By Sirshendu Panth, IANS,
Kolkata : V.V.S. Laxman played a watchful knock as India fought through a fine spell from Dale Steyn and consolidated their position by establishing a 135-run first innings lead at lunch on day three of the second cricket Test against South Africa here Tuesday.
Overnight not out batsman Laxman was in the middle with 39 with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (29) for company as the hosts reached 431 for six, benefiting from sloppy catching from the South Africans at the Eden Gardens. The visitors had scored 296 in their first innings.
Night watchman Amit Mishra (28) survived two chances before becoming the only batsman to fall in the pre-lunch session that saw the Indians score 89 runs after resuming at 342 for five.
Playing under overcast conditions, Mishra and Laxman (137 mins, 96 b, 7×4) added 48 for the sixth wicket as Steyn bowled his heart out sticking to a good off stump line, beating both batsmen on several occasions.
However, Laxman had begun with a flourish using his wrists to telling effect to flick Steyn twice to the square leg fence in back-to-back deliveries in the day’s opening over.
Spinner Paul Harris, who began proceedings from the other end, almost got Mishra in his first over, but Jacques Kallis dropped the edged cut at slip.
The new ball was taken after the 84th over, the ninth of the innings, with Mishra welcoming it with an edged boundary to fine leg.
Mishra got another reprieve when South African captain Graeme Smith failed to latch on to an overhead catch off Kallis. Smith’s left little finger injury seemed to have played a part in the faux pas as he only stretched his right hand to reach for the ball.
Mishra (38 b, 56 mins, 5×4) departed a little later as he attempted an upper cut off Morne Morkel and finished in the hands of Kallis at second slip.
Laxman was quiet at the other end, and took 38 balls to move from 21 to 22.
Dhoni, however, looked his customary aggressive self, as he posted the team’s 400 in the 98th over with a pull through mid-wicket off Kallis
The butterfingered South African fielders also gave a life to the Indian skipper, with Kallis failing to reach an outside edge. Harris was again the unlucky bowler.