What a crucial toss to win for South Africa in the first test in Chennai? I am sure skipper Smith should be happy that he won the toss and made the right decision to bat. The pitch looks in favor of batsman for the first 2 to 2.5 days and then for spinners. Well, if that is the case, SA is playing with only one specialized spinner though Smith can roll his arm.
Smith and McKenzie handled the new ball well and used the wicket that helped the batsman. They both scored 50 and started the series in style. This is the first hundred run partnership of the series.
The ball was coming on to bat nicely and the pitch didn't help neither Sreesanth nor RP Singh. The pacers tried their best, but didn't succeed in taking wickets. All the 4 wickets that fell today went to spinners.
The break-through was as usual given by the skipper Kumble, who dismissed the counter-part. When he tried to drive the ball to mid-on, but gets beaten by the flight and the ball hits the bat at the top and flew to mid-wicket and Laxman took a simple catch.
The 2nd wicket between McKenzie and Amla crossed 50, but McKenzie missed to score his hundred by 6 runs. He was dismissed by a flight straight delivery off Harbhajan which took the edge when McKenzie tried to defend expecting a turn. Dravid made no mistake on this simple catch to dismiss him for 94 and he was disappointed having missed a good opportunity to score a century.
Kallis, the experienced person in the side didn't last long. He was out for 13 off Harbhajan. The flighted delivery took the inside edge, bumped from the pads and went straight to Jaffer in short-leg. Though the umpire didn't give out, Kallis walked himself to relieve Harbhajan from the shock of poor decision by the umpire.
What a catch by Kumble, leading by example, to dismiss Prince. The googly was driven back to the bowler in the air and Kumble dived to his left to grab beautiful one-handed catch.
Amla is still in the crease looking dangerous for the Indians. He is batting on 85 and will be looking for his 4th test hundred.
At the end of day 1, South Africa was 304 for 4.
Short Score:
Toss: South Africa
Venue: Chennai, India
Date: March 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 2008
Captain: Smith (SA), Kumble (India)
Score:
South Africa 304 for 4 in 90 overs (Smith 74, McKenzie 94, Amla 85 batting, Kumble 2 for 61, Harbhajan 2 for 92)
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