Second Test, Kolkata, day one (close):
India v South Africa 266-9
Match scorecard
 Petersen's century earned him a place in the record books |
South Africa failed to capitalise on a strong start as they reached 266-9 when bad light stopped play on day one of the second Test against India. After the loss of captain Graeme Smith in the third over, centuries from debutant Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla took the score from 9-1 to 229-3. Petersen was only the third debutant in South African Test history to make a ton and the first for seven years. But South Africa collapsed after tea, losing seven wickets for just 32 runs. The visitors went into the match knowing that victory would see them unseat India as the world's number one Test nation after their resounding win in the first Test, and received a pre-match boost when Smith was passed fit to play despite a finger injury. But having chosen to bat first, his contribution was short-lived as he was clean bowled by Zaheer Khan with just four runs to his name. But this brought Amla to the crease alongside Petersen, who came into the side after Mark Boucher fell victim to a back spasm. Straight away the pair set about dispelling any nerves caused by the early loss of Smith. Petersen decided boundaries were the quickest route to runs, hitting six of them in his first 30 runs and clocking up a half-century from just 55 deliveries. From that point he steadied himself to allow Amla to take charge, as the more experienced player kept up the momentum from his unbeaten 253 in the first Test in Nagpur.  | 606: DEBATE |
The only flaw in his innings came on 60 when he edged a chance to VVS Laxman at first slip, which was dropped. This was to prove costly as Amla advanced to his ninth Test century, sealing it with a boundary off Ishant Sharma late in the afternoon session. But after all their early dominance, South Africa then went into meltdown, with Petersen, who had just reached three figures, edging Zaheer to wicketkeeper MS Dhoni to make the score 218-2. The third wicket went with 11 more runs added to the total, as Amla mistimed a pull shot off the bowling of Zaheer and was caught by Dhoni for 114. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh then destroyed the South African middle order with three quick wickets. Jacques Kallis (10) top-edged a catch to Laxman and Ashwell Prince and Jean-Paul Duminy were trapped lbw off successive deliveries. AB de Villiers (12) was then run out at the non-striker's end as he failed to get back to his crease after being sent back by Dale Steyn, before Sharma claimed the wicket of Paul Harris and Steyn fell victim to a harsh lbw appeal. Wayne Parnell and Morne Morkel were at the crease when bad light brought a halt to proceedings. Harbhajan recorded the best figures of the day, 3-60 from 23 overs, with Zaheer claiming 3-77 off 21 overs.
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