KANPUR, India, 23 November 2004 — Openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir shared an unbeaten 185-run stand to lead a spirited fightback by India in the first Test against South Africa yesterday.
At the close of the third day both players were on 85 after South Africa had declared their first innings at 510 for nine an hour into the afternoon session after fog had wiped out the morning’s play.
Left-hander Gambhir, playing in only his second Test, was dropped on five and Sehwag should have been stumped when he was on 29, but after those let-offs the pair smashed South Africa’s pace attack all around the field.
South African plans for an early declaration were foiled by the weather as visibility did not improve until noon.
Number 10 Robin Peterson lashed 34 off only 24 balls with three fours and a six before he was bowled by off spinner Harbhajan. Singh and captain Graeme Smith declared the innings. Shaun Pollock was unbeaten on 44.
Leg spinner Anil Kumble added one more victim to finish with six for 131, his 28th five-wicket innings haul in a Test. Kumble, 34, is just four wickets short of Kapil Dev’s Indian Test record of 434. Opener Andrew Hall top-scored with a dogged 163 in his maiden Test hundred and debutant Zander de Bruyn scored 83.
When India batted a nervous Gambhir was dropped off Makhaya Ntini by substitute Justin Ontong at gully and debutant wicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile missed an easy stumping chance when Sehwag charged left-arm spinner Robin Peterson.
Gambhir gradually grew in confidence, flicking paceman Hall for three fours before lofting him over midwicket for six to reach his maiden Test 50. Sehwag drove fast bowlers Pollock and Ntini through the cover for early boundaries before reaching his 50 with a reverse-swept boundary against Peterson.
He took a heavy toll of Pollock when he returned for his second spell, driving him past cover for three fours. South Africa coach Ray Jennings praised the Indian openers, but felt the missed chances put pressure on his bowlers.
Scotland Win ICC Cup
In Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Scotland won the inaugural International Cricket Council Intercontinental Cup, beating Canada by an innings and 84 runs in the final yesterday. Canada’s second innings collapse to 93 all out enabled Scotland to secure victory with more than a day to spare in a tournament designed to give the dozen countries immediately beneath the 10-nation Test elite experience of playing in first-class, as opposed to one-day, conditions.
It was a timely boost for Scottish sports fans who last week saw their football and rugby union teams both suffer defeats against Sweden and Australia respectively.
Scotland total of 287 for eight declared where Gavin Hamilton, who plays for English county Durham, scored 115, left Canada with a first innings deficit of 177. The North Americans then slumped to 24 for eight, with one man retired hurt, before a last-wicket stand of 69 took them to within 17 runs of their first innings score of 110.
Veteran Scotland seamer Asim Butt took four for 10 with fellow paceman John Blain collecting four for 28, the duo exploiting helpful conditions before Umar Bhatti (41) and Ashish Patel (25 not out) restored some Canadian pride.
