Thursday, January 06, 2011
Indians dig their heels in at Newlands
Lunch, Day 5, SA vs India, Third Test, Sahara Park Newlands: India second innings 45/1 (117.5 overs), SA second innings 279/7 (88 overs). India first innings 364 all out (117.5 overs), SA first innings 362 all out (112.5 overs). India need another 287 runs, with 9 wickets in hand, to win on the final and fifth day.
India stood firm in the face of a spirited pace onslaught from the Proteas attack in the first session on the fifth and final day of the Third and series-deciding Test at Sahara Park Newlands, on Thursday.
The touring Indians did, however, suffer a setback with the loss of opener Virender Sehwag (11) who edged a 135.7 kph delivery from Morne Morkel into the safe hands of Graeme Smith at first slip.
For several moments the Protea fielders held their breath as the umpires checked if it was a legal delivery, and the replays showed that Morkel only just had his foot in place.
Sehwag, one of the world's most prolific run-getters in all forms of the game, lost his wicket in the 12th over, with the total on 27.
It is said that wickets usually fall in groups at Newlands but fortunately it was not the case for the Indians.
Gautam Gambhir (32 not out) and Rahul Dravid (8 not out) saw the innings safely through the lunch break when the scoreboard read: India second innings 53/1 (28 overs).
Full credit to Sehwag and Gambhir for fronting up to the SA new-ball attack of Dale Steyn and Morkel. The pair is regarded as the most potent combination in world cricket presently but did not stop the Indians from doing the job, despite their injuries, which has ruled both of them out of the forthcoming T20 and ODI matches against the Proteas, later this month.
India stood firm in the face of a spirited pace onslaught from the Proteas attack in the first session on the fifth and final day of the Third and series-deciding Test at Sahara Park Newlands, on Thursday.
The touring Indians did, however, suffer a setback with the loss of opener Virender Sehwag (11) who edged a 135.7 kph delivery from Morne Morkel into the safe hands of Graeme Smith at first slip.
For several moments the Protea fielders held their breath as the umpires checked if it was a legal delivery, and the replays showed that Morkel only just had his foot in place.
Sehwag, one of the world's most prolific run-getters in all forms of the game, lost his wicket in the 12th over, with the total on 27.
It is said that wickets usually fall in groups at Newlands but fortunately it was not the case for the Indians.
Gautam Gambhir (32 not out) and Rahul Dravid (8 not out) saw the innings safely through the lunch break when the scoreboard read: India second innings 53/1 (28 overs).
Full credit to Sehwag and Gambhir for fronting up to the SA new-ball attack of Dale Steyn and Morkel. The pair is regarded as the most potent combination in world cricket presently but did not stop the Indians from doing the job, despite their injuries, which has ruled both of them out of the forthcoming T20 and ODI matches against the Proteas, later this month.
# posted by faburous @ 4:24 AM 
