South Africa ended the first day of the first Castle Lager Test between South Africa and India at the Wanderers on Friday the happier team, although neither side really seized the initiative.
At close of play on a day in which 133 minutes were lost to delays and interruptions, India had struggled to 156 for five in their first innings. Sourav Ganguly was not out on 14 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni had yet to score.
The start of play was delayed by an hour-and-a-half because of damp patches on the pitch.
Gauteng Cricket chief executive Alan Kourie said that on Thursday afternoon, groundsman Chris Scott was concerned that the wicket was a little too dry and might break up badly before the fourth and fifth days of the match.
”To remedy this situation, he put wet hessian on to the wicket overnight, and then covered the wicket, as is the norm. After removing the covers this morning, there was a lot more moisture on the wicket than anticipated, resulting in our current problem,” said Kourie.
Scott told journalists after close of play that in hindsight, he should have left the pitch and not laid down the hessian. ”But with the hot weather we have now, I still think that on day four and five, those cracks will come into play. But the wicket won’t break up and crumble because of the nature of the clay it’s based on,” he said.
For the first time on the tour, India won the toss and elected to bat. They got off to a rocky start, with the openers, Wasim Jaffer and Virender Sehwag, going out in the hour before lunch to have India in trouble on 19 for two at lunch.
Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar did something to consolidate the situation after lunch, with a third-wicket partnership of 69. This ended when Tendulkar, who had been showing glimpses of the batsman everyone wanted to see, edged a ball from Jacques Kallis straight to AB de Villiers at second slip.
Just after India passed 100 runs, the umpires took the players off the field because of lightning, which was followed by rain, and tea was taken early. Dravid was next to go when he edged a Kallis delivery to Graeme Smith in the slips, for 32.
VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly were building a solid partnership, and had put on 46 runs for the fifth wicket when Laxman was caught behind by Mark Boucher for 28. By this stage, it was becoming decidedly gloomy, and when Mahendra Singh Dhoni got out to the crease, the umpires decided that the light was not good enough for play to continue, and the stumps were drawn.
Indian coach Greg Chappell said India normally aim to score more than 350 runs in their first innings. ”But we’ll just see how we go here,” he said. ”I was quite pleased with the partnerships, especially after tea, when we were able to score at a decent rate.”
Kallis said the South Africans were a bit disappointed at the lack of pace in the wicket. ”It’s very slow,” he said. ”But the Wanderers is always a good scoring pitch, and we expect it to quicken up. Day two and day three have usually been the best batting days, and we hope that history repeats itself.”
South Africa suffered a blow when fast-bowler Dale Steyn had to leave the field after a recurrence of an injury that has been plaguing him. It is not clear how serious the injury is, or whether he will be able to bowl again in the first Test.
Team physiotherapist Shane Jabaar said Steyn had pulled up while bowling because he felt something in his thigh, but the injury was less severe than it had been previously.
”He pulled up as a precaution, to prevent doing further damage. We’ll monitor him and see whether he can bowl again in the first innings. He has received some intensive treatment, and we will continue to treat him,” said Jabaar.
Kallis and Makhaya Ntini were the main wicket takers, with two apiece, while Shaun Pollock took one. Pollock needs just four more wickets to become only the 10th cricketer to take 400 Test wickets.
Play will start half an hour early, at 10am, on Saturday morning. — Sapa