Peter Robinson
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1st Test: South Africa v India at Bloemfontein, 3-7 Nov 2001 Peter Robinson |
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India 1st innings:
Pre-game: |
Tendulkar’s innings transformed an India innings from near collapse to a position of some authority as the tourists moved to 292 for five with an hour of the day’s play remaining.
He had played quite superbly in a fifth-wicket stand of 220 with Virender Sehwag, reducing the South African bowlers to near impotence before he was finally dismissed playing yet another attacking shot.
The South Africans had already seen Nantie Hayward hobble off the field with cramp shortly after tea, but Ntini, who had been punished mercilessly earlier in the day, brought about the breakthrough when Tendulkar pulled a shortish delivery and Neil McKenzie took a well-judged catch coming in off the square leg boundary.
Tendulkar’s innings had taken him just 184 minutes and he had helped himself to 23 fours and a six.
With the light beginning to go as the sky clouded over above Bloemfontein Deep Dasgupta joined Sehwag who had moved to 64 when the final drinks break of the day was taken.
Tendulkar’s contribution was 92 not out and he had been in sublime form as he neared his 26th century. He had scored at just under a run a ball as he plundered runs on both sides of the wicket off the South African attack.
With him was Sehwag who had played an impressive supporting role in making 33, giving the strike as often as possible to Tendulkar as their fifth wicket stand mounted to 130.
The South African bowlers, who had looked so incisive during the first 90 minutes of the day appeared to have lost their way a little and Shaun Pollock’s determination to attack was exploited by the Indians who scored a large proportion of their runs in the third man area. At one point no fewer than 17 boundaries had gone through, past or over the slip cordon before Pollock opted for a more conventional and defensive field.
During the first hour after lunch India added 63 as Tendulkar became only the second India to score 7 000 Test runs.
Tendulkar’s contribution was 92 not out and he had been in sublime form as he neared his 26th century. He had scored at just under a run a ball as he plundered runs on both sides of the wicket off the South African attack.
With him was Sehwag who had played an impressive supporting role in making 33, giving the strike as often as possible to Tendulkar as their fifth wicket stand mounted to 130.
The South African bowlers, who had looked so incisive during the first 90 minutes of the day appeared to have lost their way a little and Shaun Pollock’s determination to attack was exploited by the Indians who scored a large proportion of their runs in the third man area. At one point no fewer than 17 boundaries had gone through, past or over the slip cordon before Pollock opted for a more conventional and defensive field.
During the first hour after lunch India added 63 as Tendulkar became only the second India to score 7 000 Test runs.
It was a thoroughly entertaining morning as the tourists scored at more than four an over for the session, but the advantage unquestionably lay with the home team whose bowlers vindicated Shaun Pollock’s decision to send India in to bat.
Nantie Hayward took his second wicket of the morning when he had VVS Laxman caught down the leg side, somewhat carelessly flicking at a loose delivery. Laxman had been in sparking for his 32, striking four handsome fours and a six hooked over square leg off Pollock.
His demise was a blow for India at 51 for three, a point underlined when Jacques Kallis got one to kick at Sourav Ganguly before looping off to Gary Kirsten in the gully. Ganguly was out for 14 at 68 for four, but his departure prompted an unexpected response from India.
With Tendulkar almost unstoppable, the Indian fifth wicket pair added 55 in double quick time before lunch. Remarkably, the 50 partnership took just 27 minutes and came off 38 balls as Tendulkar laid into, first, Makhaya Ntini, whose first four overs cost South Africa 36 runs, and then Kallis.
He brought up the Indian 100 in the 25th over with a sweetly timed tuck through midwicket off Kallis in over that produced a further two boundaries for the Indian batsman.
Sehwag, understandably, was very much the junior partner, but he, too, became swept up in the spirit of things, driving the last ball of session from Kallis for four to go to lunch on 11.
Rain earlier in the week and a little more grass than is usual at Goodyear Park persuaded Shaun Pollock to ask India to bat as the three-match series got underway and it was the South African captain who effected the breakthrough.
He had had appeals for caught behind against SS Das and leg before against Rahul Dravid rejected by umpire Dave Orchard in his first two overs, but when he found the edge of Dravid’s bat in his third over the umpire was not required to make a decision as the ball flew chest high to Jacques Kallis at second slip.
Dravid was out for 2 at 7 for one but VVS Laxman joined Das to play a succession of handsome strokes off the back foot as Pollock and, to a lesser extent, Nantie Hayward bowled too wide of the off stump.
And when Pollock dropped one shot to Laxman he was dismissively put away for six over square leg, but he should have had a second wicket when Das was superbly caught by Kallis at slip, sadly for the South Africans, off a no ball.
Hayward, who had worked up a useful head of steam finally accounted for Das who chopped a short one onto his off stump in the over before drinks. Das had made 9 in 55 minutes and the second wicket had fallen at 43.
Sachin Tendulkar joined Laxman who had 25.
Offspinner Harbhajan Singh was ruled out of the match with a groin infection and wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe pulled a back muscle while warming up and had to be replaced by Deep Dasgupta shortly before the toss.
Dasgupta will be making his Test debut as will Virender Sehwag as India opted to field only four specialist bowlers with Zaheer Khan playing in the absence of Harbhajan.
South Africa, meanwhile, fielded their team as announced.
Teams
South Africa: Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Boeta Dippenaar, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock (capt), Mark Boucher, Nicky Boje, Nantie Hayward, Makhaya Ntini.
India: Rahul Dravid, SS Das, VVS Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Deep Dasgupta, Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, Asish Nehra, Javagal Srinath.
© CricInfo
Date-stamped : 03 Nov2001 - 18:25