Tendulkar hits 50th Test ton, India still trailing by 30 runs

L Nandan
Centurion, Dec 19 (PTI) Indian cricket sensation Sachin
Tendulkar on Sunday created history by becoming the first
cricketer to score 50 Test centuries but India found
themselves staring at defeat on the fourth day of the opening
cricket Test against South Africa here Sunday.
Tendulkar (107 not out) played a sublime chanceless
innings and shared a 172-run stand for the seventh wicket with
his captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (90) to lead a spirited
fightback by India before the visitors slumped to 454 for
eight when stumps were drawn early due to rain on a historic
day at SuperSport Park.
With an entire final day remaining, India's chances of
saving the match depends on Tendulkar and how the elements
play a role in the high-profile series opener. But it appears
almost imposible for India to save the game with just two
wickets remaining.
Tendulkar and Dhoni, who joined forces when an innings
defeat was staring on India at 277 for six just before lunch,
were never in discomfort while facing the South African
bowlers throughout their innings. They denied any success to
the South African bowlers for more than three hours while
adding runs at a brisk pace.
Tendulkar reached the historic moment with a single off
Steyn, a perfectly placed drive that pierced through cover and
extra cover midway into the final session.
But, the joy of the iconic batsman reaching the milestone
did not last long as just four overs later, Dhoni perished to
a rising delivery from Steyn. The Indian captain was caught in
an awkward position and fended it to Boucher, who took a neat
catch, diving to his right.
Once the big partnership between Tendulkar and Dhoni was
broken with the latter falling victim to Steyn, India lost
Harbhajan Singh who could score just one run from two balls
just before rain interruption.
Earlier, Tendulkar and Dhoni denied the South Africans
any success in the post-lunch session as India reached 394 for
six at the tea break.
The duo, who added 117 runs from 28.1 overs, were in no
trouble facing the South African bowlers as they scored
at a brisked pace and reducing the deficit to 90 runs.
Tendulkar, who came in at the fall of nightwatchman
Ishant Sharma at 214 for three in the morning session stood
rock solid while Dhoni was even more aggressive than his
senior partner at one stage.

Dhoni gave Dale Steyn some special treatment by hitting
the South African strike bowler for a flurry of fours, that
too after the home side had taken the new ball.
South Africa took the new ball after 2.1 overs in the
post-lunch session but Tendulkar and Dhoni were undeterred as
they punished Morne Morkel with three fours in the same over
-- two of them coming from the Indian captain's blade.
Tendulkar raised his fifty, his 60th in Test cricket,
with a cracking four off Steyn, a slap through extra cover. He
had faced 94 balls for his fifty.
Dhoni also punished Steyn for a four in the same over and
then hit three boundaries off Jacques Kallis as he raced to
his 20th Test fifty in quick time, from just 41 balls with the
help of nine fours.
Surprisingly, the Indian duo did not take much chance
against left-arm spinner Paul Harris who was hit for just a
four -- by Dhoni.
Earlier, India lost the wickets Rahul Dravid (43), VVS
Laxman (8) and Suresh Raina (5) and nightwatchman Ishant
Sharma (23) in the morning session and trailed by 207 runs as
they reached 277 for six at lunch.
Resuming at 190 for two, the visitors added just 87 runs
from the 33.4 overs they faced in the morning session which
started half an hour before scheduled time to compensate for
loss of time on the first day.
The SuperSport Park has eased out considerably with fast
bowlers not posing too much of a problem as they had done on
the first day but Dravid and Ishant started cautiously
and runs came in trickles initially.
Dravid dug deep, playing the balls on merit while Ishant
showed intent to play shots and hit three fours -- two
off Lonwabo Tsotsobe and one of Dale Steyn. He added 16 runs
to his overnight seven before getting out.
South Africa had to work hard for the breakthrough which
eventually came in the form of Ishant's wicket with the Indian
offering a simple catch to Hashim Amla while trying to work a
Steyn delivery to the square region nearly an hour into the
morning session.
Tendulkar did not waste time as he opened his account
with a two off the second ball he faced, of Steyn, and then
hit a four in the next over of the same bowler and then off
Kallis to increase the tempo.

Just when the most experience Indian duo of Tendulkar and
Dravid were settling in to raise hopes of saving the match,
the latter got out to a Morne Morkel delivery which had a
hint of movement besides being quick.
Dravid got a faint edge straight through to Boucher to
leave India at 242 for four, still trailing by 242 runs.
Dravid's 43 came from 109 balls and was studded with six
fours.
After the fall of Dravid, much was expected of Laxman
but he departed without much contribution to give Tsotsobe his
first wicket of the match. He got a thick edge of a full
delivery outside off to land straight to gully fielder Ashwell
Prince.
Raina did not last long as he edged a good length ball of
Kallis to Paul Harris at first slip while trying to play it
behind point. PTI Cor
RET