Cape Town, Jan 4: Fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah bagged a six-wicket haul as South Africa were bowled out for 176 in their second innings on day two of second Test at Newlands Cricket Ground on Thursday.

South Africa began day two with them still trailing India by 36 runs, and they managed to enter the lead, thanks to Aiden Markram’s stunning 106 off 103 balls coming under pressure. But Bumrah continued to strike and picked 6-61, as India now need 79 runs for a series-levelling win after lunch break.

With the pitch offering excessive variable bounce and seam movement, Bumrah struck in the very first over of the day by having David Bedingham to drive away from the body and nicked behind to wicketkeeper KL Rahul.

Despite South Africa finding runs via streaky boundaries, Bumrah had another scalp when Kyle Verreynne tried to pull a short of length ball, but holed out to mid-on. But Markram had other ideas on a tough pitch, playing a gorgeous drive off Mukesh Kumar to reach his fifty.

Bumrah, though, continued to pick scalps as he took a stunning return catch on Marco Jansen’s chip and had Keshav Maharaj drive to gully for picking his five-wicket haul. With wickets falling from other end, Markram went for the attack, pulling Mukesh and bringing out the on-drive against Bumrah for boundaries.

He lofted and cut off Mohammed Siraj for two fours, and had a reprieve a 73 when Rahul dropped a simple catch. Markram took a liking to Prasidh Krishna, dispatching him for two fours and two sixes in an over yielding 20 runs.

Markram then hit back-to-back fours off Bumrah to reach a scintillating century, and dedicated the hundred to his captain Dean Elgar, who was jubilant in the dressing room. His brilliant knock was ended by Siraj, when he mistimed the slog to long-off, where captain Rohit Sharma took the catch and threw the ball into the ground in frustration.

In the next over, Kagiso Rabada hit the ball straight to mid-off against Prasidh and Nandre Burger along with Lungi Ngidi added 14 runs for the final wicket, before Bumrah had the latter edging to third slip to keep South Africa’s lead to 78 and take his sixth scalp of the innings.

Brief Scores: South Africa 55 in 23.2 overs and 176 in 36.5 overs (Aiden Markram 106; Jasprit Bumrah 6-61) trail India 153 in 34.5 overs by 79 runs.

(IANS)

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