As the temperatures soared, the runs dried up.
The final session of the opening day's play in the third Test between India and South Africa, at the Green Park in Kanpur on Friday, was torturous for both the teams; a battle of attrition. But, at the end of it, it was the hosts who walked away with a slight advantage. The visitors frittered away a good start and were dismissed for 265 in 83.5 overs.
Ishant Sharma and Harbhajan Singh picked three wickets each, after Neil McKenzie (36), Graeme Smith (69) and Hashim Amla (51) had given the South Africans a good start.
South Africa paid the price for not taking their chances. Some reckless batting and impatience saw them surrender the ascendancy they established in the morning. The Indians, after the early suffering, capitalized on their chances and did well to finish things off.
Morning session:
The 20th Test at the Green Park stadium in Kanpur started exactly the same way as the 19th. The same teams were involved: India and South Africa, and the captain of the latter, Graeme Smith, again won the toss and elected to bat, as expected.
There was one glaring difference though. While the Test in 2004 was the opening match in that series, this one is the third and deciding Test, with the hosts trailing 0-1.
In the aftermath of the criticism following the debacle at Motera, it is a match of high pressure and higher stakes for Team India. And it did not help matters when captain Anil Kumble succumbed to his recurring injury and opted out of the match. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who took over the captain's mantle, has the experience of leading the team in the shorter (one-dayers) and shortest (Twenty20) versions.
But this is his first stint as Test captain -- the first Indian wicketkeeper to lead the team -- and compounding matters is his own indifferent form with the bat, a certain dent to his self-confidence in the longer version. That was apparent early on in the day's opening session.
There was a huge roar from the stands as S Sreesanth beat Neil McKenzie's bat with the first ball of the innings. The roar increased after the fourth delivery as McKenzie survived a loud appeal. But that was just about it, as South Africa began to assert their authority with almost immediately.
Smith and Neil McKenzie, who recently broke a longstanding record for the highest opening wicket stand, were again up to the mark. The duo was particularly severe on Ishant Sharma, who returned to the squad after missing the first two Tests with injury, and never allowed him to get into any sort of rhythm. The Delhi speedster went for 35 in his opening six overs.
Sreesanth, known more for his on-the-field shenanigans than speed, was equally ineffective, as Dhoni was forced to introduce Harbhajan as early as the eighth over. Not that it helped matters in any way.
The South African fifty came in the 15th over, with McKenzie (27) contributing a little more than his skipper (22).
Things were looking bleak for the home team but Piyush Chawla, who replaced Kumble, was introduced for Sreesanth in the 18th over. The young spinner struck with his fifth delivery as the visitors lost their first wicket at 61.
McKenzie (36), in an attempt to unsettle Chawla, stepped out and Dhoni did the rest. The shot, in the hindsight was unnecessary and meant that the South African again frittered away a good start because of his impatience.
In came Hashim Amla, and he ensured South Africa went to lunch without any further damage at 80-1 and with the upper hand.
Post-lunch session:
South Africa's plan in the second session was palpable -- to consolidate their innings without giving much away. Initially, they did succeed. Smith was more than happy to play the sheet anchor's role to perfection while allowing his teammate to be the aggressor. So if it was McKenzie before lunch, the onus was on Amla in the post-lunch session. And he didn't disappoint, his innings being a perfect combination of aggression and caution.
South Africa's 100 came off the final ball of the 30th over, in which he and Amla struck, well literally. Off the second ball of the 31st over, bowled by Harbhajan, Amla's powerful sweep found a victim. Sourav Ganguly, who was fielding at short leg, turned and the ball struck the back end of his helmet. The former India captain was down and had to be taken of the field. Irfan Pathan came in as substitute.
Smith brought up his half century -- his second of the tour -- with a six over the midwicket boundary off Chawla in the fifth ball of the next over. With both Chawla and Harbhajan rendered ineffective, Dhoni was forced to bring on Yuvraj Singh for the former and Virender Sehwag for the latter.
Sehwag bowled only three overs before being replaced by Sreesanth, who in turn, bowled only one before Ishant was handed the ball again.
Smith hit his second six, again over deep midwicket, this time off Yuvraj, to take his team past the 150-run mark in the 46th over. But off the next ball he fell, Wasim Jaffer snapping up a low catch at short leg to a ball that did not bounce.
Yuvraj was rewarded for his persistence in his seventh over and the analysis in his short-but-sweet spell read 8-1-29-1.
Amla soon reached his half century, his third 50-plus score in the series, but fell equally soon, cleaned up by Ishant for 51.
Jacques Kallis (1) followed suit, a run later, cleaned up by Harbhajan, who replaced Yuvraj, as the visitors were reduced to 161 for 4 after being comfortably placed at 152 for one at one stage.
At the tea break, India went in satisfied after an impressive comeback that saw them reduce their rivals to 175/4.
Post-tea session:
Resuming at 175 for four at tea, South Africa coasted along to 199 without further damage. It was then that Chawla replaced a vapid Sreesanth and struck -- just as he had while taking McKenzie's wicket, in his very first over, with the second delivery.
The victim on this occasion was Abraham de Villiers (25), the double centurion in the second Test at Motera, who went against the turn and mistimed the pull. It was yet another instance of reckless batting in the South African innings. Ganguly, back on the field, was more than happy to take the catch at mid-wicket.
Sixteen runs later, Sehwag, bowling from round the wicket, trapped Ashwell Prince (16) plumb in front. A few overs later, Harbhajan induced an edge from Morne Morkel (17) to Rahul Dravid at first slip and South Africa were 241 for 7.
Paul Harris combined well with Mark Boucher for a 23-run stand for the eighth wicket -- a brief but frustrating partnership. Then Dhoni played what was probably his last card -- Ishant replacing Harbhajan from one end and the latter replacing Yuvraj from the other.
The move paid off, as Ishant cleaned up Boucher (29) with a beauty.
A run later, Dale Steyn tried to reverse sweep Harbhajan and only ended up offering a simple chance to substitute Mohammad Kaif.
Ishant cleaned up Harris (12) with another beauty as South Africa folded up for 265.
