shantanu_rooney
Chairman of Selectors
7th Wicket Partnerhsip frustrate Proteas
First Test, Chennai, day one of five (stumps): India 293-6
(Dravid pulls Ntini for a four)
Indians ended Day one of the first test at Chennai with a score of 293 for the loss of 6 wickets . Rahul Dravid score 70 runs being the highlight of day 1. Dravid who scored 70 was supported by Laxman (55) and Pathan (40).
Kumble had won the toss and decided to bat first on a wicket which looked like a batting paradise . Sehwag and Jaffer opened the batting while Steyn shared the new with Ntini .
Sehwag got off to a flyer by scoring 16 runs in 8 ball before he was clean bowled by Ntini . Sehwag got a brilliant inswinger and he completely mistimed the glance and missed the ball completely which hit the leg stump . South Africans faced a major blow when strike Dale Steyn fell on his right had awkwardly and got himself injured .
Rahul Dravid and Wasim Jaffer put on a partnership of 33 runs before Jaffer fell to Harris . Jaffer was bowled by the offspiner of Harris for 25 runs of 50 balls which included some textbook shots for boundaries . New man was Sachin Tendulkar. The crowd at Chennai started to cheer loudly as he walked in. But it was a major blow for the host when the Little Master was unable to judge the wrong one from Harris and ended bowled by the Proteas spinner for just 2 runs of 3 balls in the same over .
Saurov Ganguly and Rahul Dravid put on nine one run partnership to steady the innings. Rahul dravid and Ganguly both played some brilliant shots to all bowlers which ended up as boundaries. Rahul Dravid reached his slow and steady 50 and was applauded by the Chennai crowd. But it was Paul Harris again who got the better of the former Indian skipper Ganguly. Ganguly went for the backfoot cut by ended being caught at backward point by Neil McKenzie for 36 of 91 balls. VVS Laxman was the new man out at the crease.
But it was another breakthrough for the visitor after just 8 runs. Rahul Dravid who was playing very well got an edge which carried all the way to second slip and in the safe of Jacques Kallis. Ntini celebrated as the wall departed for a well played 73 of 131 balls and Indians were in some trouble as Dhoni arrived at the crease.
VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni both played well in the second session of the day and put on a partnership of 42 runs which included 4 boundaries before Dhoni caught by skipper Smith at the slip of the bowling of Harris for 29 of 40 balls. Harris was on fire as he got his 4th wicket of the day. Irfan Pathan was the new man at the crease.
VVS Laxman reached his well deserved 50 as he and Pathan scored 90 runs for the seventh wicket partnership before the day was called off at stumps. Pathan scored 40 runs in 133 balls including 3 fours and VVS Laxman scored 55 runs in 132 balls including 5 fours. Indians ended at 293 for 6 at stumps of day 1 as Laxman and Pathan are both not out. Match is evenly poised and could go any way in the remaining days.
Scorecard
