Friday, December 29, 2006

Pollock & Ntini hand SA control

Second Test, Durban, day four (tea):
South Africa 328 & 265-8d; India 240 & 18-1

A fine half-century from Shaun Pollock and an early wicket for Makhaya Ntini gave South Africa victory ambitions at tea on day four of the Durban Test.

India were 18-1 chasing 354 to win with captain Rahul Dravid and opener Wasim Jaffer weathering a fine opening burst from Ntini and fellow quick Andre Nel.

South Africa had declared after Pollock hit 10 fours in his 63 not out, the best score in a total of 265-8.

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (4-80) was again the pick of India's bowlers.

He helped reduced the hosts from 99-0 to 143-6, before Pollock and the other all-rounder Andrew Hall put on 70 either side of lunch.

Pollock and Morne Morkel then added a further 52 in 12 overs before skipper Graeme Smith called his batsmen back to the pavilion.

He had eight overs at the Indian openers before tea and with the last ball of the fourth Ntini bowled a fast ball that seamed just enough to take Virender Sehwag's outside edge. Smith took the catch at first slip.

The sparse crowd at Kingsmead Park had seen Smith score his first Test half-century of the series over the course of the morning session.

He was on 59 when, looking for the drive to bring him his 12th boundary, he was bowled by a Sreesanth delivery that swung wickedly between bat and pad.

South Africa were rocking uncertainly at 143-6, leading by 231, and would have been in trouble if Shaun Pollock had not survived two huge shouts for lbw by Anil Kumble.

But once he and Hall had settled, India's bowlers lost their grip on affairs and the home side re-asserted their dominance.

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