Zaheer Khan
The second Test between India and South Africa swung from one way to another, and then the other with each passing hour as the bowlers picked up 18 wickets in the day leaving the match tantalizingly poised on a knife’s edge at the end of Day 2, a day where every player on the field came out to bat.
Resuming at 183/6, Steyn and Morkel didn’t take long to run through the Indian tail, the former picking up his 15th five wicket haul in the process as Day 2 was looking to be a repeat of the Centurion Test where India were bundled out cheaply and then the South African batsmen feasted on a hapless bowling attack. But this time around the Indian bowlers, led by Zaheer Khan, had different ideas!
Zaheer first picked up Smith for the tenth time in Tests and then, with a bit of luck, bowled Alvaro Peterson as the Proteas were reduced to 46/2. The in-form batsmen Kallis and Amla somewhat steadied the ship, but with 10 minutes to go for lunch, disaster struck! Amla sweetly timed a straight drive and Ishant unintentionally deflected it onto the stumps as Kallis was caught short of his crease. Sreesanth then produced a ripper to dismiss De Villiers and South Africa went into lunch at 74/4.
Post lunch, Harbhajan was introduced into the attack and he struck in his second over trapping Amla in front while Zaheer produced a peach of a delivery to dismiss Prince as India were all over South Africa.
Dravid plucked a beauty at first slip to become the first man to take 200 catches in Test cricket and the man tipped to be his replacement, Cheteshwar Pujara, took his first as South Africa were reduced to 103/8. The Indian fielders were on fire and Harbhajan took a spectacular catch on the fine leg boundary to dismiss Morkel and then completed the formalities by removing Tsotsobe. South Africa were all out for 131, a good 74 runs behind.
Sehwag and Vijay got off to a brisk start putting on 41 for the first wicket in 9 overs before Tsotsobe got Sehwag to nick a wide ball to the keeper. One wicket followed the other as Vijay fell to a short one of Morkel and Tsotsobe struck again to get rid of Dravid. Steyn was brought back into the attack and removed Tendulkar with his first ball. India had lost 4 wickets for 14 runs and the match had turned on its head-yet again. Laxman, in the company of Pujara saw out the last hour as India finished the day at 91/4, 166 ahead and sets up what promises to be an enthralling day of cricket on Day 3.
Tags: Cricket, Durban, Harbhajan Singh, India, South Africa, Test Match, Test Series, Zaheer Khan
