Update at Stumps on Day 3
India continued its fightback with the bat in the second innings but has lost the wickets of both Sehwag and Gambhir. The visitors got to 190 for 2 in 44.1 overs when bad light halted the proceedings on the third day's play. Rahul Dravid is battling out on 28 from 48 balls with 5 fours with night watchman Ishant Sharma giving him company having survived 16 balls. The deficit thanks to the century opening stand between Sehwag and Gambhir has been cut down to 294 runs.
Sehwag gave the opening for the Proteas in this innings by throwing his wicket playing a predetermined lofted shot off Paul Harris. Stepping out too early out of his crease, Sehwag went through with his big shot to what turned out to be a wide one which was miscued high in the air towards wide mid off. Graeme Smith came up with an excellent running catch to see the back of Sehwag who scored 63 from 79 balls (with 9 fours and a six).
Gambhir kept the fight going with Dravid before he got an unplayable delivery from Steyn which stayed low to have him lbw. Gambhir was batting beautifully until then on 80 from 124 balls with 10 fours.
Update at Tea on Day 3
India are off to a bright start losing no wickets in 17 overs by Tea on Day 3 while smashing 92 runs on the board. The pitch seems to be good now for the Indian batsmen as well as they are driving through the line with ease. There is also not much of seam movement and the alarming bounce that caused their downfall on the first day. Virender Sehwag has blasted his way to 51* from 50 balls with 8 fours and a six which was a pull off Tsostobe over mid wicket. Gambhir is keeping his end steady batting nicely on 33 from 52 balls. The weather at Centurion has drastically changed with dark clouds building up once the Indian batsmen got into the middle.
The post lunch session saw Jacques Kallis notch up his maiden double century, he remained unbeaten on 201 from 270 balls with 15 fours and 5 sixes. South Africa declared their innings at 620 for 4 in 130.1 overs just after the dismissal of AB de Villiers (129 from 112 balls with 12 fours and 5 sixes) who got caught behind trying to loft Ishant Sharma. India faced a huge deficit of 484 runs with that in their second innings.
Update at Lunch on Day 3
South Africa have smashed as many as 225 runs in 36 overs of the morning session thanks to some ordinary bowling attack from India. AB de Villiers who replaced Amla has created a new record for the fastest ever Test century by a South African getting to three figures in 76 balls. Kallis on the other hand has got to 183 and has an excellent opportunity to finally register his maiden double century of his long career!
The South African lead is looking intimidating at 455 and an innings defeat seems inevitable for the visitors. The only man to be dismissed by India today was Hashim Amla who got caught by the keeper down the legside to a wayward inswinger from Ishant Sharma. Amla finished with a 202-ball 140 which had 14 fours and a six. His partnership with Kallis was worth 230 runs. Kallis has put on 195 runs with AB de Villiers for the unbroken 4th wicket stand. Graeme Smith is likely to declare the innings after Kallis gets to his 200 or probably wait for the lead to get to 500 runs.
- BV Swagath
