career of two parts. The first one began with tremendous promise, with centuries in his first two Test innings against West Indies in Kolkata and Mumbai, but he was unable to find consistent success in the middle order and was in and out of the side. In 2019, with India needing a new Test opener, Rohit was promoted to the top of the order and it’s there that he enjoyed his best phase as a Test batter – 2697 runs at an average of 42.80 with nine hundreds. He took over as Test captain after Virat Kohli resigned in early 2022 and led India in 24 matches.

Fast bowler Arundhati Reddy has been dropped from India’s white-ball squads for the West Indies series. The hosts have handed maiden call-ups to Nandini Kashyap and Raghvi Bist for the T20Is, while Pratika Rawal and Tanuja Kanwar have been called up for the ODIs.Opener Shafali Verma continues to miss out from both squads after being dropped for the ODIs against Australia. D Hemalatha goes out from the T20I squad that played the T20 World Cup in October while Radha Yadav, who was the highest wicket-taker in the one-dayers against New Zealand at home, has missed out for the ODIs.Yastika Bhatia, Shreyanka Patil and Priya Punia remain unavailable due to injuries.Priya Mishra, Uma Chetry, Saima Thakor, Minnu Mani and Titas Sadhu have been included in both squads.Reddy has been left out of the squad despite finishing as India’s joint-highest wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup, with seven wickets in four games. Having been picked for the Australia ODIs, she played only the third ODI where she finished with figures of 4 for 26, running through the hosts’ top order. ESPNcricinfo understands that Reddy has been asked to play in the ongoing domestic Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy, where she represents Hyderabad.Wicketkeeper-batter Kashyap was the leading run-scorer for Uttarakhand and the third-highest overall in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy this year, with 247 runs in seven innings, including a 117 not out against Pondicherry. Her domestic team-mate Bist, made an impression during India A’s one-day series against Australia A in August in Mackay, scoring three consecutive half-centuries, including a match-winning 53 in the third one-dayer. Picked in Team E for the Senior Women’s T20 Challenger Trophy, she smashed a 51-ball 71 in the final against Team A to help her side to the title in November this year.Rawal, meanwhile, first came into the spotlight in 2021 when she hit an unbeaten 155-ball 161 to take Delhi into the knockouts of the domestic one-day competition. Earlier this year, she was part of Delhi’s run to the semi-final of the Under-23 One-Day Trophy, where she finished as the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer with 411 runs in seven innings.Left-arm spinner Kanwar (26) has played four T20Is for India. She was also part of the India A series against Australia.The West Indies series will begin with three T20Is in Navi Mumbai from December 15. The teams will then play three ODIs in Vadodara on December 22, 24 and 27.

India’s T20I squad vs West Indies

Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Nandini Kashyap, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sajeevan Sajana, Raghvi Bist, Renuka Thakur, Priya Mishra, Titas Sadhu, Saima Thakor, Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav

India’s ODI squad

Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Richa Ghosh (wk), Uma Chetry (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Tanuja Kanwer, Titas Sadhu, Saima Thakor, Renuka Thakur

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.