Proteas sink India despite Tendulkar ton

Nagpur: India squandered the benefit of an electrifying start from their openers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag to bow before the South Africans by three wickets in a high-profile Group B World Cup encounter at the Vidarbha Cricket Association ground yesterday.

They paid the price for crashing from a majestic 267 for 1 to be bowled out for 296 runs on a wicket that had lots of runs. Nine wickets fell in a heap for just 29 runs in 54 balls with the South African medium pacer Dale Steyn walking away with five wickets.

It spoiled Sachin Tendulkar's another gem of a knock. This was his 48th One-day century and his sixth in the World Cup to make it 99 centuries in international cricket, but the knock went in vain. South Africans chased the total in no hurry.

All their top order batsmen chipped in with useful knocks and recorded healthy partnerships. Jacques Kallis led the chase with 69 runs followed by Hashim Amla with 61 runs and towards the close AB De Villiers and J.P. Duminy handling the Indian bowling with ease.

No one would have ever believed this would be the result after Tendulkar and Sehwag had given India a dream start.

48th century

Needing 13 runs off the last over, Robin Peterson edged Ashish Nehra's first ball for a boundary and hit the next for a six and helped his team reach the target with a flowing cover drive off the fourth ball to announce they deserve not to be called chokers again. Harbhajan who went wicketless in the previous matches had put them back on the game with three wickets and a brilliant run out. Tendulkar's was his 48th One-day century.

Indians won the toss on a wicket which was worth over 350 runs and Indians were sailing smoothly at 267 for 1 at one stage. After Tendulkar's wicket well, Gautam Gambhir, who should have taken charge, got foxed by a slower deliver from Steyn to be brilliantly caught by Kallis for 69.

It was sheer irresponsibility that followed. Yusuf Pathan and Yuvraj Singh got out tamely.

Virat Kohli offered an easy return catch to left-arm spinner Robin Peterson. Harbhajan Singh fell to a Steyn yorker and the tail got wiped off in no time as the last three batsmen scored ducks.

South Africa chasing a run rate of less than 6 runs per over did not go for a whirlwind start like the Indians. They built up steady partnerships.

Skipper Graeme Smith, who too had wanted to bat first on this wicket, put on 41 runs with Hashim Amla. Kallis and Amla kept the scoreboard moving picking the gaps in the field.

India

V. Sehwag b du Plessis 73

S. Tendulkar c Duminy b Morkel 111

G. Gambhir c Kallis b Steyn 69

Y. Pathan c Smith b Steyn 0

Yuvraj Singh c Botha b Kallis 12

M.S. Dhoni not out 12

V. Kohli c & b Peterson 1

Harbhajan Singh b Steyn 3

Z. Khan c Morkel b Peterson 0

A. Nehra c Smith b Steyn 0

M. Patel b Steyn 0

Extras (lb 2 w 12 nb 1) 15

Total (all out; 48.4 overs) 296

Fall of wickets: 1-142 2-267 3-268 4-268 5-283 6-286 7-293 8-294 9-296 10-296

Bowling: Steyn 9.4-0-50-5 (2w), Morkel 7-0-59-1 (1nb), Kallis 8-0-43-1 (1w), Peterson 9-0-52-2 (2w), Duminy 3-0-29-0, Botha 9-0-39-0 (2w), Du Plessis 3-0-22-1 (1w).

South Africa

G. Smith c Tendulkar b Khan 16

H. Amla c Dhoni b Harbhajan Singh 61

J. Kallis run out 69

AB de Villiers c Kohli b H. Singh 52

JP Duminy st Dhoni b H. Singh 23

F. du Plessis not out 25

M. van Wyk lbw b Patel 5

J. Botha c sub b Patel 23

R. Peterson not out 18

Extras (lb 7 w 1) 8

Total (for seven wickets; 49.4 overs) 300

Fall of wickets: 1-41 2-127 3-173 4-223 5-238 6-247 7-279

Did not bat: M. Morkel, D. Steyn

Bowling: Khan 10-0-43-1, Nehra 8.4-0-65-0, Patel 10-0-65-2, Pathan 4-0-20-0, Yuvraj Singh 8-0-47-0, Harbhajan Singh 9-0-53-3 (1w)

Result: South Africa won by three wickets