THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2015 SPORTS

NAGPUR: India’s wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (C) and Virat Kohli (R) appeal unsuccessfully for a stumping against South Africa’s Imran Tahir (L) during play on the first day of the third Test match between India and South Africa at The Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur yesterday. — AFP Morkel, Harmer skittle India on dicey pitch

NAGPUR: Morne Morkel and Simon Harmer that already shows cracks and continues to dete- Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay in the morning bamboozled India with pace and spin on a tricky riorate fast. session which ended with India on 85 for two. SCOREBOARD but South Africa also suffered early blows Morkel made up for the absence of his unfit Dhawan and Vijay put on 50 for the first wick- in the third Test in Nagpur yesterday. Off-spin- speed partner Dale Steyn to negate India’s initial et before South Africa hit back to remove both Scoreboard at stumps on the first day in the third Test between India and South Africa on yesterday in ner Harmer claimed four for 78 and fast advantage of first, but then himself batsmen in the space of 19 runs. Left-arm spin- Nagpur, India. bowler Morkel took three for 35 as the Proteas limped off the field while his 17th over ner Dean Elgar took a low return catch to dismiss bowled India out for 215 in the post-tea session in the final session. Dhawan for 12 before Morkel got rid of the set- India 1st innings 7-1; I. Tahir 12.5-1-41-1; J. Duminy 1-0-6-0. of the first day’s play. tled Vijay for 40. Vijay smashed Harmer for the M. Vijay lbw b M. Morkel 40 South Africa 1st innings South Africa, seeking a series-levelling win, ‘Test won’t last five days’ first six of the match and also hit three fours S. Dhawan c&b Elgar 12 D. Elgar 7 had plodded to 11 for two by stumps, setting Harmer said he was happy to bowl on a pitch before he was trapped plumb in front of the C. Pujara lbw b Harmer 21 S. van Zyl c Rahane b Ashwin 0 the stage for an exciting battle ahead on a dusty that helps slow bowlers and predicted the Test wicket by a full-length from Morkel. V. Kohli c Vilas b M. Morkel 22 I. Tahir b Jadeja 4 A. Rahane b M. Morkel 13 H. Amla not out 0 and dry pitch at the VCA stadium. Off-spinner would be over before the fifth day. “This wicket Cheteshwar Pujara, who was unbeaten on 18 Ro. Sharma c de Villiers b Harmer 2 Extras 0 Ravichandran Ashwin had opener Stiaan van Zyl is not prepared to last five days, there is bound at lunch, added just three more after the break W. Saha c Duminy b Harmer 32 Total (for 2 wickets, 9 overs) 11 caught in the slips for a duck before nightwatch- to be a result,” the off-spinner said. before playing back to Harmer to be leg-before. R. Jadeja b Rabada 34 Fall of wickets: 1-4 S. van Zyl, 2-9 I. Tahir man Imran Tahir was bowled by Ravindra Jadeja “In South Africa we prepare pitches that suit Ajinkya Rahane brought up India’s 100 with a six R. Ashwin b Tahir 15 To bat: A. de Villiers, J. Duminy, D. Vilas, K. Rabada, for four. our type of cricket. So this does not surprise us off Harmer but his off-stump was sent cart- A. Mishra lbw b Harmer 3 S. Harmer, M. Morkel, F. du Plessis At stumps Dean Elgar was unbeaten on seven at all. But being a spinner, I like bowling on such wheeling by Morkel when he reached 13. I. Sharma not out 0 Bowling: and skipper Hashim Amla had yet to score. India wickets.” India’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar said Morkel then had skipper Virat Kohli caught Extras (b-15 lb-3 nb-1 w-2) 21 I. Sharma 2 - 1 - 4 - 0 were reduced to 125-6 after winning the toss, it was too soon to predict the outcome. behind by Dane Vilas for 22 and Harmer had Total (all out, 78.2 overs) 215 R. Ashwin 4 - 2 - 5 - 1 before the last four wickets added 90 runs that “This is a challenging wicket to score runs on,” Rohit Sharma caught at short-leg for two to Fall of wickets: 1-50 S. Dhawan, 2-69 M. Vijay, 3-94 R. Jadeja 3 - 1 - 2 - 1 included a 48-run stand for the seventh wicket said Bangar. “This has been a low-scoring series, leave the hosts reeling on 125-6. The tourists, C. Pujara, 4-115 A. Rahane, 5-116 V. Kohli, 6-125 Referees between Jadeja (34) and wicketkeeper but it is too early to say how this match will go. who lost the first Test in Mohali before the rain- Ro. Sharma, 7-173 R. Jadeja, 8-201 W. Saha, 9-215 : Ian Gould Wriddhiman Saha (32). Opener Murali Vijay top- “There is a lot of time left in the match, so any- hit second game in Bangalore was drawn, need R. Ashwin, 10-215 A. Mishra Umpire: Bruce Oxenford scored with 40, but none of the other five spe- thing can happen.” The Proteas, who would have a win to take the series into the decider in New Bowling: M. Morkel 16.1-7-35-3(nb-1); K. Rabada TV umpire: Anil Chaudhary cialist batsmen crossed 22 on a first-day pitch batted had they won the toss, removed openers Delhi starting December 3. —AFP 17-8-30-1(w-2); S. Harmer 27.2-2-78-4; D. Elgar 4-0- Match referee: Jeff Crowe Starc in the pink for historic day-night Test

ADELAIDE: looms as 1970s and the glitzy for- ball and also under lights it tends to tention alongside Lyon. O’Keefe Australia’s big weapon with the all- mat in the last decade. swing a little bit more,” Australia has taken 18 wickets for New South new pink ball as ven- Tactics are expected to be dra- spinner said of the Wales in three pink-ball Sheffield tures into the unknown with the matically affected with the new ball, pink ball. “I’m a big fan of bowling Shield games at the Adelaide Oval, first ever day-night Test against New coloured pink to help visibility, with the pink ball because they and he has no doubt the third Test Zealand in Adelaide starting tomor- expected to swing freely during the (batsmen) can’t see the seam so it’s will produce a result. row. night session-conditions which going to be interesting times.” “In my opinion this is the best The performance of the ball, and should bring Starc to the fore. Starc, Australia hold a 1-0 lead after win- ground to play with the pink ball,” the success of Test cricket under Australia’s premier paceman since ning by 208 runs in Brisbane, mean- O’Keefe said. “I think that is a result floodlights, will be closely watched retired after the ing the Kiwis can level the series if wicket out there, without a doubt.” in what could be a breakthrough in second Test in Perth, grabbed three they win in Adelaide. Black Caps Phillip Hughes attracting more fans to the strug- wickets with lively swing in an coach Mike Hesson said both sides AC/DC gling five-day format. Ticket sales evening session of a domestic will be keen to bowl at night, some- , who hit twin cen- A year on: Hughes and the have been promising, with a first- Sheffield Shield match in Adelaide thing which will affect strategy turies in Brisbane and a maiden day crowd of up to 40,000 expect- earlier this season. Starc also including declarations. “There’s def- double-ton in Perth, believes a delivery that changed cricket ed-compared with 16,000 the last bowled the fastest ever Test deliv- initely something to that (declaring switch to the pink ball and a likely time the two sides met in Adelaide ery of 160.4kilometres per hour to bowl at night), if you think that’s grassy Adelaide Oval pitch may tilt MELBOURNE: Cricket has changed in Australia mates agree the game is different now. A num- in 2008. TV audiences should also (99.7 mph) during the drawn sec- the best chance to take a few early the balance to the bowlers. in the 12 months since Phillip Hughes was ber of senior players have since retired from be higher with play continuing until ond Test, and he could be crucial as wickets,” he said. “There’ll definitely “The last two wickets have been felled by a rising delivery that ultimately led to international cricket, Johnson being the most 9:00 pm local time. Australia look to seal the three-Test be some tactical plays throughout very batter-friendly,” Warner said. his death. Hughes, who played 26 tests for recent of a line that includes former skipper The first day-night match in 138 series. the Test.” Australia are contemplat- “It’s going to be a different story Australia, died three days short of his 26th Michael Clarke, allrounder and years of Tests is one of cricket’s rare ing playing two spinners with playing here and I think you’ll see birthday of a brain hemorrhage on Nov 27, wicketkeeper - who all played in innovations, and follows the advent ‘Can’t see the seam’ Stephen O’Keefe’s record in the ball move around a bit off the 2014, two days after he was struck under the provincial and national teams with Hughes. of one-day internationals in the “It usually swings with the new Adelaide bringing him into con- wicket.” Ground staff have had their rear of his batting helmet by a short-pitch ball “The game has changed for me forever. It’s work cut out after a rock concert by while playing for South Australia against New not what it was,” said recalled spin bowler Steve AC/DC at the Oval on Saturday, put- South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground. O’Keefe, who was who was fielding for New ting a drop-in pitch in place and His death stunned the international cricket South Wales when Hughes was struck. community, causing an outpouring of grief replacing some 800 square metres from players, officials and from the general Emotions (8,600 square feet) of outfield. public - tens of thousands of fans around O’Keefe told a news conference in Adelaide, James Pattinson, who has strug- Australia showed solidarity in mourning by where Australia will take on New Zealand in the gled with injuries, is expected to putting their cricket bats on display outside first day-night cricket test match starting play his first Test since March 2014, their homes as a tribute. tomorrow, that his perspective changed. while has another While new safety measures such as “You’re playing a game that’s supposed to be chance to prove his worth at Test improved batting helmets are the obvious fun and you’re supposed to be in a great con- level as he replaces injured batsman legacy of Hughes’ passing, others are more sub- test, and then in the blink of a ball it completely Usman Khawaja. New Zealand have tle but affect the very culture of cricket. Fast changes on you,” he said. “I just hope in my life- Neil Wagner in line to replace Trent bowlers, by and large, tend no longer to aim to time that I never have to see anything like that Boult if the key paceman succumbs intimidate batsmen with head-high bouncers, again, and we can remember Phil Hughes for to a back injury. and spectators no longer rejoice in pacemen what he was, which was a great bloke and an serving up “chin music” or cheer when a bats- even better player.” Teams man is hit. The schedule for Australia’s 2014-15 home Australia (from) - David Warner, Recently retired strike bowler Mitchell series against India was redrafted in the wake Joe Burns, (capt), Shaun Johnson, one of cricket’s most feared pacemen, of Hughes’ death, with the emotional opening Marsh, , Mitch Marsh, told Australian Broadcasting Corp. television test played at Adelaide Oval, the same venue that Hughes’ death made him question the way where the Australia vs. New Zealand test will Peter Nevill, Mitchell Starc, Josh he played the game. start on the first anniversary of the batsman’s Hazlewood, James Pattinson, “I had that (2013-2014) Ashes series where I passing. In that match last year, Australia play- Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Peter was really aggressive and bowling a lot of short ers wore No. 408 - Hughes’ test cap number - Siddle. New Zealand (from) - Tom balls and I did hit players,” he said, reflecting on with black armbands on their shirts. Hughes Latham, Martin Guptill, Kane the summer before Hughes died. The death, he was 63 not out late on Nov. 25, 2014 when Williamson, Ross Taylor, Brendon added, “made me think, was I doing the right fatally injured at the SCG. The Adelaide Oval McCullum (capt), BJ Watling, Mark thing? You know, was I playing in the spirit of crowd offered 63 seconds of applause in his ADELAIDE: Austalia’s Peter Nevill, right, reaches for a ball during training at the Adelaide Oval ahead of Craig, Doug Bracewell, Matt Henry, the game?” honor before the start of play in the next test their cricket test against New Zealand in Adelaide, yesterday. The test starting tomorrow will be the first Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil While Johnson eventually came to terms match, and a large number 408 was painted on ever day/night cricket test match. — AP Wagner. —AFP with his intimidating style, his former team- the field in tribute.—AP