Stupendous Steyn rocks India

8 Feb 2010

Dale Steyn put on a masterclass of fast bowling to topple India for 233 and confirm his status as the world’s premier bowler.

Day three belonged entirely to Steyn, who seemed to have supernatural control over the direction the ball would veer through the air, while the India batsman were left wishing for supernatural intervention to rescue them from the massacre.

Steyn’s extraordinary spell in the third session of play – in which he took five wickets for just three runs in five overs to finish with figures of 7-51, his first two scalps coming in the morning session when he sent Sachin Tendulkar packing with a superlative outswinger that brushed the edge of his bat, and accounted for Murali Vijay, who’ll be lamenting his decision to shoulder-arms one that tracked backed appreciably – forced India to follow on. At the close of play they were in desperate trouble at 66-2, still 259 runs behind.

Spare a thought for Virender Sehwag, who crafted a characteristically aggressive century (109 from 139 deliveries). However, outside of 136-run stand between the India opener and Subramaniam Badrinath, the hosts’ scorecard looks decidedly woeful – Gautum Gambhir the only other batter to get into double figures.

Sehwag’s departure, thanks to a careless waft at a wide Wayne Parnell delivery, signalled the outset of a dramatic capitulation – 192-4 becoming 233 all out in the space of 18 overs.

Paul Harris got a delivery to bounce fiercely out of the rough outside MS Dhoni’s leg stump and brush the India captain’s glove en route to Jacques Kallis at slip.

Cue the Steyn Show.

He had Badrinath caught at mid-wicket, before pinning back Wriddhiman Saha’s off stump with a sublime 140.7 kph reverse-swinging delivery. Zaheer Khan then fell to 141.8 kph gem, tailing in once more and catching the inside edge before smashing into the sticks.

Amit Mishra took his seat in the pavilion two overs later, this time it was a 143.9 kph rocket that again kissed the inside edge and mangled the furniture. Finally, Harbhajan Singh’s resistance ended when he was wrapped on the pads by a delivery that defied physics in its flight path – swinging from well outside off stump.

After a brief consultation with his team, captain Graeme Smith enforced the follow-on with a 325-run lead, and soon India were reeling once more.

Morné Morkel accounted for Gambhir with a ball that swung into the left-hander and rocked his off stump – Gambhir not offering a shot. Steyn wasn’t done, and profited when Sehwag flashed wildly at an unthreatening delivery, nicking off to first slip.

Tendulkar holds the key to India’s fortunes, but even the most optimistic India supporter would be reluctant to back the little master to not only wipe out the deficit (with the aid of a partner who is equally skilled and resolute), but also set the Proteas a competitive target.

Unless India stage an impossibly brilliant fight back only one result looks likely at this point.

South Africa (1st innings) – 558-6 declared
Hashim Amla 253, Jacques Kallis 173, AB de Villiers 53, Zaheer Khan 3-96.
India (1st innings) – 233
Virender Sehwag 109, Subramaniam Badrinath 56, Dale Steyn 7-51
India (2nd innings) – 66-2
Murali Vijay 27, Sachin Tendulkar 15

For full scorecard click here

India trail by 259 runs with 8 wickets remaining

By Ryan Vrede



188 Comments

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 » Show All

  • 1.Rebels_Shark: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 07:53 am

    110/3… don’t rate Parnell at all however he has only had 4 overs so far.

  • 2.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:04 am

    @Rebels_Shark:

    Why not.

    Explain yourself.

  • 3.Quota_Duminy_Quita_Prince: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:13 am

    There is a guy named Rusty Theron who, for the last 3 season performed excellently for the Warriors in the T20, Mtn40 & Supersport stuff …. way better than Parnell.

  • 4.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:16 am

    @Quota_Duminy_Quita_Prince:

    Quita.

    What is that.

    So, why don’t you add Quota Parnell to your nic.

  • 5.Quota_Duminy_Quita_Prince: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:21 am

    typo … parnell isn’t a quota. he is a great talent – just needs some more game time @ domestic level

  • 6.wpw: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:21 am

    I wonder if ‘Quita’ is in fact our old friend Pietman… Trolling is his forte…

  • 7.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:23 am

    $610,000.00 and the Delhi Daredevils say you are wrong.

    Parnell is a good bowler, swings it both ways, still very young but will bulk up and speed up when he gets a little older.

    I think he has the ability to become a Wasim Akram type bowler.
    Good prospect.

  • 8.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:25 am

    @Quota_Duminy_Quita_Prince:

    I watched Parnell skittle some poor unfortunate team in MTN 40 or whatever.

    He doesn’t need it.

    So.

    Have you added QUOTE AMLA to your list too?

  • 9.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:26 am

    @wpw:

    Could be.

    He landed here yesterday morning, or last week, or whenever.

  • 10.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:27 am

    @Dawn:

    Sorry … quota!

  • 11.Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:28 am

    amla made more runs in 1 hour than Prince & Duminy made together in 10 in… read my lips prawn. Its not about race. Its about performance. Prince & Duminy is a quota … Amla not. Okay? Los die papsak

  • 12.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:30 am

    @Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince:

    YES! It is him.

    Only one person calls me prawn.

    Jy praat kuk.

    According to your twisted criteria, Amla is a quota.

    Admit it.

    He’s not white, is he.

  • 13.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:30 am

    @Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince:

    Gotcha!!!

    Nic changes can’t hide your *****.

  • 14.nama1: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:36 am

    Good start to the day for us, getting three wickets in the morning session. Keep on plugging away boys. If the Indians can avert the follow on today, score 354 runs, this test is most probably dead.

    @Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince:
    Well, you can prove that by adding “quota Harris” to your name because he hasn’t perform very well also this international season, has he?

    Can you confirm who has the better average: Kallis or Tendulkar?

  • 15.Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:36 am

    oh the race card… loose a argument and you play the race card. pathetic. Is that how you got your job?

  • 16.Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:39 am

    on the flat tracks in India i’d guess that Tend has a .0007 better avg than kallis. Whats the ave innings score on these Indian pitches over the last 2 years .. 700?

  • 17.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:39 am

    @Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince:

    You talking to me?

    No, I got my job legit.

    How did you get yours?

  • 18.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:40 am

    @Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince:

    I can’t believe I’m talking to someone with this ludicrous nic!

  • 19.gunther: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:43 am

    Promising start to the week here….

  • 20.nama1: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:56 am

    @Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince: 15
    Are you talking to me?… are you talking to me?… who are you talking to?… are you talking to me?

    16
    I posted their career average stats for your benefit on yesterday’s cricket thread. Go have a look and don’t make a fool of yourself again.

    @gunther: 19
    Very good start, Gunther. Three wickets in the morning session is always VERY GOOD. Now for Sewagh and we will be really on top.

  • 21.gunther: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 08:58 am

    C wag is the key…

  • 22.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 09:01 am

    @nama1:

    He’s off to change his nic back to Langenh0ven

  • 23.nama1: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 09:01 am

    Despite having lost three wickets early on, the Indians are still batting at a run rate of close to four (3.9 to be exact). If only we could have done that yesterday, we could have declared earlier with even more runs on the board.

    Oh well, that’s spilled water. Just hoping that we’ll get there someday.

  • 24.Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 09:02 am

    you should google Sehwag … just a though before you make your name Omar Henry again

  • 25.nama1: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 09:06 am

    @Dawn:
    Silly little man. He has issues.

  • 26.nama1: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 09:10 am

    @Quota_Duminy_Quota_Prince:
    Why?

  • 27.nama1: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 09:45 am

    100 for SEHWAG at a strike rate of 75.

    We need to get him out. During our last tour to India, we also put up over 500 runs in the first inning before Sehwag blitzed us with one of the best innings’ ever.

  • 28.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 10:04 am

    @nama1: 14

    Quota Harris?

    Whatever dude.

  • 29.Kea-Cat: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 10:11 am

    @nama1: His out.

  • 30.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 10:19 am

    Sehwag’s wicket was huge. Now we need another two or three wickets in this session and we’ll be on top.

  • 31.nama1: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 10:31 am

    Sehwag out. YES!!!

    The debutant is playing well here. Agree WPTID, another two wickets in this session will be just swell.

  • 32.Schizo: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 10:48 am

    Why’s the stadium so empty? The World’s 1 and 2 ranked teams in India where cricket is a religeon and 4 kids are in the ground?????

  • 33.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 10:50 am

    @Schizo: Cricket’s not that big in Nagpur apprently…

  • 34.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 10:51 am

    We should get them 7 or 8 down by the close….

  • 35.Schizo: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 10:55 am

    @WP_: Maybe they don’t eat curry down there either…

    I don’t buy that. Sadly I think Test cricket’s on its last legs. Pro20 hit and giggle has killed a great game!

  • 36.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 10:58 am

    @Schizo: No serouisly…

    In the main cricket areas in India like Chennai or Kolkata tests are packed…

    Tests will always be much more exciting than circus cricket Pro20

  • 37.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:02 am

    @nama1: 14

    Btw, coming from you, that Harris is a quota comment was ridiculous… You, the man who clings to facts did not even check his..

    Against the Poms he got 11 wickets in 5 innings, that’s not bad… for a “holding bowler” now is it?

  • 38.Schizo: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:03 am

    @WP_: Still don’t buy it. Then why have a test match – between the top 2 teams – in Nagpur if you’re not going to fill a stadium. It’s like having a Bok test in Bloem.

    Especially since lack of interest in Test Cricket has been such a huge “media thing” lately, you would have thought to show the world that Tests were still relevant the ICC would have recommended a stadium where it would be packed to the rafters…

    I’m wearing black. In mourning for a great game!

  • 39.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:05 am

    Yippee-ca-yay!

    Harris gets Dhoni!

    Come on boys – get two more wickets before the end of today, and we are in the pound seats!

  • 40.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:07 am

    And Harris just got the Indian Captain MS Dhoni out caught at slip!

    Good going for a quota!

  • 41.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:09 am

    Oh yeah baby!

    Steyn takes out Badrinath, we really have them under the cosh now!

    Two new men at the crease, India 221/6!

  • 42.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:09 am

    @Schizo: Agreed it should be better attended!

    Maybe they know that they’re going to lose!

    6 down now! Steyn gets another

    Should bowl them out today

  • 43.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:11 am

    And Steyn bowls Saha!

    India seven down!

  • 44.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:11 am

    @WP Till I Die:

    Dale Steyn has four wickets! Come on, get the fifer, you deserve it!

  • 45.Schizo: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:12 am

    All this quota talk hacks me off so much.

    Players go through form dips and rises. It should be as simple as that.

    One of the great examples was when Aussie stuck with Mark Taylor through a torrid time towards the end of his career. He kept getting low figure scores yet they stuck with him because they knew what he could do. He rewarded them with a huge knock. And that got him out of the pit before he retired.

    Prince is quality not quota. He was on fire and couldn’t do anything wrong a season or two ago. He’ll come right.

    Duminy is quality. Anyone who’s ever coached him or had anything to do with him confirms this. Sure, he’s young but stick with him and he’s going to be another runs machine for SA.

    Amla has always been quality, even when people (much like they’re bleating now about Duminy) were mouthing off about him being quota a few seasons ago. The selectors stuck with him and he’s rewarded them.

    Now Harris. He’s just plain bollocks and always has been. And always will be. To be a spin bowler you need to have spin. Also… you need to have variety. He’s got nothing!

  • 46.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:12 am

    7 down! 222/7

  • 47.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:14 am

    @Schizo: Interesting how a “bollocks” bowler can manage to get 83 test wickets…

  • 48.Schizo: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:20 am

    @WP_: if we had a quality spinner he’s have 166 wickets. You can’t truly believe that Harris is the answer to our spin berth. Really?

  • 49.WP_: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:21 am

    @Schizo: I;d like to see you try to face him…

    166 wickets? Dont be ridiculous… He’s only played 28 matches.

  • 50.WP Till I Die: Reply to this comment
    8 Feb 2010, 11:22 am

    Fifer for Steyn! Khan out!

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