Sehwag And Tendulkar Put India In Control

Sehwag And Tendulkar Put India In Control

Virender Sehwag acknowledges the crowd after reaching his century in Kolkata.

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

South Africa 296 (Amla 114, Petersen 100) v
India 342-5 (Sehwag 165, Tendulkar 106)
Second Test, Kolkata, day two

Centuries from Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar handed India a 46-run lead over South Africa at stumps on day two of the second and final Test in Kolkata.

After India eventually bowled South Africa out for 296, Sehwag stroked 165 and Tendulkar 106, including his 6,000th Test run in India, to help their side reach the end of play on 342 for five.

A late South African fightback ensured it wasn't completely India's day but the 249-run stand between Sehwag and Tendulkar put them on top of proceedings.

The day had began as it started, with a rally from South Africa as their last pair of Wayne Parnell (12) and Morne Morkel (11 not out) hauled their score up to 296 having begun the day on 266 for nine, Zaheer Khan completing figures of four for 90 by having Parnell trapped in front.

Sehwag, dropped early on by JP Duminy, and Gautam Gambhir (25) then went on the offensive before Gambhir was run out by Alviro Petersen but Sehwag continued to dominate the bowling, hitting 23 fours and two sixes during his 19th Test century.

Murali Vijay made seven before he was caught behind by AB de VIlliers as Morkel struck and that set the stage for Sehwag and Tendulkar, who went on to reach his 47th Test century, to pile on the runs. They batted for just shy of 58 overs, moving their side into the lead before South Africa's comeback late in the day.

First Sehwag, who faced 174 balls, was caught by Ashwell Prince at cover off Duminy, then Tendulkar was caught by Jacques Kallis at slip as left-arm spinner Paul Harris finally got some reward for a long spell and Subramaniam Badrinath (1) was bowled by Dale Steyn as India lost three wickets for five runs in 28 balls.

VVS Laxman (9) and Amit Mishra (1) were the unbeaten batsman at the close of play. South Africa won the opening Test in Nagpur by an innings and six runs.

© Cricket World 2010

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