Draw Despite Flurry Of Wickets

The first Test between India and South Africaexpectedly ended in draw on a lifeless track which allowed the visitors to notonly come out unscathed but also carry some batting confidence into the nextmatch.

The Indians suffered a shocking batting collapse in themorning session to concede a lead of 44 runs but did manage to expose the SouthAfrican batsmen's vulnerability to spin to some extent in the second innings onthe fifth day track before play was called off.

Unlike Mumbai where the Test against Australia ended injust over two days earlier this month, the Green Park track turned out to be abatsman's paradise with just 13 wickets falling on the first four days and asmany as 10 wickets tumbling on the last day alone.

For the record, South Africa scored 169 for four intheir second innings runs in a dreary contest which would be remembered forVirender Sehwag's blistering 164.

The two teams will now travel to Kolkata for the secondmatch of the two-Test series beginning at the historic Eden Gardens on November28.

The slow pace of scoring by the tourists on the firsttwo days after opting to bat first meant that a draw would be the only outcomeof the match.

The lifeless track might not have amused the Indians who were looking to play ona pitch that favoured their famed spinners. After being all out for 466 in theirfirst innings, the home team injected some life into the dreary proceedings bysnaring up four South African batsmen in the extended post-lunch session.

The visitors lost three quick wickets, includingcaptain Graeme Smith, in the span of nine overs to appear a little vulnerablebut with the experienced Jacques Kallis still holding fort, there was no realdanger of a complete slide.

Like in the first innings, Smith and Andrew Hallprovided a solid start as they negotiated the Indian bowlers without muchdiscomfort on a pitch which gave some assistance to the spinners in the latterhalf of the post-lunch session.

The opening pair put on 67 runs before Harbhajan Singhprovided the breakthrough by plotting the dismissal of Hall who was caughtbehind by wicketkeeper Dinesh Kaarthick for 26.

Martin van Jaarsveld, who had failed in the firstinnings, did not survive for long as he was trapped leg before wicket by MuraliKartik in his very first over, giving the left arm spinner his first wicket inthe match.

Kartik struck again two overs later by evicting Smithwith a ball that turned a little bit and Gautam Gambhir took a smart catch atforward short leg, reducing the tourists to 110 for three.

Smith's knock of 47 came in 141 minutes, 100 balls and included sevenboundaries. Jacques Rudolph failed for the second time falling prey to Harbhajan,who got the odd ball to jump and spin.

Earlier, the Indians lost their last six wickets forjust 65 runs to be bowled out for 466 in their first innings barely half an hourbefore the lunch break.

Resuming at a healthy 401 for four, the Indians losttheir way this morning losing four wickets in the span of just five overs beforeHarbhajan (17) and Zaheer Khan (30) added 36 runs for the ninth wicket.

Play began half an hour late from the scheduled 9 amstart because of heavy ovenight dew but the pre-lunch session clearly belongedto the visitors who ripped through the lower order Indian batting line up.

Paceman Makhaya Ntini did bulk of the damage as hefirst dismissed Rahul Dravid inducing him to edge an away-going delivery towicketkeeper Thami Tsolekile in his second over of the morning and then sentback the stylish V.V.S. Laxman (9) and Anil Kumble (9) in quick succession.

Dravid could add just two runs to his overnight tally,his 54 coming in 286 minutes and contained five hits to the boundary.

Young wicketkeeper-batsman Kaarthick joined the action after Dravid's departurebut could not survive for long as he was trapped leg before by Shaun Pollock. Ntini removed Laxman and Kumble in the same over to inflict more damage to theIndian innings.

While Laxman's leg stump was knocked down with a superbdelivery, Kumble paid the price for fishing outside the off stump and Tsolekileheld on to a fine catch behind the stumps.

Harbhajan and Zaheer added 36 runs for the ninth wicketwhich took the home team closer to the South African total.

Zaheer was the more aggressive of the two as he smashedtwo boundaries off Pollock while Harbhajan also picked up spinner Robin Petersonfor special treatment lifting him for a six.

But that turned out to be an eventful over as Harbhajanwas first dropped by van Jaarsveld at the point region before he was evictedwith Dippenaar taking a catch in the second attempt at silly point to givePeterson his first wicket.

Zaheer spanked Hall for two consecutive boundariesbefore being clean bowled, bringing an end to the Indian innings which lookedheaded for a bigger total before the collapse.

Ntini produced a fine spell of seam bowling to cutshort the Indian run chase, having figures of 9-0-24-3 this morning and overallfigures of 3-135. Hall was the other succesful bowler with 3-93.

PTI