Deciding http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, India Test match evenly poised
It’s been three days of nail-biting cricket between South Africa and India. After the close of play on day three, the math was evenly poised as the home team leads by 50 runs with eight wickets remaining.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 was in trouble after the tea session yesterday, as they had lost six batsmen and were still trailing the hosts by over a hundred runs. The important thing for India was that Sachin Tendulkar remained focused at the crease, but he needed some support
from the other end.
He was joined by Harbhajan Singh after the Indian captain http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 was out without scoring. Both batsmen gave India a solid 76-run partnership to ensure that the team got out of trouble. Harbhajan got out after scoring a valuable 40 runs. He would have liked
to score a half century, but his innings was very crucial in the context of the match. Tendulkar didn’t last long and was out soon after. He had already done the damage though. He scored 146 runs to bring up his 51st Test century in the match.
After Tendulkar’s wicket, a quick-fire 23 from Zaheer Khan helped India take a two-run lead over the Proteas. The visitors managed to score a total of 364 at the end of their innings. It was yet again http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Dale-c52110 Steyn who proved lethal for the Indian batsmen.
He picked up five wickets and didn’t give away too many runs. His bowling partner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Morne-Morkel-c77722 grabbed two wickets, and the fielders also backed them up with two crucial run-outs.
The Proteas started their innings with confidence. The opening pair of Graeme Smith and Alviro Petersen gave them a solid fifty-run stand at the top of the order. Just when the day was about to come to an end, India got the breakthrough courtesy Harbhajan.
Smith was dismissed for 29, with the South African total on exactly 50. Paul Harris was then sent in as a night-watchman, but he couldn’t survive the last over from Harbhajan. He was dismissed without scoring and Hashim Amla had to walk-in for a few deliveries.
Amla survived the last four balls from Harbhajan and the day came to a close. Petersen remained unbeaten on 22 for South Africa, while Amla is yet to open his account. Harbhajan took both wickets for India and looked dangerous in his spell of bowling.
The first session will be very important for both teams today. India will look forward to pick-up early wickets whereas the home team will try and build a winning lead over the visitors.
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