The test match at the Newlands ground between South Africa and India will be remembered for a long time due to several unusual incidents. It was the shortest test match in the history of cricket. It lasted only 642 balls. A test match which is expected to go on for five days ended in less than two full days.
South Africa batted twice on the same day when an incredible 23 wickets fell like ninepins. India suffered a batting collapse too. The world’s most experienced batters on both sides performed like rank novices. The men who were mainly responsible for engineering a collapse among the South Africans were Mohammed Siraj in the first innings and Jasprit Bumrah in the second innings. On view was an Indian pace attack that has become among the best in the world nowadays.
So finally India has managed to draw a Test series in South Africa for the second time. But a series win still remains elusive for India in the Rainbow Nation. The victory at Newlands means that India has to wait to reach the top of the WTC 2023-25 points table.
Siraj was the crucial factor
But as far as Hyderabad cricket fans are concerned, this was an unforgettable match because of Siraj. Although both Siraj and Bumrah got six wickets each, it was Siraj who was given the Man of the Match award. The judges felt that his performance in the first innings was crucial in giving India the upper hand in the match.
Like a bulldozer
When Siraj is bowling at his fiery best, he transforms himself into one of the finest fast bowlers that India has seen in recent times. Like a bulldozer he sweeps away everything in front of him. In the first innings against South Africa he gave an amazing display while picking up six wickets for only 15 runs. It was top notch fast bowling that the spectators were privileged to witness.
The South African batsmen who are used to dealing with fast bowling seemed all at sea against Siraj. The bowler who carries the nickname of Miyan Magic pulled out one rabbit after another out of his hat leaving the rival batters with no clue about what he was doing.
The Hyderabad pacer bowled like a seasoned professional. The way in which he dug the ball in and targeted Dean Elgar’s rib cage showed that he meant business from the word go. Deliveries that landed just short of good length seemed to be Elgar’s weak point and Siraj exploited it cleverly.
At the other end Aiden Markram too found it difficult to deal with the bounce that Siraj was extracting from the wicket. It was no surprise when both Markram and Elgar fell prey to Siraj. After Bumrah dismissed Tristan Stubbs, Siraj picked up his third scalp by having Tony de Zorzi caught by K L Rahul. By now Siraj was full of confidence.
Siraj caused havoc
When David Bedingham came in it looked like he believed that attack is the best form of defence. But after hitting two boundaries Bedingham also departed after falling prey to Siraj. The Hyderabad bowler pitched the ball up and Bedingham was found wanting. The unexpected bounce that Siraj was able to achieve made him unplayable.
Marco Jansen was out without scoring and Kyle Verreynne did not last long either. He tried to drive but only got an outside edge. Again, it was the speed and bounce of the Siraj delivery that caught the batter napping. It was a display of brilliant fast bowling by Siraj.
Siraj’s qualities
What makes Siraj such a devastating bowler? Firstly he has the physical characteristics needed for a fast bowler. He may not be as tall as the West Indian or Australian fast bowlers but he is physically sturdy and athletic. He also has plenty of stamina to bowl long spells. He has a natural ability to make the ball swing into the right-handed batters. He also has a dangerous bouncer in his armoury.
When he decides to pitch the ball short, many experienced batsmen have trouble in coping with it. Coupled with all this is a shrewd brain that can spot a batsman’s weak spots. All said and done, he will continue to be an asset to the Indian team for many more matches.
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