Ind SA T2 Day 2 Stumps: What SA Do, India Can Do Better, Say Sehwag and 47 Ton Man, Sachin

Sreelata YellamrazuFeb 15 2010

A humbled South Africa were forced to stand as weary witnesses as a majestic duo unfolded their magic at Eden Gardens, Kolkata with a breathtaking finish to the day.

sehwag tendulkar

The second day of the second Test of the India South Africa series held no amusement for the visitors who would have hoped to redress their debacle from the last session on day one when they lost wickets in a heap to hand the initiative back to India. Although Morne Morkel and Wayne Parnell added thirty-five runs for the final wicket ( the next best after the partnership between Hashim Amla and Alviro Petersen), South Africa were dismissed for 296, certainly not the numbers they were aspiring for when the two century makers were on top of the game.

But if the second day was expected to bring some cheer back on the visitors' face, there was to be none. Not even the two wickets that they managed to snare, that of Gautam Gambhir and Murali Vijay, failed to find consolation as Virender Sehwag went on the rampage and Sachin Tendulkar defied to please the Eden Gardens crowd.

virender sehwag century

It was the openers that indicated how tough it would be for South Africa when Gambhir and Sehwag raised a seventy-three run partnership in which Sehwag was clearly the dominant partner. Sehwag eventually raced to a century but he had his idol, Sachin Tendulkar, sharing the company while making the South Africans sweat under the Kolkata heat and that raised by the Indians, who must win this match to win back the no.1 Test team crown in the ICC Test rankings.

While Sehwag was insatiable even as the South African bowling appeared to have developed weary undertones as compared to their discipline in the first Test, Tendulkar was also establishing an end of authority to send the visitors a strong message that it would be a harder fight than that witnessed in Nagpur for the top ranking.

sachin tendulakr raises bat

Sehwag's 150 was matched by Sachin Tendulkar's 47th Test century, the fourth in a row for him and along the way, he touched the 6000 run mark in India. Although Sehwag was lucky on a couple of occasions when he was dropped by JP Duminy in the slips and again through a missed stumping by makeshift wicket keeper, AB De Villiers, the innings was one that marked a commanding day for India. On the road, the duo eclipsed the 209 run partnership between Amla and Petersen to post a third wicket partnership of 249.

But the South Africans did not return disappointed altogether. If anything, they will at least be happy and sleep better knowing that Tendulkar and Sehwag will not be the batsmen they will be bowling to. Sehwag fell to a soft dismissal on 165 off Duminy himself while Tendulkar became Harris' victim for 106 to leave India at four down for 335.

And it was not long before Dale Steyn found his mark, clipping the bails to Subramaniam Badrinath home. India were halted on 336 for five at stumps on the second day, with a lead of 46 runs.

Great Pic: Must See: Kirsten Blessing Sehwag

Ind SA T2 Day 2: Steyn's Plans Falling Flat to Sehwag's Challenge

Ind SA T 2 Day 1 Ended at Stumps with Zaheer, Harbhajan Putting India Right on Top

Ind SA T 2 Day 1 (Lunch and Tea) Began With Alviro Petersen, Hashim Amla Ton...

Ind SA T 2 Preview: Equation Simple for Both Teams; Win Test; Become the No.1 Test Team

Dhoni, Smith Agree: IPL Has Helped Visiting Teams

Kalighat Temple Greets V.V.S. Laxman; Denied to Sachin Tendulkar

Dhoni Visits Police Station; But Hunting for a Motorbike

AB Believes SA Have the Momentum for No.1; Smith Hopes Eden Pitch is a Distraction

Ind SA T 2: Dhoni Asks, How Can Bounce Be Sporting Pitch?; Ganguly Unhappy with CAB

Ind SA 2nd Test: Smith May Play Despite Broken Finger

Ridiculous Rumours?: Factions Insinuate Smith's Declaration Timing Meant to Undermine Amla