AB delivers as India go with the flow

Saturday April 5, 03:37 AM

Keep the seam straight, hold it across, or just let it rip through the fingers at 45 degrees - the Indian pacemen needed to try everything they could in the first session on the second day of the second Test against South Africa on Friday. But they just waited for things to happen against two men who were not willing to take any chances. As a result, Team India again lost the plot early in the morning; yesterday it was because too much had happened in the first two hours of play as they were shot out for 76, and today because nothing happened at all.

The only thing India could take heart from was an evening shower that gave an interesting twist to this match. With more inclement weather forecast for the next two days, divine intervention seems the only way India can avoid defeat in a match that has so far been completely dominated by the visitors.

If it was Dale Steyn who had done the damage with the ball on the opening day, Friday was the story of AB de Villiers, with a bit of Jacques Kallis thrown in on the side. Unchallenged by the Indian bowlers right through his eight-hour innings, the South African number six remained unbeaten on 217 as South Africa went to 494 for seven, a lead of 418 runs with three days of play still remaining. Kallis had departed for 132 after completing his 30th Test century.

No one - however inexperienced in the study of body language - could have said that the five Indian bowlers bowled their hearts out. The problem started with Kumble himself as he was clearly struggling with a groin niggle. He bowled just five and three overs each in the two sessions.

Pathan was pedestrian with the old ball, his inability to get reverse swing highlighting his lack of pace, and RP Singh was once again unable to make the kind of impression that was expected of him after the Australian series. Sreesanth, and even Sourav Ganguly, at least tried a few things even though they were rarely too threatening.

It was only Harbhajan Singh who asked a few tricky questions. He was unlucky when Kallis was on 61 as the ball rolled on to the stumps but did not dislodge the bails.

Milestones

Kallis reached his century from 228 balls with 12 fours and a six just before the lunch break, while de Villiers got to the three-figure mark off 174 deliveries just a few minutes after the break.

Sreesanth finally ended the 256-run partnership - the highest by South Africa against India - when Kallis dragged a delivery onto his stumps from outside off.

Mark Boucher (21) and Albie Morkel (1) did not last long, but all the while de Villiers played in his natural aggressive style to ensure that the scoreboard became more imposing as the day wore on. He smacked Harbhajan on the roof for the first of his two sixes, and brought up his maiden double-century with an elegant cover drive that summed up his innings.

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