A maiden five wicket-haul by fast bowler Shantakumaran Sreesanth and Saurav's performance put India on top against South Africa
Ajit Parker
Dec. 16, 2006

I told you India will win my publication in India daily few days backs. India always ecels as underdog.

It was a day for R & Ss - Rahul, Sausav and Sreesanth.

According to media report, A maiden five wicket-haul by fast bowler Shantakumaran Sreesanth led to South Africa being dismissed for 84 and put India firmly in control of the first Test on Saturday.

South Africa, replying to India's first innings of 249, were skittled for their lowest total against India at tea on the second day. The previous lowest score by the hosts against India was 105 in Ahmedabad in 1996-97.

The display would have come has a huge relief to the Indians after they were whitewashed 4-0 by South Africa in the ODI series.

Sourav Ganguly had earlier justified his recall to the national side following an 11-month exile with a gritty half-century to bolster India's batting.

But it was Sreesanth who put India into the driving seat. He maintained a probing length and found movement off the seam to take five for 40 from 10 overs.

With four batsmen failing to add any runs, Ashwell Prince's 24 was South Africa's top score in an innings that lasted just 25.1 overs.

Prince and Andre Nel, who scored 21, shared 39 for the eighth wicket, the most lucrative partnership of the innings.

Captain Graeme Smith (5), Hashim Amla (0), Jacques Kallis (12), Mark Boucher (5), Shaun Pollock (5) all failed to handle the pace generated by Sreesanth as India established a 165-run lead going into the second innings.

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Ajit Parker
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