India make dramatic comeback against SA at Eden Gardens
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KOLKATA, FEB 14 - Bad light stopped play when South Africa were struggling at 266 for nine against India in what was a dramatic day of test cricket that saw SA dominate the proceedings early with twin centuries from Amla and debutant Petersen and India make a thrilling comeback in the final session.
Just after the tea break, Zaheer Khan struck for the third time on the day to get rid of centurion Hashim Amla at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the venue for second test between India and SA.
South Africa then lost fourth wicket in the form of Jacques Kallis as Harbhajan Singh struck hard.
But he did not stop there, he added two more wickets (Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy) to his kitty in consecutive balls, immediately after that to suddenly push South Africa on to the back foot.
After Harbhajan's heroics in two consecutive balls, a direct throw from Zaheer Khan left South Africa reeling at 254 for seven from 218 for two.
It was then Ishant Sharma's turn, who finally got his first wicket of the series when he sent back Paul Harris.
South Africa slipped into real trouble as they lost their ninth wicket as well, in the form of Dale Steyn with less than 270 runs on the board.
Earlier, centuries from debutant opener Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla put South Africa on course for a massive first-innings total.
Petersen, who came in for an injured Mark Boucher, scored 100 and Amla continued to show excellent form with an unbeaten 114 as South Africa wrested the upper hand on the first day of the second Test at the Eden Gardens.
Zaheer Khan claimed Petersen towards the end of the afternoon session as South Africa reached 228 for two at the tea interval.
Proteas captain Graeme Smith, declared fit just ahead of the toss, chose to bat first, but contributed little to the total as he was bowled for four by Zaheer.
Smith scored a boundary through midwicket in Zaheer's first over, but was bowled off the last ball in the left-arm seamer's second over with a delivery that nipped back off the seam and sneaked through between bat and pad.
The 29-year-old Petersen, however, turned the game around quickly, getting off the mark with a boundary off Ishant Sharma and smashing several more as he quickly raced to his half-century.
He was lucky though, as a few good shouts for lbw were turned down, Amit Mishra twice the unfortunate bowler, and reached his maiden 50 off only 55 deliveries, smashing 10 boundaries along the way.
Attacking fields in the morning gave way to a more defensive mindset in the afternoon session and Petersen was made to work for his runs, but he eventually reached his century with a single off Mishra, facing 105 deliveries for his second 50.
He fell just before the tea interval, edging an outswinger from Zaheer to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, his dismissal ending a second-wicket partnership which yielded 209.
Amla, who was again at the crease early, had quickly settled into a groove and serenely closed in on his ninth Test hundred.
He was put down on 60 by VVS Laxman at first slip, the fielder dropping a straightforward catch and went on to raise his 100 off 124 deliveries, reaching the mark with his 14th boundary.
India's fielders again believed they had Amla when on 104, the batsman appeared to have edged a delivery down the leg side, but replays indicated the ball had come off the thigh pad.
Posted on: 2010-02-14 04:55
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