Sehwag blasts India off to good start in reply to South Africa

Indian opener Virender Sehwag slammed a sparkling 82 not out to ensure the base for a big total in reply to South Africa's modest score in the second and final Test here on Monday. Sehwag added 112 for the unbroken second wicket with vice-captain Rahul Dravid (33 not out) to take India to 129-1 at close of the second day's play at the Eden Gardens after South Africa had been restricted to 305.
Sehwag closed in on his second consecutive century as he had scored an entertaining 164 in the drawn first Test in Kanpur.
The Delhi batsman struck 11 fours and a six while scoring his eighth half-century in 29 Tests, picking up pace after reaching his fifty.
Sehwag was particularly severe on leg-spinner Justin Ontong, whom he hit for a six over mid-wicket and three fours in the same over, which included one off a reverse-sweep.
Ontong went for 19 runs in that over and nine in his following one and was promptly taken out of the attack by captain Graeme Smith.
While Sehwag attacked later in his innings, Dravid failed to emerge from his shell during a 106-ball knock in which he hit just four boundaries.
But with his partner scoring runs with ease at the other end, Dravid only needed to ensure India did not suffer any loss following Gautam Gambhir's early demise.
Dravid joined Sehwag after left-hander Gambhir, who scored seven, was trapped lbw by paceman Shaun Pollock to give South Africa a success with the new ball.
Harbhajan's wickets came after India struck thrice in the morning session through paceman Zaheer Khan, captain Sourav Ganguly and leg-spinner Anil Kumble.
Other overnight batsman Zander de Bruyn fell earlier in the day when he nibbled at a delivery from Zaheer to give wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik his fourth victim of the innings.

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SCOREBOARD SOUTH AFRICA

(1st innings - overnight 227-5):

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G.Smith c Karthik b Pathan     0

A.Hall c Karthik b Zaheer      7

J.Rudolph b Zaheer            61

J.Kallis b Ganguly           121

H.Amla b Pathan               24

B.Dippenaar c Karthik b Pathan 1

Z.de Bruyn c Karthik b Zaheer 15

S.Pollock c Dravid b Kumble   18

J.Ontong not out              16

T.Tsolekile c and b Harbhajan 15

M.Ntini c Pathan b Harbhajan   0

EXTRAS: (LB-17, NB-10)        27

TOTAL                        305

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FALL OF WICKETS: 1-0, 2-21, 3-130, 4-176, 5-182, 6-230, 7-261, 8-273, 9-305
BOWLING: Pathan 31-7-72-3, Zaheer 27-7-64-3, Kumble 30-6-76-1, Ganguly 9-3-14-1, Harbhajan 21.3-6-54-2, Tendulkar 3-0-8-0.
OVERS: 121.3

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INDIA (1st innings):

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V. Sehwag not out             82

G. Gambhir lbw b Pollock       7

R. Dravid not out             33

EXTRAS: (LB-4, NB-3)           7

TOTAL: (for one wicket)      129

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