Morkel strikes as India reaches 149-6 at tea in Nagpur test
NAGPUR, India (AP) South Africa pace bowler Morne Morkel took two more wickets in the second session as India struggled to capitalize on batting first, reaching 149-6 at tea on the first day Wednesday of the third test.
Morkel dismissed Ajinkya Rahane (13) and captain Virat Kohli (22) and had figures of 3-27, having also accounted for opener Murali Vijay (40).
Offspinner Simon Harmer grabbed 2-65 on an underprepared pitch that was already helping spin bowling.
At the break, Ravindra Jadeja was batting on 21, and Wriddhiman Saha on 9.
Morkel bowled Rahane through a wide gap between bat and pad, and had Kohli caught behind with a lovely away delivery in an impressive afternoon spell in which he took 2-8 in four overs.
A well-set Vijay was trapped after he'd struck three fours and a six. His wicket was vital, as he had 150 runs from his three previous innings in the low-scoring series.
Harmer trapped Cheteshwar Pujara lbw, and Rohit Sharma was caught bad-pad at short leg, while part-time spinner Dean Elgar dismissed opener Shikhar Dhawan with a return catch.
India was 85-2 at lunch but lost its next four wickets adding only 64 runs.
India, aiming to clinch the four-test series after winning the opening match and settling for a draw in a rain-plagued second test, went into the match with three spinners; Amit Mishra, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja.
India also beefed up its batting with Rohit Sharma while dropping allrounder Stuart Binny and pace bowler Varun Aaron. Ishant Sharma was the lone pace bowler in the lineup.
South Africa brought in Harmer to replace pace bowler Kyle Abbott.
Pace bowler Dale Steyn did not recover in time from a groin strain, and was missing a second consecutive test.
