Tendulkar's heroics proved futile as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757 defeats India by an innings margin in the first test
Sachin Tendulkar's heroics were not enough to save India from a humiliating innings defeat at the hands of South Africa in the first Test match. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 were bowled out for 136 in their first innings, and when South Africa made a mammoth 620 in their first
innings it was always going to be a difficult task for the Indians to recover from that position and cover a deficit of 484 in their second innings. In the end, it turned out to be too much for the Indians as they were bowled out for 459 on the last day of
the test match. India started well in their second innings and their openers provided a solid opening partnership of 137 for the first wicket. After the opening partnership, India began to lose wickets at regular intervals and their batsmen were not able to
save the match for the Indians. A glimmer of hope was provided by Tendulkar and Dhoni, but when their partnership was broken in the closing overs of the 4th day, the hopes of a miracle save were also gone.
The feature for India in the Test match was the batting of Sachin Tendulkar, who provided the only resistance in Indian batting. India started the 4th day on a score of 190-2, with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/I-Sharma-c1566 (7*) still at the crease. For
Indian batsmen, the equation was simple; they had to bat two full days in order to save the first test. Dravid showed a lot of promise and along with Sharma, contributed a partnership of 44 for the 3rd wicket. It was an ideal time for Rahul Dravid
as the situation required a long innings from one of India’s most technical batsman. Just when it seemed a partnership was developing, India lost its fourth wicket when http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ishant-Sharma-c64566 was caught at short leg of the bowling of Steyn. It was the second wicket
for Steyn, who bowled with a lot of fire and energy in the test match. India had to face more loss when Dravid, at the score of 43, was dismissed by Morkel.
At that stage, India were 242-4 and needed their top batsmen to score some strong hundreds. India faced more trouble when Laxman (8) and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/SK-Raina-c2539(5) were dismissed in a quick succession. Laxman was first to go, when he was caught at gully position of the
bowling of Tsotsobe. Raina was quite vulnerable in the test match and this weakness was shown in the second innings when he tentatively hung his bat on the off-stump and was caught at slips of the bowling Kallis. Suddenly, India were 277-6, and were in trouble.
Rescue again came from their master batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, who batted brilliantly for his hundred. Tendulkar was the backbone of India’s innings and again played patiently in his innings. The feature of his batting was the fact that he did play any irrational
shot and showed a lot of patience. Where other Indian batsmen had found it difficult to deal with pace and bounce, Sachin was intelligent enough to score on merit. He was well supported by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MS-Dhoni-c2028 and both of them contributed a partnership of 172 for the
7th wicket.
Dhoni was aggressive in his approach and struck a lot of boundaries. Tendulkar, in his prolific innings of 111*, cut and drove quite beautifully and struck 13 boundaries and one six in total. South African bowlers tested the two batsmen throughout their
innings and also bowled some short balls to disturb their momentum. Steyn was rewarded for his persistent bowling, when Dhoni (90) edged a ball which was caught by the keeper Boucher. With the fall of Dhoni’s wicket, India’s hopes of a miraculous save were
gone and a defeat was inevitable for the Indians. South Africa did not take much time in finishing the Indian’s off and took the remaining 3 wickets in a quick succession. India only managed to play 6 over’s of the last day as their whole side was dismissed
for 459. It was a complete all round performance from the South African’s and India would have to be at their best to put up a good fight in the remaining test matches. Steyn and Morkel were pick of the bowlers for the Proteas as both of them took 7 wickets
each in the test match. Jacque Kallis, for his prolific 201*, was named Man of the Match.
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