India vs South Africa Bangalore Test Day 2 Highlights: Persistent Rain Forces Play to be Called off Without a Ball Being Bowled
It turned out to be a soggy Sunday in the second Test between India and South Africa at Bangalore. Persistent rain forced the match to be called off without a ball being bowled. Catch all the highlights here.
India were well set to press home their advantage at the end of day one. Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay had laid out a solid platform but rain relentlessly delayed the action. The match was scheduled to begin at 10:30 AM but once the rain came down again, the match never really took off and play was called off an hour after lunch. Relive all the moments here. (SCORECARD | LATEST NEWS | VIDEOS)
14:10 hrs IST: The news is finally here. Persistent rain has meant that day two has been called off without a ball being bowled. Shame really for the fans as the match was shaping up to be an interesting one. The weather is not too promising on the remaining days and India will be hoping for no further delay.
13:56 hrs IST: Still no fresh update from the ground. It seems that the ground staff are resigned to the fact that the rain will not allow play to happen. Meanwhile in Perth, Ross Taylor is moving closer to his second double century in Tests.
13:38 hrs IST: The news is not good at all from Bangalore. There is no activity from the ground staff and the super-soppers have also stopped their work. Play for the day could be called off anytime now.
© AFP
13:25 hrs IST: We do not want to repeat things and updates. However, this rain delay has forced us into this situation. This is the current situation in Bangalore.
13:10 hrs IST: The lunch session is done but the rain is just falling steadily at the ground. The wait continues.
12:50 hrs IST: Over in Perth, we have witnessed one of the most hostile spells of fast bowling in modern times. Mitchell Starc bowled a full over in excess of 150 kmph, had two chances grassed off him and he clocked a speed of 160.4 kmph. It is brilliant to watch.
12:30 hrs IST: Lunch has been taken in Bangalore. However, with the amount of rain that has lashed the Chinnaswamy stadium, it needs a lot of effort from the ground staff to make the playing conditions ready. Still a slight drizzle and the covers have covered most of the square.
12:19 hrs IST: The rain seems to have stopped in Bangalore but there is still a lot of work left to be done. Here is the latest update.
The drizzle has all but stopped. The super soppers are at work. Fingers crossed. #IndvsSA pic.twitter.com/eRywioSzml
- BCCI (@BCCI) November 15, 2015
12:09 hrs IST: The wait continues in Bangalore. It seems like it is a classic case of wait and watch.
11:59 hrs IST: Over in Perth, Australia have broken the massive 265-run stand. Hazlewood sends back Williamson for a magnificent 166. New Zealand are 352/3, trailing by 207 runs.
11:50 hrs IST: There is no calls for an early lunch yet by the umpires. However, with the rain not easing up, there are puddles forming at the Chinnaswamy outfield. The drainage facility, which is good, will be severely tested today.
11:41 hrs IST: It is Australia's turn to wilt in the heat at the WACA. Williamson and Taylor have shared the best partnership against Australia. This is stupendous.
11:30 hrs IST: There are no signs of the rain relenting in Bangalore. We are still awaiting some word but for the moment, the covers are firmly in place.
11:20 hrs IST: Over in Perth, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor continue to punish Australia. Williamson has gone past 150 while Taylor is consolidating on his century.
11:14 hrs IST: It is all over in Los Angeles. Shane Warne seals it with a six and Warne's Warriors have won the match against Sachin's Blasters by four wickets to clean sweep the series 3-0. It has been a magical experience for the fans in the US, with the legends of the game putting on a great show.
11:05 hrs IST: The rain is getting heavier and chances of play are looking bleak. The forecast has further stated that the weather for the rest of the day is not looking too promising.
10:56 hrs IST: It is NOT drizzling in Bangalore! It is pouring now. The ground is firmly under covers. Over in sunny and hot Perth, Ross Taylor has notched up his 13th Test century. New Zealand are taking the fight to Australia.
© BCCI
10:48 hrs IST: The latest visuals from Bangalore are not encouraging. The ground-staff are bringing out more covers.
10:40 hrs IST: While rain plays spoilsport in Bangalore, in Los Angeles, Shane Warne's Warriors are sinking quickly against the spin of Muttiah Muralitharan and Carl Hooper. New Zealand have also resumed their vigil in Perth.
10:28 hrs IST: Oh dear, this is frustrating. Just as R Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane were warming up, the rain has returned and the ground-staff rush out with the covers. The players are flummoxed and the 10:30 AM start is definitely delayed now.
10:22 hrs IST: The Indian players are out on the field warming up. We are not far from the start.
10:12 hrs IST: These are the revised session timings for today. First session: 10:30 to 12:30. Second session: 13:10 to 15:10. Third session: 15:30 to 17:30
10:02 hrs IST: Lunch has been taken in Perth with New Zealand dominating a session for the first time in this series. Australia have had no answer to Kane Williamson's brilliance.
09:58 hrs IST: Good news coming from Bangalore. If there is no further rain, play will start at 10:30 AM. The outfield is in good shape and the remaining covers are being removed.
09:52 hrs IST: While we wait for play to begin, in Los Angeles, Warne's Warriors have made a good start in response to Sachin's Blasters score of 219/5. Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden are doing the job. In Perth, Australia have suffered an injury scare with Usman Khawaja ruled out for two Tests due to a hamstring injury.
09:48 hrs IST: The rain has stopped and the covers are being peeled off. One feels that we are not far away from the action. There is still a possibility that the full 90 overs could be bowled today.
09:37 hrs IST: Over in Perth, Kane Williamson has scored his second hundred of the series. What an amazing run of form from Williamson. He is truly shaping up to be one of the future greats of the game.
09:29 hrs IST: There is still no update on the situation. The super-soppers are still working hard on the outfield. However, the rain must stop first. Here is the latest situation from the ground.
Expecting a delay in the start of play. Umpires are out on the field for inspection. More updates in a bit. #IndvsSA https://t.co/jZcGEzkZaB
- BCCI (@BCCI) November 15, 2015
09:18 hrs IST: The rain has picked up in Bangalore and play will definitely be delayed. The super-soppers are at work and there are still some damp patches on the outfield.
© BCCI
09:09 hrs IST: The umpires are currently inspecting the playing conditions and the covers are being partially removed. However, it is still very overcast. It could be a start stop day in Bangalore today.
09:00 hrs IST: Over at the Chinnaswamy stadium, a steady drizzle has meant that the covers are firmly in place at the ground. Start of play could be delayed. The super-soppers are at work and the rain seems to have stopped. Meanwhile, in Perth, Ross Taylor has finally come back to form with a fifty as New Zealand stay in the hunt against Australia.
08:43 hrs IST: Tendulkar turns the clock back with a majestic fifty off 25 balls. However, he falls to his old weakness of left-arm spin and he gets stumped for 56. Daniel Vettori gets the wicket. Sachin's Blasters are in a magnificent position.
08:23 hrs IST: Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag notch up the fifty partnership in just the fourth over. It is Tendulkar who is dominating the partnership and is batting with fury. One must remember that Sachin faced the travails of a common man during a British Airways flight recently. Read it here to find out the incident that incurred the wrath of God on the British Airliner.
08:20 hrs IST: A warm welcome to the second day of the second Test between India and South Africa from Bangalore. While we wait for the match to happen, let us turn our attention to the All-Stars Twenty20 game in Los Angeles. The news is that Sachin Tendulkar's Blasters have won the toss and chosen to bat against Shane Warne's warriors.
© BCCI
Virat Kohli raised a few eyebrows when he won the toss in the second Test at Bangalore. He chose to bowl first and he replaced Amit Mishra with Stuart Binny. For the first six overs, South Africa had made decent progress and it seemed Kohli's plan would backfire.
In stepped Ravichandran Ashwin and he changed the course of the match with two wickets in his first over. South Africa were undone by deliveries which did nothing and they gifted their wickets away either through poor shot selection or misjudgment. The pitch was barely offering any turn but South Africa made it look like it was a rank turner. (Chinnaswamy Stadium Not Offering Much Turn: Ravichandran Ashwin)
While the rest of the South African batsmen were floundering, AB de Villiers showed why he is the best batsman in the world. The Chinnaswamy stadium celebrated the magic of de Villiers, who was playing in his 100th Test and they cheered each and every stroke he played. De Villiers displayed all his skills and when he went past fifty, the reception that he got from the crowd was amazing. His family, who was in attendance, were overwhelmed.
A special moment beckoned for de Villiers but on 85, just before the stroke of tea, Ravindra Jadeja ended his innings and South Africa folded up for 214. Having being bowled out for a low score, they were put further under the pump thanks to a solid opening stand between Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan. The unbeaten 80-run stand has put India firmly on the back foot and it will need a big effort from South Africa's bowlers if they have to claw back in this match. (Day One Match Report)