India Rattle South Africa Despite Hamza Flurry

South Africa battled Monday to avoid the follow-on against India, with a defiant Zubayr Hamza making 62 on the third day of the third Test

Ranchi, India, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st Oct, 2019 ) :South Africa battled Monday to avoid the follow-on against India, with a defiant Zubayr Hamza making 62 on the third day of the third Test.

India's bowlers reduced South Africa to 129 for six at lunch, still 169 short of being forced to bat again as they chased India's 497-9 declared in Ranchi. George Linde, on 10, and Dane Piedt, on four were at the crease.

Paceman Umesh Yadav struck first in the opening over to get South African skipper Faf du Plessis bowled on his overnight score of one after the Proteas resumed on nine for two.

But a defiant Hamza hit a flurry of boundaries and put on 91 runs with Temba Bavuma, who made 32, for the fourth wicket.

Hamza, playing just his second Test after making his debut against Pakistan in Johannesburg in January, completed his maiden fifty with a six off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

Ravindra Jadeja broke the stand after getting Hamza bowled on a delivery that spun, skidded and stayed low to rattle the leg stump. The left-arm spinner also bowled Heinrich Klaasen for six.

Bavuma was stumped by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha.

Rohit Sharma put India in command of the third Test with his maiden Test double century on Sunday. He made 212. India are already 2-0 up in the three-match series.