South Africa v India, 2nd Test, Durban, 2nd day

Back from the dead

Dileep Premachandran in Durban

December 27, 2006

Sachin Tendulkar's highest score of the calender year was more significant than the scorecard might suggest © Getty Images

Another attritional day of Test cricket that started with blazing sunshine ended with grey, leaden skies and impromptu games of football on the outfield. There was, however, enough time for South Africa to seize control of proceedings, with a spirited late-order rally the precursor to a disciplined effort with the ball. India now need big runs from the middle order, a task complicated by the loss of Rahul Dravid to a pretty ordinary decision.

Having arrived at the ground in the morning ready to bury the last vestiges of South African resistance, the Indians found the corpse alive and kicking. Ashwell Prince duly completely an impressive hundred, but the real revelation was Mornè Morkel on his Test debut. He showed just why he had a first-class 50 to his name, getting into line and playing some pleasing drives to frustrate the bowlers. Albie, his elder brother, thumped one out of the suburb during the Pro20 game at the Wanderers, and while Morne didn't reveal any such big-hitting prowess, his assured unbeaten 31 left the Indians to chase at least 50 more than they would have liked.

The new spin on things didn't stop there. Shaun Pollock, so impressive up at the Wanderers, wasn't given the ball till the 15th over, with Andrè Nel taking the shiny red Kookaburra instead. Nel bowled at lively pace and was as hostile as ever, but didn't really make the batsmen play enough. The solitary success before lunch came in the shape of a disgraceful waft from Virender Sehwag.

The Indian dressing-room could have been forgiven for fearing the worst at that stage, given Wasim Jaffer's travails on this tour. But with Gautam Gambhir poised for a Cape Town appearance, Jaffer played a dogged little knock, caressing some lovely drives when given the chance to free his arms. He couldn't kick on though, falling victim to bore-the-pants-off tactics after a phase of play that saw only eight runs scored in 10 overs.

Seen in isolation, those figures might suggest that the batsmen had retreated deep inside a defensive shell, but the reality was very different. Of the 232 deliveries that India faced before bad light intervened, a whopping 73 were left alone. A small number beat the outside edge, but the rest sailed harmlessly over their heads or well outside off stump and into the keeper's gloves.

It wasn't pretty, but it was effective on a pitch that gave the batsmen full value for positive intent. Sachin Tendulkar was granted one reprieve, but otherwise batted as well as he has done for a long time, picking off the loose deliveries with precision and panache. VVS Laxman too played a couple of pretty drives, in between long periods when he had to do little but lift the bat out of harm's way.

Devoid of a spinner, South Africa's attack again had little to offer in the variety stakes. Morkel was perhaps overawed by the occasion, and will doubtless come back stronger for the experience, while Andrew Hall was a pallid substitute for Jacques Kallis. Pollock and Makhaya Ntini were tidy without being especially threatening, and it was Nel's energy and bluster that offered the most likely wicket-taking option when he actually bothered to make the batsmen play.

For Tendulkar, who hasn't gone without a Test 50 in a calendar year since 1991, this innings had added significance, given that his previous 10 in 2006 had produced just 204 runs at 22.66. He had no problems with the pace and his judgement of which deliveries to leave was impeccable, except for the one aberration against Hall.

He'd made just 21 when Smith dropped that sitter, and it was interesting to note the response from the hecklers up in the stands. "Go take a dip in the pool," yelled one, while another pointed out in colourful language that AB [de Villiers, who took two excellent catches] was better than him. Given Smith's luck thus far in the series, he shouldn't contemplate going anywhere near a pool - unless there's a float on hand.

Dileep Premachandran is features editor of Cricinfo

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