IND v SA: Dean Elgar’s strong century puts South Africa in commanding position

Centurion, Dec 27: In his final Test on his home ground, veteran opener Dean Elgar slammed a strong century to take South Africa into a commanding position on day two of first Test against India at SuperSport Park on Wednesday.

Despite a double-strike from Jasprit Bumrah, the Indian bowling attack, especially their back-up bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur being expensive, they were unable to build any pressure and couldn’t stop the run flow.

It meant that Elgar brought out gorgeous shots to reach his 14th Test century, the first at his home ground, to be unbeaten on 115 at tea break. He’s also given company by a confident debutant David Bedingham, who is 32 not out off 47 balls, as South Africa racked up 145 runs in the second session.

India opened the second session with Shardul and Prasidh, who produced a few plays and misses. But Elgar feasted on hit-me deliveries from the duo to drive gorgeously with full face of the bat and raised his fifty off 79 balls with a short-arm jab going wide of mid-wicket for four off Thakur.

After Thakur and Prasidh conceded 42 runs combined in their eight overs, India brought on new-ball bowlers and it worked. Jasprit Bumrah had Tony de Zorzi edging to third slip and had Keegan Peterson chopping on to his stumps, as South Africa went from 104/1 to 113/3.

Bedingham, making his Test debut after 86 first-class appearances, showed no debutant nerves with his fine pull over backward square leg for six off Prasidh and played shot of the session through a picture-perfect leaning cover drive for four more.

Elgar continued to march forward, on-driving off Ravichandran Ashwin twice, getting an edge running for four and then got his hundred with a fierce pull off Thakur going for a boundary.

Elgar celebrated with a joyful jump, punching and roaring in delight, with the crowd quick to applaud a fine knock in his farewell Test series. He and Bedingham took three more boundaries off Thakur to end a session firmly in South Africa’s favour.