India vs South Africa Highlights, 1st Test Match, Day 2, Full Cricket Score: Play called off without a single ball bowled thanks to bad weather
India vs South Africa Highlights, 1st Test Match, Day 2, Full Cricket Score: Play called off without a single ball bowled thanks to bad weather
Admin
17:46 (IST)
To make up for lost time, the sessions will be extended by 30 minutes on the third day, according to the broadcasters Star Sports. That should help recover almost a full session's worth of cricket. Some good news for both teams and for cricket fans as the weather forecast for tomorrow is a much better one.
That's it from us in our coverage of the second day's play. Do join us tomorrow for Day 3, hoping the rain gods don't show up at Centurion for a few days now.
17:36 (IST)
Play call off without a ball bowled!
What was increasingly appearing the likely outcome has now been officially confirmed by the match officlals, who have declared stumps on Day 2 without a single delivery bowled. Disappointing for both teams involved and for all the fans back home watching on their television sets.
17:02 (IST)
Update from Centurion
Still pouring at the Supersport Park at the moment, where the covers are still on and puddles are starting to form in the outfield, and the skies remain dark. The drainage is said to be excellent at this venue, but looking at the skies, the prospect of any play taking place on the second day appear slim.
16:32 (IST)
Latest weather update: Rain and thunderstorm. Doesn't look good for play today.
16:01 (IST)
It is pouring at the Centurion
It is bucketing down in Centurion… #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/qaAyiXO9bs
— Kass Naidoo (@KassNaidoo) December 27, 2021
15:44 (IST)
Another inspection coming up
Play was supposed to have started by now, and yet there seems to be no live coverage of the game at the moment. The heavens did open up once more a while back, and the umpires now will have another look at the wicket at 12.45 pm local time (4.15 pm IST).
15:20 (IST)
Covers back on the field
UPDATE: Just when it was getting brighter here in Centurion, it has started to rain once again ????️
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 27, 2021
The covers are back on the field
Early Lunch has been taken ????
Lunch timing: 11:30 AM SAST to 12:10PM SAST ????#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/1Xd4V7sPmG
15:12 (IST)
Early lunch has been taken on Day 2
Thanks to the persistent rain earlier in the morning as well as for the most part in the first session, the umpires have decided to call for lunch earlier than scheduled (11.30 am — 12.10 pm local time). Here's hoping play starts as scheduled at 3.40 pm IST, and the weather gods allow the next two sessions to take place without a hitch.
14:45 (IST)
Aussies on the brink of clinching Ashes
England suffered yet another batting collapse on a thrilling second day, a day that almost was called off due to a covid scare in the visitors' camp, as Joe Root's men were left reeling at 31/4 at close of play. Earlier in the day, Australia had managed to gain a 82-run first innings lead.
Report: Australia scent victory as England collapse once again
14:30 (IST)
Umpires to assess the conditions in some time
India Vs South Africa Day 2 first session has been called off. Umpires to inspect at 3.00pm, if all clear then play might start from 3.40pm.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) December 27, 2021
14:15 (IST)
Sign of things getting better?
10.40am local time One of the covers is off. Plenty of activity and work going on. #INDvSA #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/ThRP3ep8x6
— Anand Vasu (@anandvasu) December 27, 2021
14:00 (IST)
Ponting slams Stokes
"He's looked ultra-defensive. He hasn't looked like the big, physically aggressive presence at the crease that opposition teams have feared to bowl to in other series," former Australia captain Ponting said when describing Ben Stokes' performance this Ashes.
The England all-rounder, who was in blazing form in the 2019 edition of the competition at home, has blown hot and cold so far in the ongoing series since coming back into the team from an extended break.
13:36 (IST)
Doesn't look too good out there at the moment
????RAIN DELAY
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA) December 27, 2021
Persistent rain has put a halt to the start of play on Day 2 of the 1st Test of the #FreedomTestSeries at SuperSport Park.
???????? @BCCI are 272/3 #SAvIND #BetwayTestSeries #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/FLxNXKXkM5
13:29 (IST)
So the start of play on Day 2 has been delayed due to a spell of rain. Let's hope it doesn't hold things up for too long. Will be interesting to see if the present conditions can later come in handy for the Proteas bowling department in their quest for early wickets.
13:21 (IST)
COVID scare in Ashes
On the other side of the Indian Ocean, England suffered a health scare before the start of play on Day 2 of the Boxing Day Ashes Test at the MCG with four positive COVID cases being discovered in the visitors' camp. Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley however, assured that the match would go ahead as per schedule, with Australia getting bowled out for 267 in reply to England's first innings score of 185, before running through the top order to leave Root and Co tottering at 31/4 at stumps.
Read: Series not at risk despite Covid cases in England camp, says Cricket Australia chief
13:10 (IST)
Earlier on the opening day, both teams observed a minute's silence in memory of archbishop and anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu, who died at the age of 90 on Sunday. The Proteas, in addition, also sported black armbands.
13:03 (IST)
"Still the balls catching the edge, going towards the slips... It would be great if we can keep them under 340-350," said Lungi Ngidi, the only South African among the wickets (3/45) on the opening day.
Can the Proteas turn things around on Day 2?
12:52 (IST)
"In the ever-continuous merry-go-round that is India’s opening batsman, Rahul has managed to hold on, come back to the first-choice XI, and make the spot his own for the near foreseeable future. Credit to him where it is due."
Chetan Narula analyses KL Rahul's classy 122 on Boxing Day and how he has found the batting groove he was looking for. Click here to read
12:42 (IST)
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Day 2 of the first Test between South Africa and India at the Supersport Park in Centurion. The visiting team resume from their overnight score of 272/3, with KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane batting on 122 and 40 respectively.
India vs South Africa Live Score, Final Cricket Score and Live Streaming, Latest Updates: Play call off without a ball bowled! What was increasingly appearing the likely outcome has now been officially confirmed by the match officlals, who have declared stumps on Day 2 without a single delivery bowled. Disappointing for both teams involved and for all the fans back home watching on their television sets.
Day 1 report: KL Rahul was 122 not out and India reached 272-3 at stumps to lay a strong foundation on the opening day of the first test against South Africa in Centurion on Sunday.
Opener Rahul batted through the day to ensure top-ranked India's latest quest for a first test series win in South Africa had a promising start.
He shared a 117-run opening stand with Mayank Agarwal (60) and although Lungi Ngidi (3-45) took two wickets in two deliveries after lunch — Agarwal and then Cheteshwar Pujara for a first-ball duck — India rode that period of pressure in the second session to come out clearly on top after the first exchanges of the three-test series.
Captain Virat Kohli was the other Indian batter to be dismissed, also to Ngidi for 35.
But vice captain Ajinkya Rahane picked up where Kohli left off to be 40 not out alongside Rahul at stumps. They put on an unbeaten stand of 73 and India constructed one century partnership and two half-century partnerships for its first four wickets of the series to ensure Kohli's decision to bat first after winning the toss at SuperSport Park was the right one.
India's start was strong, going through the first session without losing a wicket to be 83-0 at lunch.
Agarwal was dropped by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock in that morning session — a tough chance from an edge that de Kock dived to his right for but couldn't hold one-handed. That denied 6-foot-8 South Africa seam bowler Marco Jansen a wicket on his test debut.
Ngidi eventually removed Agarwal lbw after a review, and the quick struck again straight away when Pujara was caught at short leg next ball, offering South Africa some hope that they might reign in the Indian batters.
Kohli was caught by Wiaan Mulder at slip trying to drive Ngidi and ending up flashing at a delivery well wide of off stump, but Rahul and Rahane came together and drove India on.
Rahul has hit 17 fours and a six.
The series is the first assignment away from home for new India coach Rahul Dravid and India is searching for its first win in South Africa on its eighth test tour to the country.
There were no major surprises in the tourists' lineup with Jasprit Bumrah leading a four-man seam bowling attack and Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj backing him up.
South Africa gave Jansen his international debut in the absence of Anrich Nortje, its most effective fast bowler who is out of the series with injury. Fast bowler Duanne Olivier, who has returned from a spell playing in England and is back in South Africa's squad, was not recalled despite being widely tipped to return. The home team might end up ruing that decision after its quick bowlers didn't make the impact it was hoping for at the start of the contest.
There was a moment's silence before play for South Africa's anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who died early Sunday.
With inputs from AP
