VVS Laxman
Whether India wins or not in the 2nd test match against South Africa in Durban is irrespective, had it not been for VVS Laxman, the match would probably already have been over by now.
This match had its ups and downs for India, but the up was significantly when South Africa was bowled out at 131 (their lowest total ever in Durban). From that time on, there was a major chance that India could actually win the match and finally make Graeme Smith eat his words.
Harbhajan Singh took 4 wickets, that of the inform Amla who was responsible to giving India the drubbing in the previous test match. Bhajji also cleaned out the tail Enders. Zaheer Khan helped clip away the rest on the other side getting a total of 3 wickets that of openers Petersen and Graeme Smith as well as Ashwell Prince.
Pace bowlers Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma both took one wicket each. Sreesanth got the dangerous AB de Villiers out on a duck and Sharma got Morne Morkel along with the run out of Kallis.
India’s second innings started off on a flyer with Virender Sehwag’s 32runs of 31 balls but ended as fast as it started by the bowling of Lonwabo Tsotsobe. Murali Vijay scored a 9. Rahul Dravid scored a stingy 2 and the disturbingly fast Steyn got the little master on 6. VVS Laxman stayed, all the while players on the other side kept getting chipped off. Zaheer Khan stuck around making 27runs in 63 balls, giving Laxman the strike whenever needed and hitting two boundaries in a row just before lunch.
Ishant Sharma and Bhajji couldn’t do much and ultimately Laxman got out before he could make his 100 on 96 which he made in 171balls.
He however managed to set a 303 target for South Africa which is a good enough total on a pitch where 250 is considered a fighting total.
Dale Steyn continues to give India sleepless nights took 2 wickets. Morne Morkel and Tsotsobe took 3 wickets each and Kallis and Harris took one wicket each.
The South African 2nd innings started with captain and opener Graeme Smith going ballistic with boundaries scoring 37 runs in 38 balls, finally getting dismissed by Sreesanth. Peterson on the other side with Smith was on the brink of becoming dangerous but thankfully was dismissed by Bhajji when he was on 26.The inform Amla was also dismissed by Sreesanth when he was on 16.
Day 3 ended with Kallis not out on 12 and AB de Villiers on the other side on 17. India will need to take quick wickets in 3’s and 2’s before tea because South Africa seems to be cruising through the total having already made 111.
India has to go in with the idea that they have to be in it to win it.
Tags: Cricket, Durban, Graeme Smith, India, South Africa, Sreesanth, Test Match, Test Series, VVS Laxman
