Suné Luus struck a maiden Test century and captain Laura Wolvaardt closed in on hers on day three of the Proteas’ one-off Test against India in Chennai.

Luus top-scored with 109 off 203 balls (18 fours), while Wolvaardt’s measured innings of 93* off 252 balls (12 fours) helped South Africa end the penultimate day on 232-2 in 85 overs.

That came after India had enforced the follow-on after South Africa were bowled out for 266 in their first innings, in reply to the hosts’ massive 603-6 dec.

India’s Sneh Rana was the standout bowler in the Proteas’ first innings, with career-best figures of 8-77.

South Africa began the day on 236-4, with Marizanne Kapp (74) and Nadine de Klerk (39) at the crease.

Rana quickly dismissed Kapp and then ripped through the middle and lower order, taking four of the remaining five wickets to provide India with a 337-run first-innings lead.

In South Africa’s second innings, opener Anneke Bosch was trapped lbw by Deepti Sharma (1-56) for nine. Wolvaardt and Luus then steadied the ship, taking the score to 29-1 at lunch.

Following the interval, the pair found their rhythm, helping the Proteas bring up triple figures. Luus led the charge, reaching her second fifty of the match with South Africa going into tea at 124-1.

In a gutsy display with the bat in spin-friendly conditions, Wolvaardt and Luus continued to assert themselves against the Indian bowlers before the former raised her bat to celebrate a maiden Test half-century off 160 deliveries.

With the duo’s partnership surpassing the 150-run mark, Luus then became only the fifth Proteas women (third in the modern era) to record a Test hundred, before the batting all-rounder was eventually dismissed by India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (1-24) to end South Africa’s highest partnership in women’s Test cricket of 190 off 394 balls.

Luus’ wicket was the last to fall on the day, as new batter Kapp (15*) joined Wolvaardt to add 26 more runs.

Photo: BCCI