UPDATE: Magnificent Markram lifts Proteas’ spirits in second Test against India

The opening batter’s seventh Test century lit up Newlands on Thursday.

A fabulous century by Proteas opening batter Aiden Markram on the second morning of the second Test against India at Newlands in Cape Town on Thursday has given the hosts a fighting chance to win the Test and take the series 2-0.

Markram was in stunning form on Thursday morning, counter-attacking brilliantly against some classy bowling by the Indians, scoring 106 off 103 balls to help South Africa post a second innings total of 176 all out on the stroke of lunch.

India will now need to score 79 in the fourth innings on the second day of the Test to win the game and force a draw in the two match series.

South Africa won the Boxing Day Test at Centurion by more than an innings inside three days.

Markram stands tall

Besides Markram, it was another poor showing with the bat by the South Africans in their second time at the crease, with the next best scorer Dean Elgar with 12, after being bundled out for a paltry 55 in the first session of play on Wednesday. India replied with 153 in their first innings, for a lead of 98.

Resuming their second innings at 62/3 on Thursday morning, the South Africans quickly lost David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen and Keshav Maharaj to be seven down in the first hour of play.

Markram though played brilliantly, bringing up his century off 99 balls, with 16 fours and two sixes. He was given a life on 73, when he was dropped by wicket-keeper KL Rahul off Bumrah’s bowling with the South Africans just 30 ahead.

The opening batter combined brilliantly with Kagiso Rabada for a crucial 50-run eighth-wicket stand that helped grow the South Africans’ lead.

Rabada and Nandre Burger followed shortly after Markram’s departure, South Africa all out for 176

The chief destroyer for India was Jasprit Bumrah, who took six wickets for 61 runs in 13.5 overs, following on from Mohammed Siraj’s 6/15 in the first innings.