Kallis, Boucher restore SA
Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher restored South Africa's fortunes on a
topsy-turvy fourth day of the third and final Test against India at
Newlands on Wednesday.
South Africa were 212 for six at tea, a lead of 210 on a wearing
pitch on which stroke play was becoming increasingly difficult.
Kallis (67 not out) and Boucher (46 not out) added an unbeaten 82 for
the seventh wicket.
The veteran pair came together when South Africa were 130 for six, in
deep trouble after Harbhajan Singh struck twice early in the day and
seamers Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma each took a wicket.
Kallis, batting in pain because of a bruised rib and a side strain
suffered during his first innings of 161, needed treatment shortly
before lunch but played a chanceless innings.
Off-spinner Harbhajan, who exposed the first cracks in the South
African batting order when he took two wickets shortly before the close
of play on Tuesday, took just five balls to strike on Wednesday. Alviro
Petersen failed to add to his overnight score of 22 before going back on
his stumps to be leg before wicket to Harbhajan.
In Harbhajan's next over, Hashim Amla was bowled for two when he
attempted a sweep and the ball looped off his pad and rolled into the
stumps.
At that stage Harbhajan had taken four for ten in five overs - but he
was unable to add to his wicket haul and had figures of four for 72 from
28 overs at tea.
Kallis and AB de Villiers added 34 with cautious batting before De
Villiers tried to withdraw his bat from a lifting delivery by Khan and
the ball crashed into his stumps off a bottom edge.
Ashwell Prince slashed Ishant Sharma to backward point after making
22, leaving Boucher as the last recognised batsman to support Kallis.
Khan bowled only two overs between lunch and tea before leaving the
field. There was no explanation for his absence.
SOUTH AFRICA 1ST INNINGS 362 INDIA 1ST INNINGS 364 SOUTH AFRICA 2ND INNINGS (overnight 52-2)
G. Smith lbw b Harbhajan 29 A. Petersen lbw b Harbhajan 22 P. Harris lbw b Harbhajan 00 H. Amla b Harbhajan 02 J. Kallis not out 67 A. de Villiers b Khan 13 A. Prince c Sreesanth b Sharma 22 M. Boucher not out 46 Extras (lb5, nb6) 11 Total (6 wkts, 72 overs) 212
Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-52, 3-53, 4-64, 5-98, 6-130.
Bowling: Khan 15-2-47-1 (nb4), Sreesanth 18-3-48-0 (nb1), Sharma
11-0-39-0 (nb1), Harbhajan 28-1-73-4. |