DURBAN, South Africa, (Reuters) – India staged a great comeback from their innings defeat at Centurion to beat South Africa by 87 runs on the fourth day of the second test at Kingsmead today.
Chasing 303 for a series-clinching victory, South Africa resumed the fourth day on 111-3 but four early wickets left the hosts in desperate trouble at 155-7.
South Africa put up some resistance, Ashwell Prince finishing 39 not out and Morne Morkel scoring 20 but India were not to be denied a victory that levels the series 1-1.
Shanthakumaran Sreesanth (3-45) and Zaheer Khan (3-57) were the pick of the bowlers and the win was sealed when Cheteshwar Pujara ran out Lonwabo Tsotsobe with a fine bit of reflex fielding to dismiss the hosts for 215 after lunch.
India’s Vangipurappu Laxman was named player of the bowler-dominated match for his aggregate 134 runs in both innings including 96 in his team’s second innings 228.
Sreesanth claimed the key wicket of Jacques Kallis for 17 in the eighth over of the day with an inspired delivery that reared up off a good length, as South Africa’s leading run-scorer could only fend the ball off his gloves into the gully region.
Five overs later AB de Villiers, who had resumed on day four with Kallis, was fell lbw to Harbhajan for 33 in a close call despite a long stride forward.
There was more doubt over Mark Boucher’s wicket, the wicketkeeper given out leg-before for one, though replays suggested the ball would not have hit the stumps.
The series decider will be played in Cape Town starting on Jan. 2.