CENTURION
Rain foreshortened the fourth day of the five-day game between South Africaand India at Centurion on Monday, raising the possibility that this contentiousmatch – and the 2001 tour by India – could reach a soggy finale on Tuesday.In the circumstances, it is difficult to think of a more appropriate conclusionto one of international cricket's most unhappy episodes.
When the drizzle of the early afternoon hardened into rain around tea time,India were 118 for two in their second innings. South Africa had declared beforethe start of play at the overnight 566 for eight, leaving the touring side toscore 334 to avoid an innings defeat. Depending on the weather – andwidespread rain over southern African is forecast for Tuesday – India may wellsave this match. How much honour is salvaged from this affair, however, isentirely another question.
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In all India batted for 46 overs on the fourth day. On a pitch that hasflattened out nicely for batting and with the South Africans struggling to finda consistent line, Shiv Das and Connor Williams were able to build afirst-wicket stand that eventually yielded 92.
They were unable, however, to take it through to lunch after an extendedmorning session with Williams eventually falling to Lance Klusener as JacquesKallis held a waist-high catch at second slip. Williams made 42, the chiefsignificance of which is that he finally reached double figures on South Africansoil after arriving in the country ahead of the first Test a month ago.
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Williams was down to play in the matches against the President's XI and aSouth African A team, both of which were abandoned without a ball bowled, andmade 5 in the Indian first innings. That he had a bat at all in what iscurrently not a Test match will, no doubt, intrigue collectors of cricket triviain the year to come.
India took lunch at 104 for one and returned for 25 minutes before the firstbreak for drizzle. The players returned after 50 minutes, played out another 11overs – during which time Das was bowled by Shaun Pollock for 48 as the SouthAfrican captain came in off five paces – and that was it for the day.
For India, there was one more bit of bad news. Fast bowler Javagal Srinath,struck on the left hand while batting in the first innings, has a broken fingerand will be out of action until December 6. He will miss the first Test againstEngland in Mohali as a result.
