Friday, April 11, 2008

In Kanpur Ishant and Harbhajan Singh star

In Kanpur Ishant and Harbhajan Singh took 3 wicket each and got star.It wasn't exactly a see-saw battle on day one of the third and final Test but more of South Africa having India on the mat and then throwing it away. India bowled out South Africa for 265 just before stumps at the Green Park stadium here on Friday.
MS Dhoni will be relatively happy with his first day at office as India’s Test captain. India took one wicket in the first session, three in the second and six in the last to end the South African innings in 87.3 overs.
Dhoni, who became the first wicketkeeper to lead an Indian Test side, lost the crucial toss and India had to field, which meant would bat last on a languished pitch that would disintegrate faster than the Indian top order had in Ahmedabad and South Africa got off to a confident start on a pitch.
But the Proteas were unable to capitalise as none of their batsmen converted their starts to big scores. Skipper Graeme Smith top scored with 69 and Hashim Amla notched up a half-century, Piyush Chawla, who had struck in his first over of his first spell, did the same in his second as de Villiers' attempted heave against the turn proved costly with Sourav Ganguly pouching the skier.
Prince (16) and Morne Morkel (17) fell victim to some disciplined bowling by Virender Sehwag and Harbhajan Singh as the South African tail was left exposed. Ishant Sharma in a deadly spell cleaned up Mark Boucher (29) and after Harbhajan dismissed Dale Steyn for nought, the lanky pacer sent Paul Harris’s off-stump cartwheeling for 12 to end the South African innings

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