The collapse of South Africa’s top order
As the sun dawned on the first day of the Test, South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first. Little did they know that what awaited them was a cricketing spectacle of epic proportions. The Proteas’ top order crumbled like a house of cards, with wickets falling rapidly. Aiden Markram‘s early dismissal set the tone for a cataclysmic collapse as South Africa were already seven wickets down by the time they reached 45 runs, thanks to relentless efforts from Siraj.
The Siraj show
What made this collapse even more breathtaking was the fact that six of those wickets were claimed by the unstoppable Siraj (6/15). The 29-year-old fast bowler showcased a mesmerizing spell, and the statistics themselves narrate the story with a five-wicket haul in just eight overs. Siraj scalped the crucial wickets of Markram, Dean Elgar, Tony de Zorzi, David Bedingham, the dangerous Marco Jansen and Kyle Verreynne.
Bowling masterclass: Watch all six dismissals from Siraj
Let’s delve into the brilliance of Siraj’s wickets, each one a testament to his skill and precision:
Siraj traps Aiden Markram
Siraj pitched it up around off, inducing Markram to play. The late shape away from the batsman resulted in an outside edge, brilliantly caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at third slip.
The Dean Elgar dismissal
A short-of-length delivery outside off at from Siraj saw Elgar attempting a force through the covers. However, a lack of foot movement led to an inside edge, with the ball crashing onto the stumps.
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Tony de Zorzi gets caught behind
A fullish delivery onto the pads forced de Zorzi to glance it away, only managing to get an inside edge. Rahul moved swiftly to complete a comfortable catch.
David Bedingham and Marco Jansen succumb to Siraj’s elegance
Siraj delivered a ball around off stump that reared up off a good length. Bedingham, trying to defend, popped the ball off the bat shoulder to the slip cordon, with Jaiswal taking a regulation catch.
A magical delivery with lovely shape and length. Jansen, attempting to defend, edged the ball with late movement, leading to a routine catch for Rahul.
Kyle Verreynne edges the ball to second slip
Siraj continued his magical spell with a full ball outside off. Verreynne’s attempt to drive ended up in the hands of a second slip off the outside edge, marking Siraj’s sixth wicket in just his ninth over.
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