1st Test, Day 2: India vs South Africa - As it happened...

Live updates of India vs South Africa, 1st Test, Day 2

==================================================================================== Zee Media Bureau

LIVE SCORECARD» | LIVE COMMENTARY» ALSO SEE: * Post-Tendulkar era begins, Virat Kohli shines» * Another overseas demise as India fail to acclimatize * Will legacy of ‘fab four’ be carried out by GenX? ==================================================================================== If you are a Sachin Tendulkar fan, and you are missing his presence in South Africa, you can have a look at A detailed slideshow about Sachin’s 100 centuries» ALSO SEE: Sachin Tendulkar’s Test tons against South Africa» ==================================================================================== South Africa, 1st innings Over 66|| Score 213/6 STUMPS: It has been a fascinating day of Test cricket which was highly dominated by the seamers from both teams. Eleven wickets fell in the entire day and after bowling out India for just 280 runs in the first innings, the hosts were looking in total control at 130/1. But since there on, it was a spectacular fight back from the Indian pacers who scalped wickets at regular intervals and forced the Proteas to take a back seat. South Africa were wobbling at 146/6 and the seventh-wicket partnership between Vernon Philander and Faf du Plessis have brought the hosts back in the game to a certain extent as they stitched unbeaten 67 runs for the seventh wicket. Philander, in particular, played his strokes with conviction and is two runs short of a well deserved half-century. South Africa now trail by 67 runs with four wickets in hand. Vernon Philander (b) Faf du Plessis (b) ==================================================================================== Over 55 || Score 175/6 After a middle-order collapse, Philander and Faf du Plessis have devoid the Indian pacers of any more wickets and these two have batted brilliantly in the last ten overs and have added 29 runs in the last ten overs. These two would now want to extend their partnership and take their side beyond the 200-run mark. ==================================================================================== Over 45 || Score 146/6 Indian bowlers have suddenly found the much-needed momentum and after Ishant and Zaheer, it was Mohammad Shami’s time to deliver. Shami started a fresh spell in the 45th over where he dismissed JP Duminy and AB de Villiers. First Duminy edged one towards first slip, where this time, Murali Vijay held onto to a catch. One ball later, AB was trapped in front of the wicket as he was beaten for pace off a delivery which was targeted at stumps. South Africa have lost five wickets for just 16 runs. Another massive collapse. AB de Villiers lbw b Mohammed Shami 13 (21b) JP Duminy c Vijay b Mohammed Shami 2 (12b) ==================================================================================== Over 40 || Score 130/4 Brilliant comeback by India! Ishant Sharma is breathing fire there as he scalped Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis off consecutive balls in his 13th over. Amla was bowled by Ishant as he misjudged the length of a ball that sharply nipped in and his off-stump was uprooted. The very next ball, Ishant pitched a ball full that hit Kallis on the pads and that looked plumb. In the 40th over of the innings, Zaheer too got his man as Smith was dismissed off a length ball that would have gone to hit the middle-stump. So from 130/1, the hosts are now struggling at 130/4. The pacers have brought India back in the game. AB de Villiers and JP Duminy are the two new batsmen at the crease. JH Kallis lbw b I Sharma 0 (1b) HM Amla b I Sharma 36 (74b) ==================================================================================== Over 30 || Score 99/1 South Africa are just one-run short of reaching their ton and Amla has now started playing his strokes. He hit Zaheer Khan for two boundaries in the 30th over to ease off some pressure off Smith who is batting on 47 at the moment. Smith is still looking vulnerable at the crease as he has been beaten quite a few times outside the off-stump. The partnership for the second wicket is now worth 62 runs ==================================================================================== Over 25 || Score 77/1 Despite struggling against Zaheer Khan, Proteas skipper Graeme Smith is still unbeaten at the crease. India missed on a huge opportunity when he was dropped by Ashwin, and it is yet to be seen how much damage he can cause. On the other hand, Amla is looking solid, which is not a good sign for the Indian bowlers. Indian pacers are at times looking very threatening, but it is their inconsistency with the line and the length which would be bothering MS Dhoni. These two have added unbeaten 40 runs for the second-wicket partnership. Graeme Smith (b) Hashim Amla (b) ==================================================================================== Over 20 || Score 59/1 Ravichandran Ashwin made a blunder when he dropped Graeme Smith off Zaheer Khan’s bowling while the left-hander was batting on 19. Zaheer Khan has been troubling Smith throughout the innings and that was an opportunity not to be missed. While Zaheer continues to trouble Smith, Amla is settling down quickly. ==================================================================================== Over 15 || Score 42/1 Ishant Sharma got the first breakthrough for the team when he bowled a brilliant ball that sharply moved in and hit Petersen on the pads and umpire didn’t hesitate in raising his finger at all. The opening partnership has been broken and Hashim Amla is the new man in. AN Petersen lbw b I Sharma 21 (41b) ==================================================================================== Over 10 || Score 22/0 Lunch: The session has been totally dominated by the South Africans who first bundled India out for just 280 runs and then their openers have made a decent start so far. MS Dhoni would want his seamers to pick a few wickets as it would be extremely difficult for the Indian pacers to make an impact once the opening pair settles down. ==================================================================================== Over 5 || Score 10/0 Mohammed Shami opened the bowling proceedings for India along with Zaheer Khan. In the first over Zaheer Khan almost got his man, when the second ball of the innings kept low and hit the pad of Smith, a big appeal but field umpire rejected it. Shami is also generating a good speed from the wicket. Smith is flirting with danger at the moment. Both the bowlers have bowled well so far, but they have to strike early to put the opposition under some pressure. ==================================================================================== After bowling magnificently in the morning and bundling India on 280 runs, South African openers -- Alviro Peterson and Graeme Smith -- have walked in to open their innings. Zaheer Khan has a new red cherry in hand. It would be an exciting contest between bat and bowl or we can say between Zaheer and Smith. ==================================================================================== 1st Indian innings Over 103 || Score 280 Philander is one a roll. He clean bowled I Sharma for a four ball duck. Ishant’s wicket was 99th test scalp for the bowler, who is bowling on much better line today. Now Shami has walked in to join Ashwin in the middle. The onus is on Ashwin to score some quick runs for the last wicket to take India closer to the mark of 300 runs. Shami Out.Morkel got the last wicket for South Africa in the form of Shami for yet another duck, as India got all out on 280 in their first innings. Philander becomes the highest wicket taker in the first innings as he scalped four wickets. Mohammed Shami b Morkel 0 (3b) I Sharma b Philander 0 (4b) ==================================================================================== Over 100|| Score 264/8 Dhoni is using the old tactic of playing the South African seamers from outside the crease. In the seventh over of the day, South African skipper Smith done the first bowling change, when he handed over the ball to Morne Morkel, a bowler who always looks dangerous on such tracks. He gave just two runs in his first over of the day and bowled a couple of good deliveries to Rahane. Dhoni Out. Morkel strikes. Dhoni nicked a length ball by Morkel and wicket-keeper de Villiers did no mistake. Dhoni got out after scoring 19 runs off 72 balls. Double blow for India. In the very next over A Rahane and Zaheer Khan got out on back-to-back deliveries. Philender bowled a perfect out-swinger to sent Rahane back to the pavilion, whereas Zaheer Khan got plumped in front of the wicket. India has lost its three wickets in just nine runs. Z Khan lbw b Philander 0 (1b) AM Rahane c de Villiers b Philander 47 (200m 137b) MS Dhoni c de Villiers b Morkel 19 (72b) ==================================================================================== Over 93 || Score 261/5 Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander once again started the bowling proceedings for the hosts on Day 2, as MS Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane came in to bat. Both the batsmen played the first two overs without much of a difficulty. Rahane must be eyeing for a fifty first, before thinking about a big score. In the third over of the day bowled by Dale, he played a perfectly balanced back-foot drive to collect the first boundary of the day. ==================================================================================== Johannesburg: Today, India will resume their batting from 255 for five. Ajinkya Rahane and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni playing on 43 and 17 respectively, will come to bat on Day 2 for India. And as India still have five wickets in hand they will look forward to add 150 to 200 more runs to take the Indian score to around 400 plus in their first innings. Virat Kohli gave ample display of his class by cracking a fluent 119 as a gritty India produced a decent batting show on the opening day to leave the first cricket Test against South Africa evenly poised here on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Kohli, batting at the coveted number 4 position left vacant by retired batting icon Sachin Tendulkar, notched up his fifth Test century to steer the visitors to a comfortable 255 for five at close on a bouncy Wanderers track. Kohli, India`s premier batsman, hit 18 sweetly timed boundaries in his 181-ball knock with the standout shot being a pull off the fast and furious Steyn. He played some flowing drives, played the square cut well and was severe on leg-spinner Imran Tahir, who was repeatedly pulled towards the deep mid-wicket boundary. His shot selection was admirable as he was ready to leave a lot of deliveries but didn`t forget to punish the loose balls. Kohli reached his fifth Test hundred when he played off-break bowler Jean-Paul Duminy`s delivery towards mid-wicket for a couple before celebrating the milestone with a leap and punch of his fists in the air.