If India thought they had hit rock bottom on the first two days, they were in for the most unbelievable of shocks as they crashed through that and continued to free-fall. Their bowling was as toothless, but the South Africans infinitely more ruthless. Under a scorching sun at SuperSport Park, AB de Villiers pulverised a featherweight attack like a heavyweight might, and scored a hundred in less than two hours during an extended first session. South Africa's lead swelled by 225 runs in 36 overs before lunch and Jacques Kallis, rock steady as ever, reached his maiden double-century soon after the break. Graeme Smith declared shortly after - when de Villiers fell - setting his bowlers loose on India's weary batsmen.
India's bowlers were helpless on a pitch that wasn't as docile as the carnage indicated. They were unable to make a breakthrough, unable to control the run-rate, unable to do anything to help their cause. Ishant Sharma was gifted a wicket but de Villiers seamlessly picked up where the aggressive Hashim Amla left off, scoring his first fifty off 42 balls - his quickest - before making his second off 34. Kallis, who till today averaged about 14 after resuming on an overnight century, added plenty more.
As soon as de Villiers came in, with the score on 396 for 3, he played out a maiden against Jaidev Unadkat - the lull before the hurricane. His first shot of authority was the straightest of drives, bisecting the gap between Ishant on his follow-through and the stumps. Ishant and Unadkat continued to suffer at de Villiers' hands, watching their deliveries, irrespective of length or line, race across a fast outfield.
de Villiers then executed South Africa's plan to target Harbhajan Singh to perfection. He stepped out to the offspinner's first delivery, but had to readjust because of a fuller length and squirt it through point. In Harbhajan's next over, de Villiers nimbly moved across his stumps, got down on one knee and launched the ball over deep square leg. Soon he was playing reverse-sweeps at will, and Harbhajan watched in resignation as most found the middle of the bat and then the third-man boundary. His aggression rubbed off on Kallis, who had been restrained for the first hour, scoring only 11. Kallis also reverse-swept Harbhajan, whose expression grew longer.
The century partnership came when de Villiers danced towards Suresh Raina, coiled before lashing out and sending some of the fans on the grass banks at wide long-on rushing to catch the ball. Two consecutive sixes off Raina, a muscular pull over deep midwicket and a slog-sweep over wide long-on, took de Villiers to his century. They were his fourth and fifth sixes. Kallis helped himself against Raina's long-hops as well, mowing over deep square before dismissing Sachin Tendulkar over deep midwicket.
That MS Dhoni was reduced to bowling his part-timers was because of the insipid performance of his lead bowlers. Having been battered on the second day, India were desperate for a better start, and Sreesanth began with a no-ball, to complement his first-ball wide yesterday. He bowled only three overs in his first spell and conceded 17 by giving the batsmen leeway outside off and on the pads.
Ishant was better, marginally but one of his fielding efforts, in as early as the fifth over of the day, was indicative of India's morale. Sreesanth had delivered a short ball, Amla had pulled, and Ishant, who had just completed an over, jogged along the boundary and made no effort to save the four. Some Indians glared, but their performances failed to lift.
Smith could have declared at lunch if he desired but Kallis was 18 short of a double-hundred. A cover drive and a cut off Ishant soon after play resumed took him to 197, before he glanced Unadkat to the fine-leg boundary to spark off tumultuous applause at SuperSport Park. de Villiers was celebrating for his partner with arms aloft, and his team-mates in the dressing room clapped vigorously. Kallis took off his helmet, his face flushed, and raised his arms aloft. He had flung that monkey off his back after 142 Tests and his fans in Centurion applauded for longer than usual.
No comments:
Post a Comment