After Sreesanth & Co. bundled out Rest of South Africa for 138, the host reduced India to 93 for seven in its second innings on day two.
Impressive swing bowler Alfonso Thomas returned figures of five for 32. The Indian batting limitations were in sharp focus again after the side had declared its first innings on overnight score.
Ahead by 178 runs, the Indians were jolted early in the second innings. Thomas started the collapse, winning a contentious caught behind decision over Wasim Jaffer (the opener came out with a runner due to a sore toe).
Virender Sehwag appeared to set himself up for a stroke square off the wicket when he was surprised by a full length delivery from Thomas. The paceman operated at brisk pace, swung the ball both ways.
Sachin Tendulkar played across to Nantie Hayward to be ruled out leg-before. The Indians require starts and the top order had failed again.
The speedy Hayward caught the eye in his spell of 5-2-4-2. When Sourav Ganguly took his eyes off a lifting delivery coming into his body, `keeper van Wyk held on to the looping ball off the gloves.
Handful
The Indians handled Morne Morkel better, but Thomas proved a handful. He also changed tactics. As the ball lost shine and there was less swing, he angled deliveries into the batsmen from short of a good length. One such ball, around the off-stump, found the edge of M.S. Dhoni's blade.
V.V.S. Laxman (31), along with a battling Irfan Pathan, was just getting into his stride when his uppish square drive off Thomas was smartly held at point. Harbhajan, trapped leg-before, was Thomas' fifth wicket. The paceman has a future.
Earlier, the visitors called the shots. The cloud cover over the ground meant there would be assistance for the pacemen. The Indians struck straightaway.
S. Sreesanth generated impressive speed. And his versatility enabled him achieve the breakthrough. It was a big wicket as well.
Essentially an outswing bowler to the right-hander, Sreesanth moved the ball away from the left-handed Jacques Rudolph. Dhoni made no mistake.
Aggressive
Sreesanth bowls with passion, has an aggressive run-up, and alters his length cleverly. On the flip side, he tends to fall away slightly at delivery stride.
But this was a day when Sreesanth's bowling had rhythm and momentum. He also consumed a fighting Vaughn van Jaarsveld (52, 57b, 9x4) with a delivery that swung into the left-hander.
Van Jaarsveld was not happy with the decision, Sreesanth thought otherwise and there was an exchange of words. Zaheer Khan once again made an impression. He has focussed on the right methods. The paceman has shortened his run-up, made it more efficient.
V.R.V. Singh may have a big role to play in the Indian attack during the Test series. He can achieve bounce from short of a good length. Yet, seeing that the conditions were assisting swing, he bowled a fuller length.
The scores:
Indians — 1st innings: 316 for seven decl.
Rest of South Africa — 1st innings: J. Rudolph c Dhoni b Sreesanth 5, A. Petersen c sub (Gambhir) b Zaheer 2, J. Duminy lbw b Zaheer 16, V. van Jaarsveld lbw b Sreesanth 52, M. van Wyk lbw b Pathan 6, J. Kemp lbw b V.R.V. Singh 2, A. Thomas lbw b V.R.V. Singh 0, P. Adams lbw b Sreesanth 0, M. Morkel c Sehwag b V.R.V. Singh 4, F. de Wet (not out) 14, M Hayward c Dhoni b Sreesanth 15; Extras (b-2, lb-8, nb-12): 22. Total (in 31.1 overs): 138.
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-7, 3-32, 4-67, 5-90, 6-94, 7-94, 8-95, 9-106.
Indians bowling: Zaheer 7-0-22-2, Sreesanth 11.1-3-53-4, Pathan 4-1-18-1, V.R.V. Singh 9-2-35-3.
Indians — 2nd innings: V. Sehwag lbw b Thomas 10, W. Jaffer lbw b Thomas 0, V.V.S Laxman c Diminy b Thomas 31, S. Tendulkar lbw b Hayward 12, S. Ganguly c Jaarsveld b Hayward 0, M.S. Dhoni c Kemp b Thomas 16, Irfan Pathan (batting) 15, Harbhajan Singh, lbw b Thomas 0, S. Sreesanth (batting) 0; Extras (b-4, lb-2, w-2, nb-1): 9. Total (for seven wkts, 40 overs): 93.
Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-15, 3-33, 4-33, 5-55, 6-93, 7-93.
Rest of South Africa XI bowling: Morkel 12-5-25-0, Thomas 15-5-32-5, Hayward 7-3-13-2, de Wet 6-2-17-0.
2007-02-18 03:52:35
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answer #2
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answered by jithu k 2
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