South Africa fought back from the initial jolts to reach 236 for 4 on the second day of the one-off Test in Chennai after India declared their first innings at a record 603 for 6. At stumps, the visitors were still 367 runs behind.

Sune Luus and Marizanne Kapp began the repair work for the Proteas with a 93-run stand for the third wicket after the Proteas were 96 for 2 at one stage. Both Sune and Marizanne displayed commendable resilience and technique during their half century knocks.

Captain Laura Wolvaardt and Anneke Bosch looked composed in the six overs before lunch, before Sneh Rana got the first breakthrough in the eighth over when she bowled one rare short ball. But it kept low and Wolvaardt completely missed her pull to be trapped lbw after scoring a 36-ball 20.

Bosch continued to build the innings in the company of Sune with a 63-run second wicket partnership. However, once the pair got their eyes in during their 23 overs in the middle, Rana struck once again to end Bosch’s resistance that came in the form of a 73-ball 39, with the help of four fours and a six, falling a few overs before tea.

At 96 for 2, South Africa found stability with Kapp and Luus mixing caution with aggression. Luus respected the good deliveries, scoring almost equally on the off and leg side. In all, she scored 65 off 164 balls that included six fours and one six over long-on against Rana before Deepti broke the stand when she beat Luus’ inside edge and trapped her lbw.

Luus reviewed the on-field decision but it was in vain. Delmi Tucker became Rana’s third victim when Richa Ghosh took a sharp catch to dismiss her for an eight-ball duck.

Kapp, however, scored predominantly on the off side, with seven of her eight fours coming in that area as she reached her 50 off 87 balls and remained unbeaten on 69 off 125 at stumps, despite battling cramps and a stiff back. Nadine de Klerk, who joined Kapp at the fall of Tucker, stitched an unbroken 38-run stand off 56 balls. De Klerk showed good intent in the final hour and hit five fours in her unbeaten 27 off 28 balls.

Earlier, Richa Ghosh and captain Harmanpreet Kaur started cautiously but soon converted their starts into half-centuries. The pair stretched their stand to 143 runs. Harmanpreet made 69 off 115 balls before being dismissed in the 15th over of the day when fast bowler Tumi Sekhukhune trapped her in front to leave India at 593 for 5. Ghosh hit seven more boundaries on Saturday, 16 in all, to get to a career-best 86 before being trapped in front while attempting a sweep off left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba.