Shafali Verma's double century and Sneh Rana's 10-wicket match haul led India women to a historic win over South Africa in the one-off Test.
Chennai: Shefali Verma’s stunning double century and an amazing ten-wicket haul by Sneh Rana guided India women to a historical 10-wicket victory against South Africa women in the lone Test match at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday. After declaring the first innings at a formidable 603/6, India restricted the visitors to 266 all out, thus enforcing a follow-on. In the second innings, South Africa fought hard with fighting centuries from Sune Luus and Laura Wolvaardt but couldn’t pose much threat to the hosts. India needed just 9.2 overs to reach the target of 37 and win the game.
This is India’s second 10-wicket triumph in Tests after a scoring a similar win over the Proteas at Paarl in 2002. After getting bundled out 266 in their first innings, South Africa fought well through hundred-makers Wolvaardt (122, 314b, 16×4) and Sune Luus (109, 203b, 18×4) in the second innings.
Resuming at the overnight 232/2, and trailing India by 105 runs, Wolvaardt and Marizanne Kapp appeared to be in good touch. The former brought up her maiden Test century, also becoming the first woman batter to score a Test, ODI and T20I ton in the same year.
However, Kapp was soon trapped leg-before by Deepti Sharma for 31, while Sneh Rana ousted Delmi Tucker for a duck as the tourists slipped to 266/4. With still work to be done for the South Africans to take the lead, Wolvaardt tried to anchor the innings but was dismissed for 122 when Rajeshwari Gayakwad trapped her in front to reduce the visitors 281/5.
But the Proteas marched on and went past the 300-run mark, their highest team total in Tests against the Indians. The previous best was the 266 that made in their opening innings here. South Africa needed less than 50 runs to take the lead at this stage. Nadine de Klerk and Sinalo Jafta stuck together until the lunch break and SA were 302 for five then.
However, in the post-lunch session, Jafta retired hurt due to cramps, as the visitors sent Anne Dercksen to join De Klerk. But Dercksen departed for five, falling to Pooja Vastrakar with SA trailing by 27 runs. Meanwhile, the tourists went past 316 to register their highest score in Test cricket, going past the 315 they made against England at Shenley in 2003.
Although South Africans closed in on a lead they struggled to get the partnerships going. The next stand was worth 14 runs between De Klerk and Tumi Sekhukhune before the latter was run out for six. Jafta returned to bat, but she could add just nine more runs and departed for 15 and they went to tea at 336 for eight.
The hosts eventually conceded the lead in the final session. This was the third instance of India giving away the lead after enforcing a follow-on and the fifth overall. The partnership between De Klerk and Masabata Klaas produced 23 runs before the latter fell to Shafali, who cleaned her up.
De Klerk, who was dropped on fifty by Renuka Singh and Vastrakar during a mix-up, brought up her half-century soon but Rajeshwari Gayakwad knocked her out for 61.
The game saw several records being broken. The 292 run-stand between Shafali and Mandhana in India’s first innings, is the highest opening wicket partnership till date. Shafali also made history by becoming the second Indian woman, after Mithali Raj, to hit a double century in Tests. She also set the record for the fastest double ton in women’s Tests, thus achieving the magical figures in 194 balls, surpassing Australian Annabel Sutherland who needed 248 balls for her double hundred.
Meanwhile, Rana’s 8/77 in the South African first innings also made her the third player in women’s cricket to record a eight-wicket haul in an innings. Her match-haul of 10/188 made her the second Indian and 12th overall to take a 10-wicket haul in a Test match.
