CAPE TOWN: It was like surfing an entire day on high, turbulent waves before finding still waters as you neared the shore. The enthralling Test series between India and South Africa suffered a tame ending here on Thursday and the two teams shared the honours 1-1. The equation for the last day suggested two possible results - a South African win or a draw. India needed 340, which was asking for too much. And whatever remote possibility existed of India going for the target vanished when Virender Sehwag was dismissed in the first hour of the day.
After that, it was just a matter of survival for India. They achieved that without too much fuss, ending the painstaking day at 166 for three off 82 overs, with the batsmen being content to present a defensive bat to everything thrown at them.
While India must be ruing letting off South Africa on the fourth day after having reduced them to 130 for six, they also had reasons to feel good after drawing a series here for the first time in five attempts. And if Jacques Kallis was the ailing gladiator who rescued South Africa on Wednesday, India too had its own wounded warrior in the shape of Gautam Gambhir (64) who batted for 271 minutes and faced 234 balls to keep South Africa at bay till well after tea.
Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman then saw through the final overs as hand shakes and bonhomie replaced glares and jibes. Gambhir, who was nursing a blow on the right hand he sustained in the first innings, had not taken the field on Day Four and had been ruled out of the ODI series. As luck would have it, the Delhi player was hit on the same hand by a Morne Morkel snorter first thing in the morning. Gambhir needed the physio's attention and Indian supporter felt pangs of nervousness. The opener, however, soon resumed duty and exhibited typical resolve to virtually carry India to safety.
Gambhir was also one part of the major partnership of the day. He and Rahul Dravid consumed 149 minutes and 223 balls in their second-wicket stand to repel South African efforts during the most critical phase of the day. Dravid, who had a forgettable series, played 112 balls for his 31 before edging Tsotsobe to third slip off the front foot. But he had done enough to make it easier for those who came later.
The day lost its thrill quotient early with Sehwag's ouster. The opener, forced to edge a beauty by Morne Morkel, left South Africa with a disappointing return of 144 from six visits to the crease.
South Africa were relying on Dale Steyn and Morkel to do the damage with Paul Harris providing support with his left-arm spin. They tried hard on another unusually hot day in Cape Town but there was not enough in the pitch for them to run through India. Even Steyn could not bring on the magic of his outswingers. He, though, did toil hard and made one last attempt after tea to unsettle India. He bowled a hostile spell during which he got Gambhir's wicket and lots of respect from Tendulkar and Laxman. Steyn ended up bowling the most overs among pacemen and ran in hard till the final minutes like a true champion. Harris had the rather flattering figures of 30-19-29-0 which was more a reflection on the state of the match than the quality of his bowling.
Read more: Enthralling Test series suffered a tame ending - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/india-in-south-africa/top-stories/Enthralling-Test-series-suffered-a-tame-ending/articleshow/7232674.cms#ixzz1AK0socEF
After that, it was just a matter of survival for India. They achieved that without too much fuss, ending the painstaking day at 166 for three off 82 overs, with the batsmen being content to present a defensive bat to everything thrown at them.
While India must be ruing letting off South Africa on the fourth day after having reduced them to 130 for six, they also had reasons to feel good after drawing a series here for the first time in five attempts. And if Jacques Kallis was the ailing gladiator who rescued South Africa on Wednesday, India too had its own wounded warrior in the shape of Gautam Gambhir (64) who batted for 271 minutes and faced 234 balls to keep South Africa at bay till well after tea.
Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman then saw through the final overs as hand shakes and bonhomie replaced glares and jibes. Gambhir, who was nursing a blow on the right hand he sustained in the first innings, had not taken the field on Day Four and had been ruled out of the ODI series. As luck would have it, the Delhi player was hit on the same hand by a Morne Morkel snorter first thing in the morning. Gambhir needed the physio's attention and Indian supporter felt pangs of nervousness. The opener, however, soon resumed duty and exhibited typical resolve to virtually carry India to safety.
Gambhir was also one part of the major partnership of the day. He and Rahul Dravid consumed 149 minutes and 223 balls in their second-wicket stand to repel South African efforts during the most critical phase of the day. Dravid, who had a forgettable series, played 112 balls for his 31 before edging Tsotsobe to third slip off the front foot. But he had done enough to make it easier for those who came later.
The day lost its thrill quotient early with Sehwag's ouster. The opener, forced to edge a beauty by Morne Morkel, left South Africa with a disappointing return of 144 from six visits to the crease.
South Africa were relying on Dale Steyn and Morkel to do the damage with Paul Harris providing support with his left-arm spin. They tried hard on another unusually hot day in Cape Town but there was not enough in the pitch for them to run through India. Even Steyn could not bring on the magic of his outswingers. He, though, did toil hard and made one last attempt after tea to unsettle India. He bowled a hostile spell during which he got Gambhir's wicket and lots of respect from Tendulkar and Laxman. Steyn ended up bowling the most overs among pacemen and ran in hard till the final minutes like a true champion. Harris had the rather flattering figures of 30-19-29-0 which was more a reflection on the state of the match than the quality of his bowling.
Read more: Enthralling Test series suffered a tame ending - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/india-in-south-africa/top-stories/Enthralling-Test-series-suffered-a-tame-ending/articleshow/7232674.cms#ixzz1AK0socEF
No comments:
Post a Comment