Player of the Match
Player of the Match

What a tense battle! South Africa storm their way back into the series. They fought hard, not only the Indians but also the elements, and are now tasting a sweet win under a slightly overcast sky. The series is level. With all to play for at Capetown. We couldn't have asked for more.

Graeme Smith, at the post-match ceremony: " The adrenalin was pumping right at the end. we are over the moon .... the boys proved themselves. I thought the wicket was very good, we bowled outstandingly well.. "

Man-of-the-Match: Makhaya Ntini

Cheeky quote The presenter asks him how he bounced back after being off colour in the first Test. Ntini says, hold your breath, "I am always off colour!"

Ntini in a tv interview. "God was on our side. .... All of a sudden the sun came out. .. I went to the gym last evening. They asked me why am I going to gym, you got to bowl tomorrow. I said, 'That's why I am going to the gym. Need more power." What a champion performance from him.

Smith: "Thank goodness the sun came out in the afternoon and we could end up with a smile in the evening. It was a wicket where you needed to use short-pitched but be clever with it. We needed to bowl the full-length and bowl at the fourth, fifth stump [outside the offstump]. All in all it was a great Test match to watch and great Test match to play."

Certainly, it was a great match to watch. This is Sriram Veera, signing off. It was a pleasure bringing you the live action. Hope you enjoyed. The Capetown Test starts on January 2nd. Join us then.

Meanwhile please do read The Bulletin by Anand Vasu. "Tempers frayed, words were exchanged, short balls banged in and trenches dug as the Indian tail did its utmost to keep South Africa at bay long enough to give the fading light o the rest. But when Andrew Hall knocked over Sreesanth ....."

To continue reading please click here. Good bye and good luck and have a great new year!

55.1
W
Hall to Sreesanth, OUT, South Africa have levelled the series!. What a nerve-wracking game! Andrew Hall gets them home. Congrats South Africa. Sreesanth is unhappy, storms off the field. Not at the South African celebration, which was, obviously, wild but at the decision. It went off the right shoulder. No edge. Banged in short, and at the offstump line, Sreesanth tries to withdraw his bat from the line. He does. Umpire Asad Rauf doesn't notice it. The cherry whistles past the blade, brushes the right shoulder and sails into Boucher's gloves. Game over.

S Sreesanth c †Boucher b Hall 10 (32m 12b 2x4 0x6) SR: 83.33

END OF OVER:
55 | 2 Runs 1 Wkt | IND: 179/9

  • Vikram Singh0 (1b)
  • Sreesanth10 (11b)
  • Andre Nel16-4-57-3
  • Makhaya Ntini19-6-48-5
54.6
0
Nel to Singh, no run, attempted yorker, jabbed to mid-off
54.5
W
Nel to Khan, OUT, Nel gets the vital wicket. Banged it in short of length, it kicks up outside the offstump, and also holds its line. Zaheer hops up, gets squared-up as the ball straightens, pushes at it, bat away from the body, feet up in the air, and it flies to Hall at third slip who makes no mistake. All the fielders converge on Nel. He has never been so popular. Never has Zaheer been so disappointed. India lose their ninth wicket. South Africa are ever so close to that win. Just one wicket away.

Z Khan c Hall b Nel 21 (80m 56b 2x4 0x6) SR: 37.50

54.4
0
Nel to Khan, no run, Nel tries to trap him lbw. Lands a length-delivery on the offstump line, comes in with the angle, Zaheer is ready, doesn't thrust his left foot across, gets behind and defends it
54.3
0
Nel to Khan, no run, full in length, just outside the offstump, out comes Zaheer's left foot, his head goes over the ball, he defends, pushes it out towards point.
54.2
2
Nel to Khan, 2 runs, full and on the legs, flicked away behind square-leg

Ten years ago, South Africa were in India's position at the Wanderers. Is history about the repeat itself?

India tour of South Africa 2006-07 News

  • India 1, South Africa 0

    A look back to India's first Test win in South Africa, when Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth beat the home side at their own game

  • Indian board not convinced about Munaf

    Munaf Patel has far more serious concerns than a sore ankle with the BCCI openly questioning his integrity

  • 'I can smell blood' - Nel to Sreesanth

    Sreesanth revealed the story behind the famous impromptu dance after he had hit Andre Nel for a six during the first Test in Johannesburg

  • The duke of hazard

    Graeme Smith's decisive twin half-centuries at Cape Town were a welcome return to form and sealed a great Test series win for South Africa

  • When the tide turned

    Siddhartha Vaidyanathan looks at eight turning points in India's tour of South Africa

India 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st14W JafferV Sehwag
2nd20R DravidW Jaffer
3rd4SR TendulkarW Jaffer
4th7VVS LaxmanW Jaffer
5th38SC GangulyVVS Laxman
6th2VVS LaxmanMS Dhoni
7th16A KumbleMS Dhoni
8th59MS DhoniZ Khan
9th19Z KhanS Sreesanth
10th0S SreesanthVRV Singh