South Africa in control

South Africa have taken control of their second Test match against India on the third day in Durban. The Proteas managed to bowl India out for 240 runs with Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel, in his Test match debut, taking three wickets each.

India capitulated to South Africa in the opening session with five wickets falling before lunch. Sachin Tendulkar, the man India needed to fire to get back into the game started off well, but fell early on to Ntini, nicking a good delivery to Boucher. Tendulkar only managing to add 17 runs to his overnight score of 46, finishing on 63.

Just two balls later and Ntini had the new man in, the former Indian captain, Ganguly out as well, gone for a duck.

India were in trouble with their batsmen struggling on 125/5.

The pressure didn’t let up. South African debutant Morkel gained his first, second and third Test wickets, claiming the scalps of Dhoni, Kumble and Khan with an impressive spell that shows much promise for the future. Dhoni out for a brisk and risky 34, lost his wicket by mistakenly timing a drive, nicking it to second slip. At 183/8, South Africa were firmly in front.

After lunch, Sreesanth and Laxman set about at repairing the damage and rebuilding the score. Sreesanth proving to be a valuable tailender, adding 28 runs before being caught behind and Laxman, who was running out of partners, managed a tough, fighting 50.

Suddenly India were only a hundred runs out from India’s first innings score, and looking to get right back in the game.

By the time Pollock had taken the last wicket of Singh, India were 240, trailing South Africa by 88 runs. The game slightly in South Africa’s favour but India not out of it at this stage.

The South African openers came out with a purpose; to add quick runs and an unreachable totals for the Indians. Fighting bad light, Smith and de Villiers added 64 to the scoreboard without losing any wickets before bad light stopped play more than an hour before scheduled stumps.

South Africa will look to score hard and fast tomorrow as they try and set an unreachable score for the Indians, whilst giving themselves a chance to bowl India out to win the match. India will be well aware that holding on to a draw will mean South Africa can not win the series going into the third match in Cape Town.

Earlier the day started off in dramatic circumstances with Umpire Mark Benson complaining of heart problems and was subsequently taken to hospital for tests.

South Africa 328
Ashwell Prince 121, Herschelle Gibbs 63, Mark Boucher 53
Sreesanth 4-109 Anil Kumble 3-62

India 240
Sachin Tendulkar 63, VVS Laxman 50*
Makhaya Ntini 3-41, Morne Morkel 3-86

South Africa 64-0
AB de Villiers 31*, Graeme Smith 28*

South Africa lead by 152 runs with 10 wickets remaining