India will deliver a win - odds were in favor right from the go
Ajit Parker
Dec. 17, 2006

India is performing like the underdog - it is a doi or die battle.

According to media reports, India tightened the screws on South Africa by reducing them to 69 for three in the second innings at tea on the third day of the first cricket Test at the Wanderers.

After setting the hosts a daunting target of 402, India struck early, removing Herschelle Gibbs (0) in the first over of the innings before lunch and following it up with the scalps of captain Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla in the afternoon session.

Jacques Kallis (24 no) and Ashwell Prince (5 no) then guided them to the tea without further damage.

South Africa still need another 332 runs to conjure up an unexpected win.

Earlier, the Indians stretched their second innings to 236.

VVS Laxman (73) and Zaheer Khan (37) featured in an impregnable stand of nearly two hours while adding 70 runs for which helped the visitors take an overall lead of 401 runs.

The visitors, resuming at overnight score of 146 for 5, lost two wickets of Mahendra Singh Dhoni (18) and Anil Kumble (1) early but then capitalised on an unimpressive bowling performance by the hosts.

The hosts, with the exception of Shaun Pollock, rarely bowled on to the stumps as Indians grafted their way to 90 runs in the morning session.

Zaheer was very much the surprise packet as he presented a straight bat and concentrated hard in allowing Laxman to prosper.

India will deliver a win - odds were in favor right from the go
Ajit Parker
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