Thursday, December 28, 2006

South Africa move clear of India

Second Test, Durban, day three:
South Africa 328 & 64-0 (stumps) v India 240

South Africa edged into a 152-run lead after compiling 64-0 before bad light brought an early finish to day three of the second Test against India.

Skipper Graeme Smith, unhappy at being forced off for light by the umpires, was 28 not out with AB de Villiers unbeaten on 31 in Durban.

The hosts skittled India for 240, with VVS Laxman (50no) and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (28) sharing a stand of 53.

India resumed on 103-3 but lost five wickets for 80 runs before lunch.

Umpire Mark Benson had to leave the field with heart palpitations four overs into the day.

The 48-year-old former Kent opener, who played one Test for England, was taken to hospital for tests and was admitted to intensive care as a precaution overnight.

South Africa coach Mickey Arthur said he was "hugely frustrated" by the shortened day's play.

"We obviously wanted to push the game forward tonight," said Arthur. "We were frustrated too by the amount of stoppages throughout the day, with ball changes and doctors running on the field.

"There needs to be some proper control of that or it could spill over into something very frustrating for us."

Only 58.4 overs were bowled in the day and Arthur claimed one of three ball changes took 20 minutes.

Makhaya Ntini began the damage with two early wickets before debutant seamer Morne Morkel claimed his first three Test victims.

Chasing South Africa's 328, Sachin Tendulkar resumed on 46no alongside Laxman and reached his first Test half-century of 2006 with an elegant off-drive against Ntini.

It was his 14th innings since his previous substantial score of 109 against Sri Lanka in Delhi in December 2005.

But he was the first to go after 40 minutes of play, caught behind by wicket-keeper Mark Boucher while trying to cut Ntini for 63.
Former skipper Sourav Ganguly followed two balls later for a duck after lobbing up an easy catch off the splice for Herschelle Gibbs at gully off Ntini.

The dashing Mahendra Dhoni blasted 34 off 39 balls in a stand of 54 with Laxman before edging his attempted cut to De Villiers at second slip off Morkel.

India lost Anil Kumble two overs later after the spinner flashed a wide one behind to Boucher off Morkel for 0, while Zaheer Khan made two runs from 20 balls before he was caught by Hashim Amla at short leg off Morkel.

Sreesanth eventually fell to Boucher off Andrew Hall after stroking five fours in his late stand with Laxman, while Shaun Pollock wrapped up the innings when he handed Boucher another victim, Vikram Singh (4).

Morkel ended with 3-86 off 18, while Ntini took his figures to 3-41 off 15 overs and Pollock kept the Indian shotmakers tied down with a miserly 1-17 off 14.5 overs.

India lead the series 1-0 after winning the first Test by 123 runs.

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