Morkel shines but India extends lead to 329 at tea on day 3
NEW DELHI (AP) South Africa paceman Morne Morkel took three wickets as India steadily increased its lead to 329 runs, going to tea at 116-4 on the third day Saturday of the fourth and final test.
Captain Virat Kohli (39) and Ajinkya Rahane (22) were the not out batsmen.
The home side was rattled by Morkel early on when he took two wickets in the morning session, but the buffer of a 213-run first-innings lead ensured there was no panic.
In a hard-fought second session, Morkel dismissed left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan for 21 with a yorker, while Cheteshwar Pujara was bowled by legspinner Imran Tahir for 28.
Kohli, who has struck five fours, was adjudged caught behind off Tahir on 5 but asked to bat on after replays showed the delivery was a no-ball.
Earlier, Morkel bowled a productive spell of seven overs with the new ball during which he often troubled the batsmen.
Morkel dismissed opener Murali Vijay for 3 and Rohit Sharma for a duck in quick succession before Pujara and Dhawan forged a 45-run partnership.
He had Vijay caught behind off a vicious bouncer that was taken one-handed high up by wicketkeeper Dane Vilas. However, replays suggested the ball grazed Vijay's arm-guard and the batsman, too, indicated it hit him there.
Morkel was on a hat trick after dismissing Vijay off the last ball of his third over and bowling Rohit first ball of his fourth. Rohit, promoted up the order to No. 3, missed a good-length delivery that kept low as India fell to 8-2.
India already has a winning 2-0 lead in the series to hand South Africa its first away series loss in nine years.
