Tour Match: South Africa XI v India XI at Centurion, 23-27 Nov 2001 CricInfo Live Report

Tour Match: South Africa XI v India XI at Centurion, 23-27 Nov 2001
Peter Robinson

Indians 1st innings: Day 1 - Mid-morning,
India XI 1st innings: Day 1 - Lunch, Day 1 - Mid-afternoon, Day 1 - Tea,
Pre-game: Day 1 - Toss,

INDIA LIMP TO TEA AT 137/5

India’s largely calamitous tour of South Africa showed little sign of improving as the visitors limped in to tea at 137 for five on the first day of the five-day match against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Friday.

The Indians, who lost three wickets in the hour after lunch, found thenselves five down shortly after mid-afternoon drinks when VVS Laxman contrived to get himself out. Laxman, as ever playing with little footwork, had slapped Jacques Kallis past point for four, but when he tried to repeat the shot he succeeded only in finding Gary Kirsten in the gully.

Laxman was out for 14 at 107 for five and with the Indians having rejigged their side, fielding an additional bowler in this match, South Africa were effectively into the tail.

The sixth-wicket pairing of Deep Dasgupta and Anil Kumble made the home team work for the next wicket, however, with India managing to get through the international without further setback.

At this stage Dasgupta was not out on 16 while Kumble had 10.

SOUTH AFRICA BREAK THROUGH AFTER LUNCH AT SUPERSPORT PARK

India upped the tempo of their first innings but lost a further three wickets after lunch to reach 100for four at mid-afternoon drinks on the first day of the five-day match against South Africa at SuperSport Park on Friday.

The Indians had crawled to 44 for one at lunch and they lost their wicket in the first over after the break when Makhaya Ntini trapped stand-in captain Rahul Dravid leg before for 5.

Dravid’s departure, however, brought Sachin Tendulkar to the crease and almost immediately the mood of the innings shifted as a greater sense of urgency took hold.

With Shiv Das also playing more positively, the third wicket put on 41 before Das drove at a widish delivery from Nantie Hayward with the ball flying off the outside half of the bat to Herschelle Gibbs at point. Gibbs had already made several breathtaking stops in the position and he was not about to drop a relatively straightforward chance.

Das departed for 46 made in 164 minutes at 90 for three, but VVS Laxman quickly settled in to take two boundaries off Hayward’s next over to bring up the 100 in the 42nd over of the innings.

And then, in the drinks over, Jacques Kallis snapped up the big wicket when he had Tendulkar superbly caught down the leg side by Mark Boucher for 27. Laxman, at that point, had 10.

INDIA MAKE SLOW PROGRESS ON FIRST MORNING OF SUPERSPORT PARK MATCH

India made heavy weather of the first morning of the five-day match against South Africa which started at SuperSport Park on Friday, taking 29 overs to reach 44 for one at lunch.

The only wicket to fall was that of Connor Williams who was having his first innings on South African soil. Williams had been battered by both Shaun Pollock and Nantie Hayward during the first burst with the new balls, having to receive treatment at one point after being struck amidships by Hayward.

It came as no surprise, then, when he lost his wicket for 5, trapped leg before by Lance Klusener, although there was a suspicion that the ball might have pitched outside leg stump.

Williams went with India 16 for one, but there were no further successes for South Africa in the session as the cloud cover over SuperSport Park began to break up with the sun shining through.

At lunch Shiv Das had 28 while Rahul Dravid, captain for the match in place of the indisposed Sourav Ganguly, on 5.

BRUISING INTRODUCTION FOR WILLIAMS AS UNOFFICIAL 'TEST' STARTS

It may not be an official Test match, but Connor Williams received a bruising welcome to international cricket as the unofficial “Test” match between South Africa and India got underway at SuperSport Park on Friday.

Williams, brought into the side to open the batting with Shiv Das, was hit on the shoulder by Shaun Pollock in the fifth over of the innings before being struck amidships and on the elbow by Nantie Hayward in successive overs.

Despite the battering, Williams survived until the drinks break to be unbeaten on 5 as India made a slow start to the match, reaching 16 for no wicket in the first hour.

It is fair to say that the drama surrounding this match has overshadowed the cricket and this seemed to be reflected in the Indian batting as neither opener showed any inclination to play attack shots.

The first boundary of the innings, in fact, came only in the 14th over when Das drove a half-volley from Makhaya Ntini down to the long off fence for four.

Das was not out on 8 at drinks.

DRAVID TAKES OVER INDIAN CAPTAINCY FOR UNOFFICIAL 'TEST'

Rahul Dravid assumed the Indian captaincy but immediately lost the toss as South Africa won the toss and asked the tourists to bat in the controversial, unofficial “Test” match which started at SuperSport Park on Friday.

The match went ahead without the sanction of the International Cricket Council after both teams decided to dispense with the services of match referee Mike Denness. Denis Lindsay came in to act as match referee while Dave Orchard replaced George Sharp to become an on-field umpire.

The Indians made three changes to the team that drew the second Test in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday. Tour captain Sourav Ganguly misses the match after suffering from back spasms while India also left out Virender Sehwag – who was banned from one Test match by Denness – and Ajit Agarkar with Connor Williams coming in to open the batting and seam bowlers Ashish Nehra and Venkatesh Prasad also included.

In the South African team, Jacques Rudolph was selected ahead of Boeta Dippenaar.

Teams

South Africa: Shaun Pollock (capt), Gary Kirsten, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Jacques Rudolph, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Nicky Boje, Makhaya Ntini, Nantie Hayward.

India: Rahul Dravid (capt), Shiv Das, Connor Williams, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Deep Dasgupta, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra, Venkatesh Prasad.