Centurion, Dec. 19: Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday created history by becoming the first cricketer to score 50 Test centuries but India found themselves staring at defeat on the fourth day of the opening cricket Test against South Africa here on Sunday.
Tendulkar (107 n.o.) played a sublime chanceless innings and shared a 172-run stand for the seventh wicket with his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (90) to lead a spirited fightback by India before the visitors slumped to 454 for eight when stumps were drawn early due to rain on a historic day at SuperSport Park.
With an entire final day remaining, India’s chances of saving the match depends on Tendulkar and how the elements play a role in the high-profile series opener. But it appears almost imposible for India to save the game with just two wickets remaining.
Tendulkar and Dhoni, who joined forces when an innings defeat was staring on India at 277 for six just before lunch, were never in discomfort while facing the South African bowlers throughout their innings. They denied any success to the South African bowlers for more than three hours while adding runs at a brisk pace.
Tendulkar reached the historic moment with a single off Steyn, a perfectly placed drive that pierced through cover and extra cover midway into the final session. But, the joy of the iconic batsman reaching the milestone did not last long as just four overs later, Dhoni perished to a rising delivery from Steyn. The Indian captain was caught in an awkward position and fended it to Boucher, who took a neat catch, diving to his right.
Once the big partnership between Tendulkar and Dhoni was broken with the latter falling victim to Steyn, India lost Harbhajan Singh who could score just one run from two balls just before rain interruption.
Earlier, Tendulkar and Dhoni denied the South Africans any success in the post-lunch session as India reached 394 for six at the tea break. The duo, who added 117 runs from 28.1 overs, were in no trouble facing the South African bowlers as they scored at a brisked pace and reducing the deficit to 90 runs. Tendulkar, who came in at the fall of nightwatchman Ishant Sharma at 214 for three in the morning session stood rock solid while Dhoni was even more aggressive than his senior partner at one stage.
Dhoni gave Dale Steyn some special treatment by hitting the South African strike bowler for a flurry of fours, that too after the home side had taken the new ball.
South Africa took the new ball after 2.1 overs in the post-lunch session but Tendulkar and Dhoni were undeterred as they punished Morne Morkel with three fours in the same over — two of them coming from the Indian captain’s blade.
Tendulkar raised his fifty, his 60th in Test cricket, with a cracking four off Steyn, a slap through extra cover. He had faced 94 balls for his fifty. Dhoni also punished Steyn for a four in the same over and then hit three boundaries off Jacques Kallis as he raced to his 20th Test fifty in quick time, from just 41 balls with the help of nine fours. Surprisingly, the Indian duo did not take much chance against left-arm spinner Paul Harris who was hit for just a four — by Dhoni.
Earlier, India lost the wickets Rahul Dravid (43), VVS Laxman (8) and Suresh Raina (5) and nightwatchman Ishant Sharma (23) in the morning session and trailed by 207 runs as they reached 277 for six at lunch. Resuming at 190 for two, the visitors added just 87 runs from the 33.4 overs they faced in the morning session which started half an hour before scheduled time to compensate for loss of time on the first day.
The SuperSport Park has eased out considerably with fast bowlers not posing too much of a problem as they had done on the first day but Dravid and Ishant started cautiously and runs came in trickles initially.
Dravid dug deep, playing the balls on merit while Ishant showed intent to play shots and hit three fours — two off Lonwabo Tsotsobe and one of Dale Steyn. He added 16 runs to his overnight seven before getting out.
South Africa had to work hard for the breakthrough which eventually came in the form of Ishant’s wicket with the Indian offering a simple catch to Hashim Amla while trying to work a Steyn delivery to the square region nearly an hour into the morning session.
Scoreboard
India 1st innings 136
South Africa 1st innings 620/4 decl.
India 2nd innings
Gautam Gambhir lbw b Steyn 80, Virender Sehwag c Smith b Harris 63, Rahul Dravid c Boucher b Morkel 43, Ishant Sharma c Amla b Steyn 23, Sachin Tendulkar batting 107, V.V.S. Laxman c De Villiers b Tsotsobe 8, Suresh Raina c Harris b Kallis 5, Mahendra Singh Dhoni c Boucher b Steyn 90, Harbhajan Singh c Kallis b Harris 1, Sreesanth batting 3
Extras (b-3, lb-5, nb-5, w-8) 31
Total (in 122.2 overs) 454/8
FoW: 1-137, 2-170, 3-214, 4-242, 5-256, 6-277, 7-449, 8-450
Bowling: Steyn 27.2-5-103-3, Morkel 28-5-91-1, Tsotsobe 24-3-98-1, Harris 30-5-88-2, Kallis 13-3-56-1.