Harmer's 4-for puts South Africa back in the game; India 12 ahead at tea

Kolkata: Off-spinner Simon Harmer bowled South Africa back into the contest with a masterful exhibition of classical off-spin as India folded for 189 in 62.2 overs, taking only a slender 30-run first-innings lead on the second day of the opening Test at Eden Gardens on Saturday.

India's left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav dismissed Ryan Rickelton (11) off his fourth ball at the stroke of tea to have South Africa 18/1, still 12 runs behind.

The wicket took the session's wickets tally to six wickets -- five of them from India -- as the disintegrating Eden 22-yard strip became the spotlight. Batting has become increasingly difficult and a target of 150 might be a very difficult one to surpass.

With the pitch deteriorating and South Africa’s spinners exploiting every ounce of assistance, the game stands evenly-poised.

India’s modest lead has kept them in the fight, but Harmer’s spell has ensured the contest is now wide open heading into the final session.

India’s innings officially ended at nine wickets with skipper Shubman Gill, who retired hurt with a neck spasm sustained during a slog sweep, not returning to bat.

Harmer, operating in a nonstop spell of 14.2 overs from the Club House End, finished with a telling 4/30, bringing memories back of Ravichandran Ashwin's effect on slow, abrasive surfaces.

He relentlessly targeted India's six left-handers -- a first in their Test history -- and dismissed three of them: Washington Sundar (29), Ravindra Jadeja (27) and Axar Patel (16), all known to grind it out and make handy contributions.

All three had shown the temperament to survive -- Washington faced 82 balls, while Jadeja and Axar consumed 45 each -- yet Harmer’s ability to drift the ball in and turn it away proved decisive, repeatedly drawing the outside edge or trapping them on the crease.

The dry surface, disintegrating fast with widening cracks and puffs of dust, only made him more dangerous.

Tall seamer Marco Jansen (3/35) complemented him superbly from the High Court End, using his steep bounce to mop up the lower order, removing Kuldeep Yadav and Mohammed Siraj in quick succession to accelerate India’s collapse from a promising 138/4 at lunch.

The post-lunch session had briefly hinted at an Indian recovery when Dhruv Jurel, in sparkling domestic form with four hundreds in five matches, punched Corbin Bosch for two boundaries in three balls.

His strokes -- a late cut past backward point and a flowing cover drive -- suggested momentum might shift.

But an attempted on-the-up drive against Harmer ended in a chipped return catch, the bowler diving low to complete a fine dismissal for 14 off 14 balls.

Jadeja, who had settled in with three crisp boundaries, fell to a skidding off-break that pinned him in front for 27, while Axar’s stoic 45-ball resistance eventually ended when Harmer got one to bounce outside off, the all-rounder slicing to Jansen at backward point. PTI TAP KHS