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Set a target of 241 to win, South Africa are 17 for 1
AFP
Johannesburg
Play was called off at Wanderers Stadium on Friday after South African batsman Dean Elgar was hit on the grille of his helmet by a short ball from India's Jasprit Bumrah.
Umpires Aleem Dar and Ian Gould had held talks earlier in the day because of unusual bounce and deviation on a pitch which former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar described as"dangerous".
After Elgar was struck late in the afternoon, match referee Andy Pycroft joined the umpires on the field and the third day of the third and final Test was halted.
South Africa, set 241 to win, were 17 for one.
Both captains were called into a meeting with Pycroft in accordance with International Cricket Council regulations.
The procedure is that umpires can call off play when they consider conditions to be dangerous. The umpires and match referee then consult the captains.
Play can resume if the captains agree. If not, the umpires and match referee have to decide whether it is possible to effect repairs to the pitch so that play can resume.
If not the match can be abandoned. Only two Test matches have previously been abandoned because of dangerous conditions.
In January 1998, England were 17 for three against the West Indies at Sabina Park in Jamaica when the umpires stopped play because of a dangerous pitch.
In February 2009, a match between the same two teams in Antigua was called off after ten balls because a soft outfield was regarded as dangerous for bowlers and fielders.
Former international players in the TV commentary box were critical of the pitch."It's almost an accident waiting to happen," said ex-South African captain Kepler Wessels.
Former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding recalled the 1998 Jamaica Test."That was a total fiasco, this isn't far off," he said.
Earlier in the day, India put up a gutsy show before being bowled out for 247.
Ajinkya Rahane (48), Virat Kohli (41) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (33) were the key contributors for India.
South African pacers Morne Morkel, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada picked up three wickets each.
Resuming the day at 49/1, India had a torrid start, losing Lokesh Rahul (16) and Cheteshwar Pujara (1) early to be reduced to 57/3. Rahul failed to add to his overnight score as he chased an away-moving ball from paceman Vernon Philander, only managing an edge which landed in the hands of Faf du Plessis at second slip.
Pujara (1) too fell soon, edging a good length delivery from pacer Morne Morkel to du Plessis. Kohli then joined hands with overnight batsman Murali Vijay (25) as the pair looked to weather the storm on a lively wicket. Kohli, at the personal score of four, gave a difficult chance for the hosts to pick up the fourth wicket.
He flicked Morkel straight into the hands of short leg fielder Aiden Markram, who was not quick enough to pouch it. Later, Kohli showed his quality, playing with a straight bat and not fearing to go for the drives.
Vijay saw his stumps dismantled by a yorker from Kagiso Rabada as India reached 100 for four at lunch.
Rahane who was dropped in the initial two Tests shone bright in the second session, while Kohli perished for 41. Rabada produced a back of length delivery which ended up hitting Kohli's off stump.
Hardik Pandya (4) had himself to blame for a poor shot off a length delivery which ended back into the safe arms of Rabada, as India lost their sixth wicket for 148.
Rahane then forged a crucial 55-run stand with Bhuvneshwar for the seventh wicket to take India beyond the 200-run mark.
Rahane played aggressive cricket, scoring briskly to put the hosts under pressure. He hit six fours out of the 68 deliveries he faced. Rahane, also got a lucky escape in the 60th over when a catch was put down by Andile Phehlukwayo off Rabada.
However, the partnership was ended by Rahane' soft dismissal when he flicked Morkel, only managing an edge to wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock. Among the other tail-enders, Mohammed Shami scored a crucial 27 as India were bowled out for 247.
Scoreboard
India (1st Innings): 187
South Africa (1st Innings): 194
India (2nd Innings; Overnight 49-1)
M. Vijay b Rabada 25
P. Patel c Markram b Philander 16
L. Rahul c Du Plessis b Philander 16
C. Pujara c Du Plessis b Morkel 1
V. Kohli b Rabada 41
A. Rahane c De Kock b Morkel 48
H. Pandya c and b Rabada 4
B. Kumar c De Kock b Morkel 33
Mohammed Shami c De Villiers b Ngidi 27
I. Sharma not out 7
J. Bumrah c Rabada b Philander 0
Extras: (b5, lb12, w12) 29
Total: (80.1 overs) 247
Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Patel), 2-51 (Rahul), 3-57 (Pujara), 4-100 (Vijay), 5-134 (Kohli), 6-148 (Pandya), 7-203 (Rahane), 8-238 (Shami), 9-240 (Kumar).
Bowling: Philander 21.1-5-61-3, Rabada 23-5-69-3 (1w), Morkel 21-6-47-3 (2w), Ngidi 12-2-38-1, Phehlukwayo 3-0-15-0 (1w).
South Africa (2nd Innings)
A Markram c Patel b Shami 4
D Elgar batting 11
H Amla batting 2
Extras: 0
Total: (For 1 wkt, 8.3 overs) 17
Fall of wicket: 1-5 (Markram 1.6 over).
Bowling: Kumar 4-0-8-0; Shami 4-1-7-1; Bumrah 0.3-0-2-0.
Toss: India.
Match to begin as scheduled on Day 4
The Wanderers Test will continue as scheduled on Day Four. There was uncertainty over the future of the match when umpires took the players off 19 minutes before scheduled stumps on day three. The two captains then met the match referee. India made it clear they wanted to continue playing, and South Africa didn’t express a preference either way but said they would continue playing if the match referee deemed the pitch safe to play on. The match officials first had a conversation regarding the pitch with the teams during the tea break on day three, when it was expressed to the two managers that the new ball could behave dangerously. The decision to take players off was the umpires’. The match referee was then briefed, and he consulted both the captains. The protocol is to continue only if both the captains agree to play on. If the decision is not to play, then it is seen if the pitch can be repaired without - in the view of the match referee - disadvantaging any side. There will be no repairs on this pitch except for the customary light roller at the start of the day’s play. A light roller was used on the pitch on day three too. (espncricinfo.com)
