India Women vs South Africa Women Highlights, One-off Test Day 1: Shafali run out for 205; Tucker gets Jemimah for 55

Ghosh speeds into her forties with three fours in succession against Nadine de Klerk. Nine fours now for the wicket-keeper batter. 

Three runs off the final over of day’s play from Sekhukhune leaves India at 525/4 at end of Day 2.

Dercksen proving to be quite expensive towards the end of day’s play. Ghosh takes her down for two boundaries in the 96th over. Harman at the other end is rotating strike regularly, keeping the scoreboard ticking. 

Four!! Richa gets her first boundary. Was on a length outside off, Richa punches it through point for a boundary. Four!! Second four of the over, fuller in length driven through the covers for another boundary. 

Four!! Richa creams another drive past mid on to get her third boundary.

Harman survives a chance close to the end of the day. Prodded forward to defend a ball from Mlaba. Takes the inside edge of the bat but the keeper can’t hold on to it. 

WICKET!! Jemimah looks for the slog sweep against Tucker, gets a leading edge that goes straight up and De Klerk completes an easy catch. 

Rodrigues c de Klerk b Delmi Tucker 55(94) [4s-8]

IND 450/4 in 87 overs

Four!! Harmanpreet showing signs of aggression. Dances down the track and lofts Luus over mid on for a boundary. 

Mlaba continues her long spell, 21 overs for her today, conceding hundred runs. 

Despite Sune Luus’s introduction, the two batters continue to motor along. Jemimah survives a run out chance at the strikers’s end after Harmanpreet calls her for a quick single. Puts in a dive with the bat in the air, her gloves had just crossed the line when the bails were removed, and she survives. 

Jemimah and Harmanpreet consolidate after the fall of Shafali. Spin used from both sides with Mlaba and Tucker bowling in tandem. 

Shafali Verma was 10 runs away from bettering Mithali Raj’s 214 to become India’s top scorer in women’s Tests. But she gets run out. Might be a bit daft, but a very Mithali way to go about things, get to a big score and then snap. 

Massive effort to keep the team’s cause going. She is congratulated by several South African players as she trudges off.

WICKET!! End of a fantastic knock from Shafali. Hesitated a bit after Jemimah called her for the single and that has eventually cost her as she fails to get back in time. 

Shafali Verma run out (Mlaba/Sinalo Jafta) 205(197) [4s-23 6s-8]

Six!! Tucker is welcomed into the attack with two continuous sixes!! A single to the deep brings up her 200!

Continues her merry-making against Mlaba, playing a reverse sweep through point. 

IND 411/2 in 74 overs

Sekhukhune continues. Four!! Back of a length, punched down the ground for a boundary by Shafali. Just a single from the Mlaba over. 

Sekhukhune into the attack. Four!! Full on the pads, Jemimah sweeps it behind square for a boundary. Tight over from Mlaba, just the single off it. 

Klaas continues. Four!! Slightly wide, Jemimah carves it through the gap behind square for a boundary. 

Umpires checking for a fair catch by Sekhukhune. Shafali not budging from her position. Not Out is the decision! 

Klaas continues. Four!! Back of a length, Shafali stays back and pulls it wide of long on for a boundary. 

Mlaba gets one to bounce outside off. Jemimah looked to cut but is beaten by the bounce. 

Close call for Shafali at the strikers end after Jemimah called her for a quick single to cover. Puts in a semi-dive to make it. A direct hit would have had her in trouble. 

Four!! In the air.....but in the gap through mid off as Jemimah looks to loft Mlaba over the offside. Third boundary for the new batter. Four!! Full on the pads, Jemimah sweeps it fine for the second boundary of the over. Four!! Another four in the over, this time through third man. 

Six!! Shafali slogs a full one from Tucker over midwicket for six! That is the Tea break and some respite for South Africa who is being dominated. 

“Absolutely terrible from SA. 204 runs from one session,” says Lavanya from the ground. 

Four!! Shubha takes full toll of a full toss outside off from Tucker. Gets it through midwicket for a boundary. 

WICKET!! Nadine de Klerk bowls it slightly short outside off, Shubha looks to cut it late but only manages an under edge through to the keeper.

Shubha Satheesh c Sinalo Jafta b de Klerk 15(27)

IND 325/2 in 59 overs

A flick through midwicket helps Shafali to her maiden Test 150! 19 fours and five sixes in her knock so far. Can she eye a double ton?

Carries on after the landmark. Four!! Goes deep into the crease against Tucker and clips a length ball through the gap on the legside boundary for another boundary. 

IND 312/1 in 56 overs

Four!! Shubha gets off the mark with a lofted shot over mid on against Nadine de Klerk. 

Four!! Shafali brings out the sweep against Tucker to get a boundary through square leg. Brings up the 300 for India!

India loses its first wicket at 292! Tucker manages to prise the outside edge of Smriti as she looked to punch off the backfoot and the lone slip completes the catch.

Mandhana c Annerie Dercksen b Delmi Tucker 149(161)

IND 292/1 in 52 overs

Dercksen returns to the attack. Four!! Mandhana turns a poor delivery down the leg side to the boundary for four. 

Mandhana follows it up with three continuous fours in her next over. Six!! Shafali joins the party, lofts Tucker over long on for a huge six. 

Six!! Was turning out to be a decent over from Sekhukhune but Shafali steps down and lofts one down the ground off the last ball of the over. 

Four!! Mandhana pulls one to midwicket against Tucker. Innings run rate is 5.15 now. 

The introduction of Sekhukhune has proved to be ineffective as Smriti hits her for two boundaries in her first over back. Delmi Tucker however has been able to cut off the boundaries from the other end. 

Four!! Smriti punches one through the cover to the boundary for four and follows it up with another through point to move to 98. 

Four!! On the pads, Shafali clips it behind square to the boundary for four to bring up her first Test century and the fastest in Women’s Tests.

Smriti follows suit. Brings up her second Test hundred off 122 balls. 

IND 207/0 in 40 overs

Four!! A boundary against Tucker brings up the highest partnership for India in Women’s Tests! Six!! Shafali comes down the track and takes down Mlaba over long on for six. 

Four!! Smriti welcomes Mlaba with a lofted four down the ground. Four!! A couple of balls later Smriti lofts it over the mid off fielder for four more.

Delmi Tucker returns to the attack. Four!! Tossed up, Shafali slogs it through midwicket for a boundary. Shafali tries to drive one down the ground, Tucker takes a hit on the ankle. trying to stop it.

Mlaba continues. Shafali clips a fuller one on the leg side to pick up two from the over. 

Klaas from the other end. Four!! Smriti defends one back to the bowler, Klaas has an unnecessary shy at the stumps and it runs away for a boundary. Four!! Short to Smriti, lofted over the legside for a boundary. 150 up for India!!

Mlaba to continue after lunch. Smriti finds herself halfway down the pitch, stepped down and punched one through cover, the short cover fielder managed to get a hand to it and Smriti has to scamper back to the crease. Four!! A four to deep midwicket to complete the over. 

Klaas from the other end. Big appeals for LBW! Not given by the umpire and SA review! Wickets missing says ball tracking!! Smriti punches one to cover, stopped well by the fielder to prevent a boundary. Another good fielding effort prevents Shafali from getting a four to deep square. 

“SA looking very beaten up. Reactive and defensive in everything they’re doing. Allowing India to go at ODI pace. Mlaba is the only one who is doing something to the ball in the air. Pacers are just like placeholders,” reckons Lavanya. 

Delmi Tucker continues. Four!! Over pitched on leg stump, Shafali lofts it over midwicket for another boundary. 

Nadine de Klerk returns. Appeals for lbw as she raps Smriti on the pads. Not given on field, was probably going down leg. Ball tracking agrees. Four!! On the pads to Shafali, flicked behind square for another boundary. Four!! Full on off, punched through the gap to the left of mid off. Second boundary of the over. 

Delmi Tucker into the attack for SA. Four!! Low full toss outside off to Smriti, manages to find the gap between cover and mid off for four. The boundary brings up the 100 for India.

Klaas continues. Four!! Smriti carves one through cover for a boundary off the first ball. Four!! Overpitched on the stumps, Shafali pushes it down the ground for a boundary. Fifty up for Shafali as well. 11 runs off the over. 

IND 115/0 in 26 overs.

Fifty for Smriti Mandhana! Punches one through extra cover for a single against Mlaba to bring up the landmark. 

Masabata Klaas into the attack for her second spell. Four!! Tests Shafali with a short one, gets a top edge on the pull but it falls safe and runs away for four. 

IND 99/0 in 24 overs

Mlaba keeps it tight this time, just a single off the over. Dercksen continues from the other end. Four!! A touch too wide, Smriti punches it past the cover fielder to the boundary. 

Mlaba continues. Four!! Over pitched on the stumps, driven straight down the ground for four by Shafali. 

Dercksen continues. Four!! Smriti continues where she left off, pulls a short one through left of square leg for a boundary. 

Mlaba continues. Four!! Tossed up on the pads, Shafali pulls to deep square for a four. Four!! Fuller in length, lofted over the offside for another boundary. 

Dercksen into the attack. Chance!! Smirit tries a half-hearted pull to the leg-side, falls just short of the catching square-leg fielder. Four!! More effort into the pull shot this time, beats square leg to the right and runs away for a boundary. Four!! Through the covers this time, another four in the over. 

Nonkululeko Mlaba into the attack. The left-arm-spinner keeping it full and on line with the stumps for Shafali. Six!! Shafali has had enough, she moves her left leg across and lofts one over mid on for six. 

Sekhukhune continues from the other end. Four!! Smriti drives one through the gap in the covers for four. Her sixth boundary of the day. 

Four!! Sloppy fielding at mid off allows Smriti to get a boundary off de Klerk. Four!! She follows it up with another one through point.

Full toss from Sekhukhune, punished this time. Four!! Shafali times it to perfection past a diving mid on to the boundary. Four!! FIFTY up for India. Smriti punches one through extra cover for another four. 

De Klerk keeps it tight next over, Smriti plays out a maiden. Sekhukhune bowls one full and straight to Shafali, appeals for LBW but the umpire says no. SA decide against the review as well. Replays show the ball to be going down leg. Four!! Shafali punches one down the ground to get her second boundary off the game. 

First change in the bowling. Nadine de Klerk into the attack. Four!! Full and wide, Smriti welcomes her with a crisp boundary through the covers. Four!! Shorter in length, punched through mid off for four more. 

Change from the other end as well. Sekhukhune replaces Dercksen. Smriti punches a length ball through mid on, De Klerk gives chase and keeps it to three. 

Shafali beaten on the outside edge with a fuller one outside off by Klaas. Four!! Good contact this time, driven through the covers for a boundary. Dercksen conceded just a single off her over. 

Klaas and Dercksen keep it tight. While the line to Smriti has been tight, Shafali has been tempted with a few balls outside off. Risk-free batting so far, with even the full tosses being defended to the fielders. 

Klaas continues to keep it full, not much movement off the air. The angle will take it away from Smriti and she manages to bat out the over without much trouble.

Dercksen continues. Chance for a run out as Shafali sets off after dabbing it to mid off. Loses her bat while running and would have been short had the throw hit the stumps. On the pads to Smriti, flicked in front of square for a couple. 

Dercksen from the other end on debut. Shafali pulls her first ball to the legside for a couple.

“Ball rising nicely so far. Worry initially was of the surfce staying low. Nice and sunny with a slight breeze going across the wicket,” says our reporter Lavanya from the ground.

Dercksen temps Shafali with a full one wide outside off. Shafali looks to drive it but the movement takes it past the edge. 

Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana walk out to the middle. Shafali will face the first ball. Masabata Klaas with the new ball in hand. 

Full on the stumps to start off, defended right back by Shafali. On the pads, Shafali clips it behind square on the legside to open the account for herself and India. Smriti follow suit in similar fashion. A comfortable over for India to deal with first up, three runs off it. 

Matches: 2

India wins: 2

South Africa wins: 0

Last result: India won by an innings and 24 runs (Mysore, 2014)

South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt (C), Sune Luus, Sinalo Jafta (wk), Marizanne Kapp, Anneke Bosch, Delmi Tucker, Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Derkcksen

India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Shubha Satheesh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Renuka Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad

India wins the toss, opts to bat first! 

All-rounder Annerie Dercksen making her debut for SA-W.

India: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Shubha Satheesh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Renuka Thakur Singh, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Arundhati Reddy, Meghna Singh, Priya Punia, Saika Ishaque, Shabnam Md Shakil, Uma Chetry

South Africa: Laura Wolvaardt(c), Tazmin Brits, Sune Luus, Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk, Delmi Tucker, Anneke Bosch, Sinalo Jafta(w), Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Eliz-mari Marx

In a city of happy hosts who go to any extent to make their visitors comfortable, India has potentially thrown the biggest curve ball possible to South Africa even before a ball has been bowled in the one-off Test between the nations starting here on Friday. 

The red soil surface at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, which for large part of matchday eve looked like a dust bowl, will pose the hardest challenge to the Proteas with its spin potency in the red-ball fixture. 

This isn’t limited to the side’s wobbly manoeuvring of spinners but also about its deficient spin resources in the Test squad. While India boasts of some of the best spinners in the format – think Deepti Sharma, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Sneh Rana, all primary bowlers – in its ranks, the Proteas are scratching the end of the barrel looking for more spin resources. 

There’s the versatile left-arm spin option in Nonkululeko Mlaba and a bunch of off spinners in Nondumiso Shangase, Delmi Tucker and Anneke Bosch. The most interesting turn for the spin contingent has to be Sune Luus’ surprising switch from leg-spin to off-spin. 

- Lavanya L

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IND-W vs SA-W, One-off Test: A comfortable host, a nervy visitor and a dust colosseum waiting to challenge

The red soil surface at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, which for large part of matchday eve looked like a dust bowl, will pose the hardest challenge to the Proteas with its spin potency in the red-ball fixture starting on Friday, June 28. 

What time will the India Women vs South Africa Women Test match begin?

The lone Test between Indian Women and South Africa Women will start at 9:30 am IST.

Where can we watch the India Women vs South Africa Women Test match on television?

The lone Test between Indian Women and South Africa Women will be telecast on the Sports 18 network. The match will also be available from streaming through the Jio Cinema app and website.

Welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of Day 1 of the one-off Test between India and South Africa taking place in Chepauk, Chennai. Stay tuned for the scores and live updates from the game.