Women's Test: SA trail by 574 at lunch after India declare at 603/6

Captain Harmanpreet Kaur and wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh showcased their batting prowess, scoring vital half-centuries to propel India to a massive total of 603/6 declared on Day 2 of the one-off Test against South Africa.

At lunch, South Africa trailed by 574 runs, having reached 29/0 in 6 overs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium here on Saturday.

India's innings was initially bolstered by record-breaking performances from openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma.Smriti narrowly missed a double century, while Shafali reached her double ton off just 194 balls, marking the fastest in Women's Test history.

The solid foundation set by the openers was further built upon by the middle order, with Harmanpreet Kaur scoring 69 runs and Richa Ghosh adding 86 runs before being dismissed by Nonkululeko Mlaba. These key contributions led to the declaration of India's innings.

In response, South Africa's openers, Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch, have shown gumption at the crease. Wolvaardt is unbeaten on 17, while Bosch is not out on 12.

Despite the challenging position, the South African batswomen have looked comfortable on a pitch that still offers plenty for batting.

Indian bowler Renuka Thakur Singh has been economical, giving away only 10 runs in her three overs. South Africa will need to focus on building partnerships to bridge the significant gap created by the massive Indian total.

With three more days of play left, the match promises to deliver more exciting cricket as South Africa strives to stay in the contest against a dominant Indian side.(UNI)<>