Laxman And Dhoni Hammer Home Indian Advantage

Laxman And Dhoni Hammer Home Indian Advantage

VVS Laxman (left) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni both scored centuries as India piled on the runs in Kolkata.

©REUTERS/Arko Datta (INDIA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

South Africa 296 (Amla 114, Petersen 100) & 6-0 v
India 643-6 dec. (Sehwag 165, Laxman 143no, Dhoni 132no)
Second Test, Kolkata, day three

VVS Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the fifth and sixth men to register centuries in the match as India closed day three of the second and final Test against South Africa 341 runs ahead.

Laxman stroked an unbeaten 143 and Dhoni slammed 132 before he declared India's innings on 643 for six, 347 runs ahead and when bad light ended play South Africa had reduced that deficit by just six.

Hashim Amla and Alviro Petersen scored centuries on day one for South Africa before they were bowled out for 296 before Virender Sehwag (165) and Sachin Tendulkar (106) put India in strong position on the second day.

Nightwatchman Amit Mishra (28) was the only man to fall in the day's play after hitting five boundaries and his dismissal set the stage for Laxman and Dhoni to put on a seventh-wicket stand of 259.

Taking advantage of some sloppy South African fielding including a number of uncharacteristic dropped chances, Laxman made his way to a 15th Test century, closing unbeaten on 143 in 260 balls having hit 16 fours. Dhoni, particularly once he had reached his fourth Test century, was more aggressive, hitting 12 fours and three big sixes during his knock of 132 in 187 deliveries.

Just five balls of South Africa's second innings were possible before the players left the field due to bad light, Graeme Smith hitting one boundary off Zaheer Khan.

South Africa lead the series 1-0.

© Cricket World 2010

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