Close India 221 for 8 (Das 46, Hayward 3-70)
Scorecard

A rearguard action by their usually brittle tail brought India a measure of respectability after the top half had collapsed for very little. It would have been even better had Anil Kumble not been bowled for a gallant 27 off the last ball of the day. Shaun Pollock will still be satisfied with the day's work - so long as he doesn't dwell on the fact that, as things stand, it was all one big non-event. As if allowing for this, no player on either side reached any kind of personal landmark.

From 90 for 2, India had slumped to 107 for 5, losing SS Das, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman in seven overs. With a long tail to follow, a total below 150 was on the cards.

But the lower order had other ideas, as every batsman contributed. Deep Dasgupta carried on his good work from Port Elizabeth, making 36 and adding 51 with Anil Kumble; Harbhajan Singh put on 39 with Kumble; and even Venkatesh Prasad hung on, after Javagal Srinath was forced to retire by a rap on his left hand.

Shaun Pollock had a rare wicketless day, though he was his usual thrifty self, conceding just 21 runs in 20 overs. Nantie Hayward showed pace and fire to finish with three wickets, while Jacques Kallis had two.

After all the drama leading up to this match, there was some more before start of play. Sourav Ganguly pulled out with a back spasm, leaving Rahul Dravid to go out for the toss. He called incorrectly, and Pollock promptly put India in.

Connor Williams made his international debut by default, but it was hardly memorable. He hung around for more than an hour before he was trapped in front by a full delivery from Lance Klusener which pitched on leg stump and straightened.

Das was more comfortable, scoring five of the six fours that came in the morning session, as India crawled to 44 for 1 off 29 overs.

They made a poor start after lunch, when captain Dravid was trapped lbw by a sharp in-dipper from Mahkaya Ntini in the first over after the break. Dravid was on the back foot, but replays indicated that the bounce would have carried the ball over the top of the stumps.

Then came India's best passage of the day, as Das and Tendulkar added 41 runs in less than 10 overs. Tendulkar started with a copybook push past the bowler for three, and soon opened out with some effortless cover drives and flicks. His 27 came off just 38 balls, and promised much more, when he got a faint tickle to a Kallis delivery which was drifting harmlessly down the leg side.

Three overs earlier, Das had fallen, driving Hayward uppishly to Herschelle Gibbs at gully. Das made 46, but once again threw it away after doing all the hard work.

India lost the plot completely when Laxman slapped a long hop from Kallis straight to Gary Kirsten at gully to depart for 14. Laxman had played a similar shot two balls earlier, only then the ball had raced away to third man for four. South Africa had laid out the trap for him, and Laxman obligingly walked into it.

Hayward finally broke through, ending a stubborn sixth-wicket partnership with a sharp lifter that Dasgupta could only fend to Jacques Rudolph at square leg.

Harbhajan's entry to the crease enlivened proceedings, and the 72nd over by Hayward was particularly eventful – both Harbhajan and Kumble were dropped, while Harbhajan rubbed it in by taking two fours in the same over.

The entertainment proved to be all too brief, as Harbhajan got himself run out going for a needless third run. Kumble swept Nicky Boje and, even as Ntini raced around from square leg, Harbhajan called for the third run. Ntini rifled in a return, catching Harbhajan short of the crease. His 29 had come off just 32 balls, with six fours.

Pollock took the new ball as soon as it was due, and Hayward struck a blow, hitting Srinath on the left hand and forcing him to retire. Kumble continued to defy the South African attack till, after almost three hours, he was flummoxed by a cleverly disguised slower ball from Hayward.

With only Ashish Nehra and the injured Srinath to follow, Pollock will look to wrap the innings up quickly in the morning and have a bat on a wicket which, in spite of the odd inconsistent bounce, is still good for batting.

Teams
India 1 Shiv Sunder Das, 2 Connor Williams, 3 VVS Laxman, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Rahul Dravid (capt), 6 Deep Dasgupta (wk), 7 Anil Kumble, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Javagal Srinath, 10 Venkatesh Prasad, 11 Ashish Nehra.

South Africa 1 Gary Kirsten, 2 Herschelle Gibbs, 3 Jacques Kallis, 4 Neil McKenzie, 5 Jacques Rudolph, 6 Lance Klusener, 7 Shaun Pollock (capt), 8 Mark Boucher (wk), 9 Nicky Boje, 10 Nantie Hayward, 11 Makhaya Ntini.

S Rajesh is a sub-editor at Wisden.com India.

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