Steyn the destroyer as SA crush India
Posted Tuesday, February 09, 2010 at 13:00 © MWP
India dragged things out until the end of the fourth day, but South Africa still inflicted a crushing innings-and-six run defeat on the hosts in the first test at Jamtha Stadium in Nagpur on Tuesday.
India, 325 runs behind on first innings, resumed after tea on 223 for six and the momentum shifted the home side's way with two successive fifty partnerships as Wriddhiman Saha lifted himself from his duck in the first innings to score a gritty 36 in two and a half hours.
With Harbhajan Singh (39) and Zaheer Khan (33) hitting out powerfully, South African captain Graeme Smith was starting to wonder how he could break through and ensure a day off.
Wayne Parnell swung a delivery through Harbhajan's defences to trap him leg-before and Jacques Kallis eventually had Zaheer caught slicing a pull from outside off stump.
Dale Steyn then returned to tear through the tail and not only complete a 10-wicket match haul for himself but one of South Africa's most famous victories.
Smith hailed the maturity shown by his team in adverse circumstances.
"It is a credit to the players, the maturity that they have shown, in terms of professionalism, in terms of the spirit they have shown, how much it means to them to play for South Africa," Smith said after his side shrugged off a difficult build-up to win by an innings and six runs.
"It has been clinical. It was a great team effort."
Wriddhiman had dug in for 101 deliveries and batted courageously considering the whole hoohaa over his selection. But he was no match for Steyn, who trapped him plumb in front with an in-swinger with the first ball of his fifth spell of the day.
Steyn added the wicket of Amit Mishra, comprehensively bowled for a duck by another reverse-swinging off-cutter to give the world's number one bowler three for 57 and match figures of 10 for 108.
Spinner Paul Harris was also an obvious key roleplayer on Tuesday, bowling 38 overs and taking three for 76 in a fine display of accuracy and stamina.
"We were outplayed by South Africa in all departments of the game," India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni said after his first loss in 12 tests as captain.
"(Dale) Steyn showed one of the best displays of conventional swing bowling seen in India in recent years," he said of the South African fast bowler's career-best seven for 51 in the first innings. "We have seen reverse swing happening of late but here was a bowler using conventional swing to his advantage." Earlier Sachin Tendulkar's 46th test century would have sparked off countrywide celebrations in India, but Harris was the supplier of more doom and gloom for them as he went into tea with figures of three for 45 in 29 overs.
Bowling a steady line into the rough just outside leg stump, Harris delivered the wicket of Tendulkar an over after he had completed his delightful century. He needed help from the batsman, however, as Tendulkar missed a sweep, the ball bobbled up his leg and then got caught between his swinging arms, deflecting on to the stumps.
It sparked wild celebrations, during which AB de Villiers knocked Harris over, causing the 31 year old to leave the field at the end of the over for some strapping on his ankle.
Nevertheless, it had been a classy 100 from Tendulkar, full of elegant strokeplay, and worthy of his reputation as batting royalty.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni looked out of sorts in compiling 25 off 112 balls before he offered De Villiers a bat/pad catch at silly point off Harris.
- Report Day 1
- Report Day 2
- Report Day 3
Teams
South Africa - Graeme Smith (capt), Ashwell Prince, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Mark Boucher (wk), Dale Steyn, Wayne Parnell, Morne Morkel, Paul Harris.
