Laxman knock puts India marginally ahead

DURBAN: Another day of taut-wound drama and wild-swinging momentum ended with South Africa on 111 for three in pursuit of 303.
The second Test, which careened breathlessly on the second day, moved less rapidly on the third, but the action was no less engrossing. Both India and South Africa appeared in control at various periods on Tuesday, and at stumps, drawn early because of the gloom that had gathered, neither team was out of it.
India, marginally ahead, has V.V.S. Laxman to thank for its position. Laxman (96) again summoned his nerveless best in desperate times, playing an innings of soft-handed finery. His ability to bat with lower-order batsmen, elevating their game as he does so, resulted in India making 228 after falling to 148 for seven.
The eighth-wicket partnership of 70 between Laxman and Zaheer Khan — identical to the stand the pair raised in Johannesburg in December 2006 when India won its first Test in South Africa — looked game-turning.
But the host fought its way back into the game, securing India's last three wickets for 10 and beginning its chase forcefully.
Graeme Smith attacked Zaheer, driving, cutting, on-driving, and short-arm pulling the left-armer for boundaries. Better rhythm
Alviro Petersen took on Ishant Sharma, hooking a bouncer for four after slashing the seamer over the slips. Despite the boundaries, Ishant showed good signs — his run-up, and as a result, his delivery, had better rhythm and balance.
These intangible gains were doing little for India though; the possibility of a wicket falling looked remote. Out of the blue, Smith failed to control a pull-stroke off Sreesanth.
The bowler did direct his bouncer better than he has all game, forcing the left-hander to fetch it. Their exchange of words before the dismissal may also have affected the South African captain's concentration.
It was the perfect way to go to tea for India; more gains were to follow. Harbhajan Singh got one to spin and bounce to have Petersen caught at short-leg. Sreesanth then struck a psychological blow, goading Hashim Amla to cut a short, wide delivery that left him.
Dhoni got his gloves under the edged ball, prompting Sreesanth to point to the heavens and applaud. It was the wicket India most wanted.
India might have also had Jacques Kallis had Cheteshwar Pujara held a sharp chance at short-leg, placed behind square. Harbhajan was the unlucky bowler.
By then it had grown overcast and it was a matter of time before the players left the field.
The day began with a hot, drying nor'easterly wind blowing across Kingsmead, not the moisture-bearing sou'westerly, but it made little difference to Dale Steyn, whose exceptional skill was allowing him to swing a 30-over-old ball.
It was Morne Morkel, however, who broke through, causing Pujara to play on. The angle of the batsman's blade in a defensive backstroke allowed the ball to slip off the bat's face onto the stumps.
M.S. Dhoni played his strokes, ensuring that the runs came at a comforting pace. The 48-run partnership between Laxman and Dhoni was significant because it changed the game's texture.
But when Dhoni pushed at a ball angled across him from left-arm over, feet following the exploratory stroke, to be caught behind off Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Harbhajan edged Morkel to second slip after being turned inside-out by the delivery, India was in peril.
Zaheer's knock
Zaheer didn't appear keen to last, moving to the leg-side as he tried to smear Tsotsobe to all parts. Lucky to survive, he settled into the role of supporting his great friend and batting advisor.
Zaheer had further fortune — two strong shouts for ‘lbw' off Steyn and Paul Harris were turned down with the lead at 256 and 260 respectively.
Laxman played beautifully — his battles against Steyn, who was first armed with swing and seam, then with medium-paced cutters, were fascinating. All the old magic was there, the graceful backfoot drives, the wrist-flicks, the back-cuts, and there was something new, the fine paddle against the left-arm spinner, when other avenues were blocked.
Steyn eventually had Laxman touch a ball to Mark Boucher, giving the wicketkeeper his ninth catch of the match; thus was a well-deserved hundred thwarted, although with Laxman, it's about more than the numbers.
SCOREBOARD
India — 1st innings: 205.
South Africa — 1st innings: 131.
India — 2nd innings: V. Sehwag c Boucher b Tsotsobe 32 ( 31b, 6x4), M. Vijay c Amla b Morkel 9 ( 27b, 1x4), R. Dravid c Boucher b Tsotsobe 2 ( 7b), S. Tendulkar c de Villiers b Steyn 6 ( 10b, 1x4), V.V.S. Laxman c Boucher b Steyn 96 ( 171b, 12x4), C. Pujara b Morkel 10 ( 56b, 1x4), M.S. Dhoni c Boucher b Tsotsobe 21 ( 35b, 4x4), Harbhajan c Kallis b Morkel 4 ( 7b), Zaheer c de Villiers b Harris 27 ( 63b, 4x4), Ishant c Amla b Kallis 0 ( 16b), Sreesanth (not out) 0 ( 2b); Extras (b-8, lb-4, w-9): 21; Total (in 70.5 overs): 228.
Fall of wickets: 1-42 (Sehwag), 2-44 (Vijay), 3-48 (Dravid), 4-56 (Tendulkar), 5-93 (Pujara), 6-141 (Dhoni), 7-148 (Harbhajan), 8-218 (Zaheer), 9-223 (Ishant).
South Africa bowling: Steyn 15.5-1-60-2, Morkel 15-1-47-3, Tsotsobe 13-3-43-3, Kallis 13-2-30-1, Harris 14-2-36-1.
South Africa — 2nd innings: G. Smith c Dhoni b Sreesanth 37 ( 38b, 5x4), A. Petersen c Pujara b Harbhajan 26 ( 45b, 4x4), H. Amla c Dhoni b Sreesanth 16 ( 16b, 3x4), J. Kallis (batting) 12 ( 28b, 2x4), A.B. de Villiers (batting) 17 ( 38b, 1x6); Extras (nb-3): 3; Total (for three wickets in 27 overs): 111.
Fall of wickets: 1-63 (Smith), 2-82 (Petersen), 3-82 (Amla).
India bowling: Zaheer 6-2-25-0, Ishant 5-0-21-0, Sreesanth 7-0-30-2, Harbhajan 8-0-29-1, Tendulkar 1-0-6-0 .

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