The Wanderers Wonder

Sreesanth had long anticipated this moment. Hisimpromptu jig on Day 3, after a straight six off Andre Nel when he danced joyouslydown the wicket, waving and flailing his bat around, making suggestive pelvicthrusts had summed up the mood of Indian fans as they smelled an over-duevictory. The whiff of the win had become even stronger when Sreesanth dismissed GraemeSmith. If he wasfloating like a butterfly then — literally, the South Africans were stung by the Sreesanthbee when he got Hashim Amla. He gesticulated mockingly, with his hand against his nose, laughingand gurgling with pleasure. 

In many ways,this was as audacious as an Indian new ball bowler has ever been. Truth to tell,many an Indian fan had their heart in their mouths. Hadn't India succeeded tosnatch defeat from the jaws of victory in the past? As it turned out, the jawsjust wouldn't shut, with faces breaking into uncontrollable joy as Indiafinally  recorded their maiden Test victory on South African soil, marking a remarkable turnaround from a disastrous one-day series earlier on thetour. The victory was as comprehensive as they come with a 123-run margin and more than a day and a half to spare at the Wanderers.

It was a commendable display of resilience by the Indians who had gone into the Test series with not many giving them a chance to come good on the bouncy tracks tailor-made forthe home team's fast bowlers.But the strategy backfired completely as the demoralised visitors regrouped to plot a sensational South African defeat, riding on some gritty batting performances and the bowling heroics of youngSreesanth, backed by the other old war horses, Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan. 

Chasing a stiff target of 402 for victory, the South Africans resumed at a shaky 163 for 5 and were bowled out for 278 just at the stroke of lunch break on the fourth day itself. Ashwell Prince (97) made a valiant effort to resurrect the innings but got little support from other batsmen.Sreesanth, who ripped through the top order in both the innings, to finish with match figures of 8 for 99, earned the man of the match award. Zaheer (3-79) and Kumble (3-54) were the other wickettakers in the second innings.

After Zaheer dismissed wicketkeeper-batsman Mark Boucher (23) in the fourth over of the day, Kumble ransacked the tail to cap the fine effort of the Indians right through the match.All-rounder Shaun Pollock made a defiant 40 off 41 balls and added 67 runs from 87 balls with Prince.But with almost two days left, it was never going to be enough to resist India who have now taken a 1-0 lead in the three-Test rubber.Pollock's rearguard action eventually proved to be flickers of a dying lamp and his innings, that consisted six fours and a six, came to an end when he was bowled by Kumble.

The 36-year-old Bangalorean then trapped Nel leg before wicket, before he broke the resistance of Prince who faced 223 balls and struck 11 boundaries.Dravid at this stage brought on Sreesanth to do the honours of finishing the match which had much been shaped by his fiery burst of bowling.

After an inconspicuous over, the second new ball was claimed to facilitate the process.But it was Zaheer who put the seal of victory when he had Makhaya Ntini caught in covers by Virender Sehwag, the innings folding up in 86.5overs. Dravid and Zaheer were the first ones to pick up the stumps at the non-striker's end as souvenirs. Kumble and Sehwag were quick to join in the fun.

The Test would also be remembered for Sourav Ganguly's comeback to the national fold with aplomb after being in the wilderness for nearly a year.Ganguly hit an unbeaten 51 in the first innings to propel India to 249 while in the second innings it was VVS Laxman (73) who held the innings together to take the visitors to 236 and handy lead of 401. 

India had lost four and drawn five of the nine Tests on their three previous visits to South Africa.This was also only their 27th win from 194 matches abroad, a measly win percentage of 13.47. The Indians have now won four each against Australia, England, New Zealand; three each against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh and two each against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, besides today's win against South Africa.

An elated Dravid credited the win to "great team effort".  "I am proud of the team. It's a great team effort the way we fought in Test after the one-day series loss. Credit to ourselves and the nation," Dravid said.

With agency inputs