Rain interrupts India’s victory charge
Bad weather brought a brief respite to South Africa as India pressed
for a series-levelling victory in the second and final cricket Test on
Wednesday.
The tourists, trailing by 347 runs on the first innings, lost three
key wickets on the rain-curtailed fourth day to stutter to 115-3 in
their second knock by stumps at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
Just 34.1 overs were sent down during the day as a wet outfield
caused by overnight rain delayed the start by 90 minutes and overcast
conditions interrupted play regularly.
In the brief period of action, leg-spinner Amit Mishra sent back
skipper Graeme Smith (20) and Jacques Kallis (20), and Harbhajan Singh
dismissed Alviro Petersen.
Hashim Amla was unbeaten on 49 and Ashwell Prince had yet to score
when the umpires finally called off play for the day.
India, which lost the first Test in Nagpur by an innings and six
runs, will hope for a clear day on Thursday as they attempt to draw the
series and retain their number one Test ranking.
The second-ranked South Africa will take over from India if the match
ends in a draw, giving the Proteas a 1-0 series win.
South Africa still trail by 232 runs with seven wickets in hand, but
Kallis was confident all was not lost for his team.
“The weather helped us today,” he said. “The wicket is still very
good for batting. There is a little bit of a turn, but not as much as
you come across normally in the subcontinent.
“There is also not much in it for the seamers and batting conditions
are as good as they get.
“The guys have played the spinners well so far and there is no reason
why we can’t survive 90-odd overs. If we can just be positive and keep
the pressure on India, anything can happen.” India declared their first
innings on a mammoth 643-6, built on centuries by Virender Sehwag (165),
Venkatsai Laxman (143 not out), Mahendra Singh Dhoni (132 not out) and
Sachin Tendulkar (106).
Smith and Petersen played with caution after resuming at the
overnight total of 6-0, when Mishra was brought into attack in the 13th
over.
Mishra struck off his first delivery, trapping Smith in front of the
wicket to cap a miserable outing for the South African skipper in the
series. Smith scored just 30 runs in three innings.
Off-spinner Harbhajan gave India the breakthrough in the post-lunch
session when he got rid of first-innings centurion Petersen (21) in his
second over after the break. KOLKATA, AFP
SOUTH AFRICA
1st innings: 296
INDIA
1st innings:
643-6 decl.
SOUTH AFRICA
2nd innings
G. Smith lbw b Mishra 20
A. Petersen c Badrinath b Harbhajan 21
Hashim Amla not out 49
J. Kallis c Dhoni b Mishra 20
A. Prince not out 0
Extras (nb5) 5
Total (for three wickets, 35 overs) 115
Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Smith), 2-54 (Petersen), 3-111 (Kallis).
Bowling: Zaheer 6-0-32-0, Harbhajan 13-3-31-1, Sharma 8-1-36-0 (nb4),
Mishra 7-3-15-2 (nb1), Sehwag 1-0-1-0. |
