South Africa v India, 2006
South Africa v India, 2006
Neil Manthorp
15-Apr-2007
At Johannesburg, December 15, 16, 17, 18, 2006. India won by 123 runs. Toss: India.
In a stunning reversal, India achieved their first Test win in South Africa, and what
some observers thought was their best-ever away win. Their hero was Sreesanth, the wild
and wacky seamer from Kerala playing only his sixth Test, who started South Africa's
collapse for 84 in their first innings with a maiden five-for. There was no eccentricity in
Sreesanth's actual delivery, which arrived with pace, aggression and a vertical seam. He
ended the game with eight for 99, the match award, and a fine of 20% of his match fee
for giving Amla an unnecessary send-off after claiming his wicket for the second time.
Dravid's decision to bat first was almost recklessly brave, given that the start was
delayed by 90 minutes because of dampness in the pitch. It was a baking hot and
sunny morning, just as it had been for the three previous days, which was why Chris
Scott, the head groundsman, had decided to water the pitch the previous evening, to
prevent it from cracking prematurely. But he overdid it. The result was a hard pitch
with a wet top, and so much seaming bounce that South Africa's bowlers didn't know
what to do with it. The defiant first-day batting of Dravid and Tendulkar required every
iota of their skill and experience, and their runs were worth double, at least. Ganguly's
emotionally charged return after a year as a Test outcast resulted in an innings of huge
heart and determination, during which he was peppered with bouncers, most of which
he played with survival instincts rather than cricketing ones. But, when Ntini pitched
one up, Ganguly slogged him over midwicket for six.
Their combined application meant that 205 for nine was competitive, and then last
man Vikram Singh belted an amusing 29 to help boost the final total. Those watching
realised that 249 was a good score, but no one knew quite how good. They soon found
out. The South Africans had banged it in short, but Sreesanth pitched it up, full and
straight, and was rewarded with five of the first seven wickets - two lbw, two caught
at second slip, one bowled. At that stage, South Africa were 45 for seven, and the
sense of disbelief, even among the Indians, was palpable. A slog from Nel helped raise the score to 84, but it made little difference to the
level of shame felt by South Africa, whose total
was their lowest, not just since readmission in
1991-92, but since England twice skittled them
for 72 in 1956-57.
Twenty wickets tumbled on the second day, but
as the pitch eased a little India had started to build
on what had become a formidable lead. Laxman
displayed the temperament of a scholar, ignoring
the inevitable snorters which still came his way.
Quietly grateful when these missed his bat or the
stumps, he tucked singles away on the leg side
and regarded each of his dozen fours as a great
bonus in an innings of 73 as valuable as many
centuries. He finally edged Ntini to slip, but the
lead was then approaching the eventual 401, and
the game was well beyond South Africa, whose
only moment of satisfaction had come when
Pollock's classic late away-swinger had Dravid
caught behind. It made him the tenth bowler - but
the first South African - to take 400 wickets in Test cricket.
Sreesanth again flattened the top order, taking three of the first four wickets, before
Prince delayed the inevitable with an obdurate 97 from 223 balls. Pollock enjoyed the
attacking fields, spanking a quick 40, but Dravid had another ace up his sleeve, one
with more than 500 wickets to his name - and a spinner, too, something South Africa
did not have. Kumble bought Pollock's wicket by tossing a couple of inviting deliveries
up in the air and then castling him with a quicker one, before spoiling Prince's chance
of a century by bowling him too, around his legs trying a sweep.
If there had been 20 stumps available as souvenirs, they wouldn't have been enough
for India when the match ended. The party was long and loud. Bullied abroad for so
long, India had fought back in triumph, and had done so by playing the bullies at their
own game in their own back yard.
Man of the Match: S. Sreesanth.
Neil Manthorp is a South African broadcaster and journalist, and head of the MWP Sport agency