Stuart Hess at Centurion
Lungi Ngidi admitted that South Africa’s bowlers expected more from the surface in the first session of play on Sunday, but felt after a day’s worth of sunshine, there was enough in the pitch later to keep bowlers interested.
What is required is accuracy, something the Proteas bowlers - with the exception of Kagiso Rabada - lacked on the opening day of the series. India were in charge at stumps after scoring 272/3, with KL Rahul finishing unbeaten on 122.
Ngidi was the most successful of the home team’s bowlers, picking up 3/45 including two in two balls after lunch. “I got a bit better rhythm bowling from (the West Lane End) and at lunch I actually asked to be switched to that side. Sometimes you have to be patient because other guys want to have a go from a particular end, but once I got to bowl from that end I started finding better lengths,” said Ngidi.
SA struggled with their lengths for most of the day.
“To be honest we expected more from the pitch in the morning, I expected more swing, but it didn’t happen and then we had to change plans,” Ngidi said.
“You really have to be accurate with your lengths, if you’re too short it gives the batters time but if you’re too full they can drive easily.”
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The Proteas struggled with consistency, and India, whose batters showed plenty of patience took advantage especially in the final session, in which they scored 115 runs.
Nevertheless Ngidi felt SA would still be able to create more opportunities on day two. “That first session will be important, everyone must be on their ‘A’ game. If we can get a couple of wickets, we’ll be into their tail. We saw this evening that we were still getting balls beating the outside edge,” Ngidi said.
One wicket that did catch many by surprise was that of Mayank Agarwal. While many doubted it including on-field umpire Marais Erasmus who gave it not out, Ngidi had no doubts.
“I thought it kept a little bit lower than some of the other deliveries I bowled from that end, and Quinny (Quinton de Kock) said it would at least be an ‘umpire’s call’ (on review). It was another matter trying to convince Dean (Elgar), but we took a gamble and went for it, and I was right that it kept a bit low,” Ngidi said.
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Agarwal refused to be drawn on the matter when asked his opinion, citing concerns about possible censure from the ICC.
The Indian opener, who scored a well-made 60, was happy with his team’s position and especially the performance of his partner Rahul. “He has very good game plans, is very disciplined and has a great mindset and used all of that today. It was a great knock,” Agarwal said.
Asked what tips India’s coach, Rahul Dravid gave him, Agarwal said it was all about making a means to an end. “He was very clear, that anywhere you play but especially in South Africa, that as a batter you will not look good, but that it doesn’t matter as long as you are sticking to your plan,” Agarwal said.
To be fair, Agarwal looked very good, especially when driving through the cover region. His 117-run stand for the first wicket, is just the third time an Indian opening pair has shared a century partnership in SA.
“I think as a batting unit, we deserve credit because we really applied ourselves out there,” Agarwal said.
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