A stirring century from Virender Sehwag, his second in succession after returning to the side in Australia, was the centerpiece of an emphatic Indian response to South Africa's mammoth total. By lunch on the third day, Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer had added a further 94 to the overnight total of 82, with South Africa's five bowlers toiling away with no reward on an unforgiving pitch.
After having chased the ball around the outfield for more than five sessions, India relished the opportunity to mete out some punishment of their own. And the manner in which Sehwag reached his century said much about the mindset that has made him one of the game's most feared openers.
Having slammed Jacques Kallis over midwicket to get to 99, he then lofted him straight back over his head to get to three figures. It had taken him just 116 balls, and it reduced South Africa to seeking damage control rather than wickets. Sehwag's greatest strength, his ability to put away both the bad and not-so-bad balls, was in ample evidence, with strokes being crunched through the covers and errant deliveries being calmly glanced off his hips.
India started the day as though they meant business, with Wasim Jaffer pulling Makhaya Ntini for four, and Smith was soon forced into an early change as Ntini's three overs went for 22. Dale Steyn bowled at lively pace, but again there was so little assistance from the conditions that he was soon left to make disgruntled and rueful faces.
The pick of the bowlers was perhaps Morne Morkel, who sent a couple of deliveries thudding through at express pace and beat the outside edge more than once. But apart from a Jaffer edge that fell well short of Mark Boucher, there weren't even half-chances to encourage the bowlers. Jaffer eventually got to his 50 from 107 balls, more than content to paddle in Sehwag's wake.
Paul Harris came on after an hour and his tactics against Sehwag were simple - just drop the ball on a length well outside leg stump. Sehwag was content to ignore most of them, though on occasion he did make room to drive powerfully through the leg side. There was also a powerful reverse sweep that sped behind point for four.
A couple of balls did seem to unleash puffs of dust from the pitch, a development that would have been watched with keen interest by Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. That though was in the future, with India still needing to bat through the day and beyond to make the game safe. As long as Sehwag was out there, it didn't appear too tough a proposition.
No comments:
Post a Comment