Cape Town, January 04: Indian master batsman Sachin Tendulkar scored his 51st Test century as he consolidated Indian first innings reply with an unlikely partner Harbhajan Singh to put on 69 runs before tea for the seventh wicket after World’s current best Test bowler Dale Steyn decimated Indian middle-order with spell of the series in the second session of the third day here at Newlands.
Steyn stuck horrors with a marvelous display of pace and swing as he destroyed Indian middle-order immediately after lunch by sending off Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper MS Dhoni in quick succession to ring danger bells in Indian camp early. Pujara was trapped plumb in front of the wicket of a cracking outswinger from Steyn while Dhoni nicked an away-moving delivery to second slip where Ashwell Prince made no mistake to pouch an easy chance.
The South African pace spearhead was arguably unplayable in his spell as he bent his back regularly to produce steep bounce and produced some gems including the one that crashed into Harbhajan’s off-stump without dislodging a bail.
Meanwhile, Tendulkar who is going through form of his life, stroked 12 boundaries and a six to complete his first century of the New Year and battled fiery pace and swing bowling for the complete third day and first added crucial 176 runs for the third wicket with Gautam Gambhir.
Tendulkar reached his mind-boggling 51st century by top-edging South African pace bowler Morne Morkel for a six over wicket-keeper’s head and then followed up the celebration with a cracking cover-drive for boundary.
Tendulkar then weathered the ‘Steyn storm’ with some luck and with lot of gumption as he pounced on deliveries which offered him width to play his shots and showed immense faith in his ally Harbhajan who manufactured his own methods to counter the situation including a straight-slap for six over long-on boundary off Steyn.
Gambhir played an eventful yet fighting knock but fell seven runs short of his hundred as India sailed past 200 runs to give a fitting reply to South African first innings total
The Delhi southpaw scored 13 boundaries and was dropped thrice during his knock but was finally caught on an individual score of 93 by wicket-keeper Mark Boucher of spinner Paul Harris to end his nervy stay on the crease.
After Gambhir’s dismissal, Indian middle-order mainstay VVS Laxman came to the crease but got unfortunately run-out when a powerful shot from Tendulkar hit bowler Paul Harris’ palm and broke non-striker stumps to find Laxman backing up too far and not in the crease.
Tendulkar, who resumed on overnight score of 49, stroked the third ball of the morning to gully region to complete his half-century and then slapped two boundaries off Dale Steyn to put South African captain Graeme Smith’s attacking tactics on backfoot.
Gambhit too batted carefully, dispatching Morne Morkel to two edgy boundaries, but was seldom beaten outside off-stump by the lanky bowler who bowled regularly in the right areas to trouble the left-hander.
Earlier on day two, India made 142/2 at stumps to restore the balance in the series deciding third and final cricket Test.
Gambhir slammed a fighting half-century, taking advantage of two dropped catches and repeatedly hopped and jumped to ride the bounce as he remained unbeaten on 65 when the stumps were drawn on day two.
Tendulkar, who came to crease after the fall of Rahul Dravid, batted cautiously with Gambhir as the duo added unbeaten 114 runs in 39.2 overs for the third wicket.
–PTI