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Monday, Dec 18, 2006
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South African top order fails yet again

S. Dinakar

Sreesanth on fire again; Zaheer backs up his bowling with good late order batting

FLYING HIGH: Sreesanth is on cloud nine after dismissing Graeme Smith on the third day of the first Test on Sunday. — PHOTO: AP

Johannesburg: India got closer to a historic Test triumph in South Africa. On Monday, Rahul Dravid's men will move in for the kill at the Bull Ring.

At stumps, on day three of the first Castle Test, South Africa was 163 for five. The host is chasing a daunting 402. A fighting Ashwell Prince was at the crease with 54, and Mark Boucher, on 23.

Paceman S. Sreesanth was lively, aggressive and swung the ball. He struck deadly blows. In the morning, V.V.S. Laxman's judiciously constructed 73 gave the bowlers enough runs to bowl with. The Indian second innings concluded at 236.

Herschelles Gibbs, fatally, played away from his body to a delivery angling across him from Zaheer.

Smith pursued a slightly widish delivery from Sreesanth and was smartly held by Virender Sehwag at point. The host was staring down the barrel.

Once again, Sreesanth and Zaheer bowled the right length, got the ball to dart around. They comprehended the dynamics of the Kookaburra ball and the nature of this surface at the Wanderers.

This right-left combination is working for India. Apart from the shift in angles, the fact that Sreesanth is essentially a swing bowler, and Zaheer, a seamer, does not make the batsmen's task any easier.

Hashim Amla was given a torrid time by Sreesanth's outswing. The right-hander finally nicked one and `keeper M.S. Dhoni pouched, diving to his right.

The South African top-order had been demolished again.

Sreesanth's initial burst of 7-3-15-2 was impressive, although he needs to cut out the antics. Jacques Kallis (27) appeared in ominous form though and a thundering back-footed cover drive off VRV Singh reflected his intentions. He was someone with the technical and the mental attributes to survive in the conditions.

However, Kallis flattered to deceive. Soon after tea, he attempted to drive Sreesanth and Sourav Ganguly made no mistake in the cordon.

Tenacious southpaw

Only Prince showed some character. This tenacious southpaw is under-rated, is a neat little player. However, he had slices of luck. He miscued a pull off Zaheer and Wasim Jaffer could not quite cling on to the opportunity at mid-wicket. Then, he was extremely fortunate to survive a caught behind shout off Sreesanth.

Abraham de Villiers had little luck though. Zaheer Khan's direct hit at the non-striker's end, running in from mid-on did him in.

V.V.S. Laxman mixed style with substance. The purity of his strokeplay was awe-inspiring. This was also a morning when his left foot moved better. Of course, he met the ball with the sweet portion of his willow.

There were some flowing drives in the `V', and some delectable strokes off his legs by the elegant right-hander. But his moments of aggression were judiciously blended with caution.

India needed Laxman to stay after M.S. Dhoni, edging a point perfect leg-cutter from Shaun Pollock soon after play commenced. Anil Kumble was fired out by Andre Nel and, all of a sudden, the South Africans scented something.

From a psychological perspective, the 70-run for the eighth wicket between Laxman and Zaheer in 23.2 overs was important. While, Laxman, apart from the occasional aberration appeared solid, Zaheer, first applied himself, and then lashed out.

Pollock's figures were slightly dented by Zaheer's onslaught. The lack of variety in the South African attack was once again obvious when Smith was forced to bring himself on. The skipper's part-time off-spin was clouted around the park by Zaheer (37, 80b, 3x4, 2x6). The Indians were batting South Africa out of the contest. Ntini finally discovered that whenever he pitched the ball further up, there was some reward for him — Laxman nicked one in the corridor.

There was a flurry of runs towards the end of the Indian innings.

The two characters, Nel and Sreesanth faced-off. Angered by words spoken to him by Nel, Sreesanth charged down the track to blast the paceman over long-on, and then broke into a little war dance waving his bat. This hit and a couple of meaty blows stretched the Indian lead beyond 400.

SCOREBOARD

India _ 1st innings: 249

South Africa _ 1st innings: 84

India _ 2nd innings: W. Jaffer c Smith b Nel 4, V. Sehwag c Gibbs b Nel 33, R. Dravid c Boucher b Pollock 1, S. Tendulkar b Pollock 14, V.V.S. Laxman c Smith b Ntini 73, S. Ganguly c Boucher b Ntini 25, M. Dhoni c Boucher b Pollock 18, A. Kumble c Prince b Nel 1, Zaheer c Boucher b Ntini 37, S. Sreesanth (not out) 6, VRV Singh (run out) 11; Extras: (b-2, lb-10, w-1) 13; Total: (64.4 overs) 236.

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-37, 3- 41, 4-61, 5-119, 6-147, 7-148, 8- 218, 9-219.

South Africa bowling: Ntini 15.4-2-77-3, Nel 19-4-58-3, Pollock 16-4-33-3, Kallis 11-2-30-0, Smith 3-0-26-0.

South Africa _ 2nd innings: H. Gibbs c Tendulkar b Khan 0, G. Smith c Sehwag b Sreesanth 10, H. Amla c Dhoni b Sreesanth 17, J. Kallis c Ganguly b Sreesanth 27, A. Prince (batting) 54, A.B. de Villiers (run out) 17, M. Boucher (batting) 23; Extras (lb-3, nb-12) 15; Total: (for five wkts; 58 overs) 163.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-22, 3-34, 4-84, 5-120.

India bowling: Zaheer 17-4-44-1, Sreesanth 17-6-47-3, VRV Singh 12-3-27-0, Ganguly 1-0-11-0, Kumble 11-2-31-0.

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