India make 298 for 9

Suresh Raina top-scored with 58 off 63 balls as a depleted India chalked up 298-9 from 50 overs in the first one-day international against South Africa on Sunday.

Virender Sehwag chipped in with 46 off 37 balls at the top of the order after the hosts were sent in to bat in the day-night match at the Sawai Man Singh stadium in Jaipur.

South Africa’s stand-in captain Jacques Kallis picked up 3-29 from seven overs as the tourists were left to chase six runs an over under lights on a good batting wicket.

India are without bowling spearheads Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh, and frontline batsmen Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh, for the opening game of the three-match series.

Harbhajan was given permission to miss the first two matches due to his sister’s wedding, while the other three were injured.

Kallis led South Africa in the absence of Graeme Smith, who opted out of the one-dayers with a finger injury sustained during the Test series, which ended 1-1 last week.

Sehwag and Dinesh Karthik (44) put on 79 for the third wicket in 75 balls to boost India after veteran Sachin Tendulkar was run out for four in the second over.

Sehwag, who hit two audacious sixes over the third man and cover region, was unlucky to be run out when a Karthik drive was deflected to the non-striker’s wicket by bowler Charl Langeveldt. Karthik and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (26) holed out to make India 138-4 in the 24th over, but Virat Kohli (31) and Raina lifted the hosts by adding 66 for the fifth wicket.

JAIPUR, India, Sunday AFP