Saturday, April 12, 2008, Rabi-ul-Sani 5,1429    

India strike back in SA cricket Test

Kanpur (India)—India grabbed three quick wickets in the afternoon session to fight their way back into contention in the third and final Test against South Africa here on Friday.

The visitors were strongly placed at 152-1 following a 91-run stand for the second wicket between skipper Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla before slipping to 175-4 at tea on the opening day.

Ashwell Prince (10) and AB de Villiers (three) were the not out batsmen at the break. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, paceman Ishant Sharma and part-time spinner Yuvraj Singh were the wicket-takers in the second session after the visitors had elected to bat.

Smith (69) gave his team a solid start with a 61-run stand for the opening wicket with Neil McKenzie (36) and then consolidated with Amla (51) before India struck on a turning track.

The visitors lead 1-0 in the series following their emphatic victory by an innings and 90 runs in the second Test in Ahmedabad. The opening match ended in a draw in Chennai. India suffered a setback when they lost skipper and ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble to a groin injury before the match, wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni leading the side for the first time in a Test.

With the pitch offering little assistance to fast bowlers, Dhoni introduced Harbhajan as early as the ninth over but had to wait for the first wicket. Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla, a 19-year-old playing his first Test in two years, provided the breakthrough in his opening over when he had McKenzie stumped in the morning.—AFP