Centurion Test: India heading towards defeat

Despite a brilliant century by Sachin Tendulkar, India are heading towards a defeat in the first Test match against South Africa, as they closed the fourth day of the match on 454 for the loss of 8 wickets in their second innings here on Sunday.

India still need 30 runs to avoid an innings defeat, with Sachin Tendulkar (107*) and S Sreesanth (3*) remaining not out at stumps.

Sachin Tendulkar, who scored his 50th Test century on Sunday in just 197 balls along with skipper M.S.Dhoni (90), fought hard to give the South African bowlers a strong challenge with their 172 runs seventh wicket partnership.

Resuming at overnight score of 190/2, Sharma frustrated the South African bowlers for the first 48 minutes of the day, looking awkward against short-pitched deliveries but finding a straight bat to keep out anything aimed at his stumps.

Sharma got a life when he was on 11 when he pushed a return catch to Morne Morkel, only for umpire Ian Gould to check with television umpire Shaun George whether Morkel had bowled a no-ball. The umpires are entitled to check on the legitimacy of deliveries. Replays showed Morkel had over-stepped marginally.

Sharma eventually fell to Dale Steyn when he prodded a catch to Hashim Amla at short leg after making 23 and batting for a total of 71 minutes, facing 51 balls.

Dravid became the third batsman, behind team-mate Tendulkar and Australia’s Ricky Ponting, to make 12,000 Test runs, reaching the mark when he had scored 43.

He was congratulated by Tendulkar but did not add to his score before edging a lifting ball from Morkel to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. Laxman and Raina departed quickly, edging Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Jacques Kallis to gully and first slip respectively, with Raina out in the last over before lunch.

South African Dale Steyn pacer topped the bowling chart as he picked up 3 wickets in the Indian second innings.

Paul Harris picked up 2 Indian wickets in the innings.

With two wickets to go, it will be interesting to see that whether Sachin and the remaining tail-enders be successful to save India from facing an innings defeat in this match.

Earlier, South Africa had declared their first innings at a score of 620 for the loss of 4 wickets in response to the Indian first innings total of 136.