India lifted by Jaffer's century

Third Test, Cape Town, day one (close): South Africa 254-3 v India
Scorecard
Wasim Jaffer's third Test century inspired India to 254-3 after day one of the deciding Test in South Africa.

Jaffer, who had not passed 30 in the series, hit 15 fours until edging to second slip five overs before stumps.

He shared 153 with Dinesh Karthik, opening for the first time after being recalled for his first Test since 2005 following an injury to Mahendra Dhoni.

Karthik was dropped at slip by Graeme Smith on 32 but hit his second Test 50 before debutant Paul Harris ousted him.

The tourists also brought in seamer Munaf Patel for VRV Singh but chose to bat first after winning the toss at Newlands.

South Africa made three changes, bringing in Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn and 28-year-old Harris.

Kallis (back) and Steyn (thigh) were passed fit after missing the second Test at Durban and took over from Andrew Hall and Andre Nel - Nel missing out because of a bruised heel.

After a quiet start in which eight runs came from the first five overs, Jaffer punched successive off-side boundaries as Makhaya Ntini dropped short.

Kartik struck his first boundary with a glorious straight drive from Kallis' opening delivery, the all-rounder looking out-of-sorts as 18 came from his five overs.

Jaffer brought up the India 50 in the 21st over, clipping Shaun Pollock from middle and off stump to the mid-wicket boundary.
Left-arm spin bowler Harris came in for Morne Morkel to add variety to the home attack with the series level at 1-1.

He was introduced into the attack 15 minutes before lunch and caused occasional problems with some turn, despite delivering from the extreme width of the crease.

Jaffer moved into the 40s with a slice drive over third slip but there was no doubt about his eighth boundary, which recorded both his half century and 1,000 Test runs in his 17th appearance.

The 150 came up in unusual fashion when Kallis unsettled Karthik with a bouncer that flew off the helmet, but much to the bowler's dismay was credited as runs to the batsman.

Harris, who played county cricket in England for Warwickshire in 2006, secured his maiden Test scalp with the first ball after tea when Karthik was given out for a bat and pad catch at silly point.

Replays suggested no contact with the bat and fielder Hashim Amla did not even appeal, trying instead to execute a run-out.

Jaffer reached three figures in the 69th over, clipping Harris through mid-wicket for three, but eventually succumbed to a tired-looking stroke and was sharply caught by Kallis off Steyn.

Skipper Rahul Dravid, who hit Steyn for successive boundaries early in his innings, reached 29 from 56 balls before chasing one from the redoubtable Pollock and edging behind.

Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar struck five boundaries in his 28 and remained unbeaten with VVS Laxman.

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South Africa: Graeme Smith (captain), A.B. de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Herschelle Gibbs, Hashim Amla, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, Paul Harris, Makhaya Ntini.

India: Wasim Jaffer, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Saurav Ganguly, Dinesh Karthik, Anil Kumble, S Sreesanth, Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel.