Sehwag smashes fifty as India cruise to 97 for 2

Published>Mon, Feb 15 10 12:41 PM

Virender Sehwag hit a quick-fire unbeaten fifty, helping India race to 97 for two in their first innings at lunch on the second day of the second cricket Test against South Africa in Kolkata on Monday.

Earlier, India began the day by folding South African first innings at 296, conceding 30 more runs in the opening session at Eden Gardens.

Sehwag, dropped on 47 by JP Duminy off Morne Morkel, was unbeaten on 52, while Sachin Tendulkar was giving him company on nine as India were trailing by 199 runs.

Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag gave India an explosive start, stitching 73 runs for first wicket in just 9.2 overs before the southpaw was run out for 25.

Dale Steyn, first Test hero for the visitors, found the going tough with Sehwag creaming him for three consecutive boundaries and went on to concede 29 runs in his forgettable first spell of five overs.

With Sehwag on fire, there was a similar treatment at the other end for Morkel who conceded 28 runs from his three-over first spell.

Left-arm pacer Wayne Parnell replaced Morkel but it did not help as he leaked 11 runs in his first over with Sehwag freely dispatching the left-arm quickie over third-man for the first six of their innings.

Gambhir also joined the party as the Indian openers kept an eight-plus run-rate.

Just when South Africa needed a breakthrough badly, India gifted them an easy wicket in the form of Gambhir who became the victim of a Sehwag blunder.

With India cruising 72 for no loss in 9.1 overs, Gambhir responded to a second-run call from Sehwag but only to see himself stranded in the middle of the track as his partner changed mind.

The disappointing end to the entertaining opening stand brought Murali Vijay to the wicket.

However, Vijay (7) did not last long as he was caught brilliantly by AB De Villiers behind the wicket off Morkel.

Sehwag was lucky as he was dropped at the first slip by Duminy in the very next over and he went on to make fifty.

Earlier in the morning, South Africa were bundled out for 296 in 85 overs in their first innings.

Resuming at 266 for nine, South Africa added 30 runs to their overnight total before Wayne Parnell (12) was dismissed by Zaheer Khan leg before wicket in the fourth over of the second day.

Khan was the most successful Indian bowler returning with figures of 22-5-90-4.

Morne Morkel remained not out on 11 as the last wicket pair added 35 runs from 55 balls.

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