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India level Series with historic win in Durban

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Sreesanth DurbanIndia won what was only their second Test victory on South African soil by defeating the hosts by 87 runs today at Durban. The previous win in this country came during the tour of 2006 in Johannesburg thanks to a wonderful bowling spell from Sreesanth. Today as well it was Sreesanth who played a major role in India’s victory when he got rid of Jacques Kallis with an unplayable delivery to open up the door for India to sneak through. South Africa lost the plot in the crucial morning session losing four wickets and were left with just Ashwell Prince and the bowlers to try and win the match.

It wasn’t any cakewalk for India when play started on the fourth day as they had to wait for around 30 minutes to get their first breakthrough. Sreesanth got his rising delivery to kick off nastily with unplayable speed to smash onto the gloves of Kallis who was already flying in the air to negotiate that but in vain as the ball flew straight to Sehwag at gully. Not just Kallis but any other player be it Bradman, Tendulkar or Lara would have found that Sreesanth delivery absolutely unplayable. Kallis scored 17 from 52 balls while taking SA to 123 for 4 in the 35th over.

Harbhajan Singh who sustained the pressure on the Proteas with Sreesanth found his reward soon when he hit the pad of AB de Villiers in the 40th over from round the sticks after drawing forward in defence. Harbhajan got the ball to drift away and then turn in to hit the pad to convince the Umpire to give the lbw but according to the Hawk Eye, the ball was bouncing over the top of the stumps and AB de Villiers (33 from 76 balls with a six) had every reason to feel disappointed with the decision.

Zaheer Khan came in as the first change in the bowling attack and provided what was the knock-out punch of the game when he had Mark Boucher (1 from 6 balls) lbw to a reversing inswinger in the 43rd over. Boucher was caught in the crease in a tentative defence and was hit on the back pad which was bent in front of the off stump to a delivery that was angling away but came back sharply. Umpire Steve Davis took the courage of giving the lbw despite the Durban pitch having lots of bounce in it. Zaheer without wasting much time got rid of no.8 Dale Steyn by inducing him into a false drive and got him caught by Pujara at first gully to leave SA at 155 for 7 in the 49th over. 

South Africa went to Lunch after a while at 182 for 7 in 59 overs and had no chances of a win. After the break, Zaheer Khan removed Paul Harris (7 from 28 balls) with one that angled in but swung away ever so slightly to defeat a backfoot defence and hit the off stump. India then had to wait for the next 12 overs or so to get their next wicket as the capable Morne Morkel put up a fight with Ashwell Prince. Just when the 9th wicket stand was starting to frustrate the visitors, Ishant Sharma managed to force Morkel to edge his backfoot drive to the keeper. Ironically, a few deliveries back, Ishant had got Morkel caught at gully but had annoyingly overstepped the bowling crease. Morkel fell after a 47-ball stay scoring 20 in a partnership of 33 runs.

The Test Match was wrapped up in a sensational fashion in the 73rd over when a Lonwabo Tsotsobe’s full blooded flick shot was stopped by Cheteshwara Pujara at shortleg who hurled the ball onto the stumps to pull off a terrific run out. South Africa got bowled out for 215 in 72.3 overs with Ashwell Prince stranded on an unbeaten 39 from 108 balls. All the main four bowlers for India got amongst the wickets with Zaheer, Sreesanth taking three wickets each and Harbhajan with two wickets and Ishant with one wicket. The Man of the Match was deservingly given to VVS Laxman who scored 38 and 96 to help India win the match.