Battle royale at the Kingsmead

What an engrossing day of Test cricket at the Kingsmead in Durban yesterday!And I watched almost all of it.18 wickets tumbled on the day - as many as 8 before Lunch,another 6 between Lunch and Tea,and 4 after Tea.That the partnership between VVS Laxman and Cheteshwar Pujara of 46 unbeaten at Stumps is the most remarkable partnership of the day says it all about how difficult life has been at the crease.India lead by 166 runs with 6 wickets remaining in the 2nd innings.Just the second day over,we're into almost halfway the 3rd innings,but yes,we have the least idea who's gonna be King of the Kingsmead.

After Dale Steyn returned figures of 6-50 in the first innings,it didn't surprise that Zaheer Khan led India to a lethal fightback.Such is the myth that Indian batsmen cannot cope with quality seam bowling that South Africa have overdone the wicket here,and it has backfired.Australia got it at the WACA in 2008,England at the Oval in 2007.By now,we are used to the difference Zaheer brings into the Indian bowling attack,specially in Tests.He is to bowling what Sachin Tendulkar is to batting for India.And despite the fact that he didn't exactly get effective support from the other end,he proved instrumental in reducing the hosts to 74-4 at Lunch.It is as if he has made it a habit to fool Graeme Smith one way or the other,and that's one big factor negated.But it was Harbhajan Singh who turned out to be the big surprise factor.A 4-10 burst from him was last thing South Africa needed or expected.The catching in the entire match has been praiseworthy,and the visitors refused to be left out of the party this time.Rahul Dravid's 200th catch in Tests will rank as one of the very best ever caught be the slip veteran.

One was perhaps laying back in the chair satisfied that India were in the driver's seat,with a reasonably good start in the 2nd innings after having secured a substantial 1st innings lead of 74,until Sehwag nicked Tsotsobe complacently to Boucher.From 42-0,suddenly it was 56-4.Sehwag and Dravid,also scalped be Tsotsobe,would perhaps be kicking themselves for the way they threw their wickets away.Funny thing,I perfectly anticipated Dravid and Tendulkar's wickets.Just seconds before Dravid got out I was thinking that India might do the mistake of taking Tsotsobe lightly,who's certainly not in the league of Steyn and Morkel if the speed is concerned.and Dravid ended up doing just that.On the latter occasion,Dale Steyn had been brought in for his second spell and as he ran up for the first delivery,I wondered perhaps there's a wicket looming,and if somethings to happen,it would happen off that very first ball of his new spell.And lo,Tendulkar edges one to de Villiers,as if he's not really prepared for the sudden outburst of speed.

Since then,it's been Laxman and Pujara applying themselves pretty well out in the middle,one must say.Needless to say,they need to carry on the good work this morning.Another 100-150 runs and the way the match has chameleoned so far,who knows...

Half Century of Centuries in Centurion

Sachin Tendulkar reacts after scoring the hundred on Sunday. (AFP)

...
Main rooun yaa hasoon
Karoon main kya karoon
...

If you had missed out on the 'Live' action in the Supersport Park yesterday and took a loose glance at the score summary after Day 4,you'd think it was just another disappointing day with India still staring at an innings loss with only Jaydev Unakdat left to arrive in the middle.That is until a '107*' catches your eye against the name of a certain Tendulkar.

And suddenly the whole mood changes.No,your 'integrity' isn't being put to scrutiny.It's just you'll never be prosecuted for hero worshipping,when the hero is the flag bearer of the hopes of the Indian cricket fanatic for some two decades,and he has waved his bat and helmet in the air in which is not just yet another innings,but it is his 50TH such innings.Those fire crackers in my neighbourhood had every right to go up.

I myself did not have the good fortune of witnessing the very moment.Was minutes away from reaching home back from the coaching class,when a friend sent me a text informing that Sachin Tendulkar had finally touched the milestone after a wait of 3 Tests.When I left home last afternoon when Dravid and Tendulkar were out in the middle,probably like any other Indian fan,hoped that I would return to see the same pair batting.That was not to be.In fact,when that friend updated me that India were six wickets down at Tea,despite a relatively productive partnership between Tendulkar and Dhoni being on,it didn't need a soothsayer to make out where the match was heading.And yet,I bet every single cricket follower were tuned into what was happening in Centurion.

Also the 7th Test century by the Maestro this calendar year.He is now just one short of equaling the record of scoring most number of Test centuries in a calendar year,currently held by Mohammad Yousuf of Pakistan (8 centuries in 2006).And of course,with the total tally of international centuries going up to 96,he's just 4 short of the Century of Centuries,a feat predicted by Wisden more than a decade ago.

A friend on Facebook remarked,"A single shot by Sreesanth triggered a storm",when play was suspended due to bad weather conditions.Only such turbulent and persistent miracles can save India from a humiliating loss in the 1st Test vs. South Africa.But it's time again for the team to take the cue from the God of Indian cricket when it's game in Durban.

Sleepy in the (Supersport) Park

If the manner of Virender Sehwag's dismissal was any indication,one would have got the feeling that at least the Indian batsmen are not prepared to a play a Test match in South Africa just yet.India have narrowly escaped the ignominy of being bowled out within the very first day,a mostly rain curtailed one,of the 1st Test vs. South Africa in Centurion.I had feared something akin to this considering the possibility that once Graeme Smith wins the toss and sends India into bat.Because though part of the Indian contingent had made a premature landing here while the others were busy engaging with New Zealand in the very recently concluded ODI series in their own backyard,commencing a tough tour like the current one full on without having played a single competitive ball in these foreign conditions is ridiculous.India is touring SA after a length of 4 years.Unless you take a few blows and bruises,you are hardly ready to tackle Dale Steyn and Co. on a surface specifically designed to kill.

No major surprises in the Indian XI except for Jaydev Unakdat,the Saurashtra pacer finally making his debut, after being in contemplation of the the national selectors for the past few months,as Zaheer Khan sits out with an injury.One had perhaps expected Chetshwar Pujara (even captain Dhoni had hinted at this after the Test series vs. NZ was over) in place of Suresh Raina,who's going through a rough patch lately.Pujara stands god with his sound technique and his recent experiences in overseas surroundings in the Emerging Players' tours he's been part of.

Anyways,the matter in stead instead is,India are 136/9 after play was stopped on the first day due to bad light and so it remained at stumps,which means Dhoni can't be expected to add substantially privileged only with the company of the debutant at the centre.The task today is well cut out,to get out of the sleep bags as quickly as possible and pull the socks up.

No vacancy for Yuvi?

Before the start of the ODI series between India and New Zealand,one would have been worried about Gautam Gambhir's place in the first XI of a full strength team for the upcoming World Cup.His appointment as the captain of the depleted side for the current series seemed almost ironical.Only two things could save him a slot - one,some good knocks with the bat,which have been missing this calendar year,and secondly,if Yuvraj Singh fails to strike swashbuckling form.Yuvraj was adjudged Man of the Match in the first ODI for his allround performance.However,that didn't do much to Yuvraj's cause.After all,who is satisfied with a 40 plus something score from his willow.Neither did Gambhir score too many in that match.But back to back centuries by him in the second and third ODIs have dented Yuvraj's fortunes further.Even then,he didn't get much time at the crease in those two ties,so he deserved a fair chance.It came,and a golden one at that when India had lost two quick wickets in succession last evening,he,the seniormost pro in the current squad alongside Zaheer Khan,squandered it.That Yusuf Pathan almost single handedly smashed the visitors off the pedestal they had been enjoying midway in the match doesn't help either.Just appreciate the batting line up with full ammo.Virender Sehwag,the indispensable dynamite;Sachin Tendulkar,the living legend;Virat Kohli has been consistent right through;M S Dhoni,the gamemaker.Yuvraj only leeway seems to nudge out Suresh Raina,who has hit a lean patch just recently.still he has been prolific at the four or five down slot and is hard to overlook him.It is Yuvraj who has to prove his mettle all over again.Just one match left here and then the dress reharsal in South Africa.But,if India is to put up a stupendous show in the quadrennial showpiece,the angry young Sardar,who but for his father and former India cricketer,Yograj Singh,would have adorned the track and field,at his murderous best is one weapon without which the arsenal will always be short of the knockout firepower.