Filed under 1sttest-Nagpur2010

"I'm yet to see a single ball timed well", quipped commentator Robin Jackman at the tenth over mark. South Africans were ten then, for two, and in trouble..

Zaheer Khan, looking smart in his familier ponetail haircut, was little rusty in first over of the day after Africans elected to bat but experienced left armer soon found his rhythm, eating up tentative Ashwell Prince for a duck as he ducked under a well bowled bouncer and then clean bowled Graeme Smith the exact way he had done on 6 other occassions on India's last visit to South Africa. Joining Hashim Amla in such dire straits, Jacques Kallis allowed Indian bowlers to roar some more, survived some close lbw calls as there are no review system for his match and then slowly accelerated, punishing Amit Mishra everytime he pitched the ball short and tactically attacking Harbhajan Singh early in over to disturb his line and length. Hasim Amla, from other end, watched the master at work and played second fiddle role to perfection, feeding Kallis as much strike as possible.

285, now the new partnership record in Ind v SA tests, overtaking Rahul Dravid + Virendra Sehwag's 268, is where Amla and Kallis finished today, unsaperated, putting their team well and truly on top of home team and world number 1 India.

Hopefully, Robin Jackman saw some well timed shots today..

Jacques Kallis, now the only South African batsman to aggregate 1000 test runs against India (12th match), proved yet again why he's one of the best batsman around the World as he didn't threw his wicket away after completing century but restarted his inninigs, negotiating further 125 balls for to remain unbeaten on 159, looking forward to resuming his innings tomorrow and may be, just may be, raise his maiden double century. Kallis' made his 3rd hundred against India and it's now his best score, overhauling 132 that he made in 2008 at Ahmedabad.

Jacques Kallis now has 34 test tons, equally Brian Lara of West Indies and Sunil Gawaskar of India. and, today's effort puts Kallis 3rd in list of most test century in career by any batsman, with only Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar ahead of him.

Hashim Amla, the silent sinner for home team today, raised his 8th test century and second against India.

Earlier during the team warm-ups, Rohit Sharma who was back up to VVS Laxman, rolled his ankles and since Laxman himself couldn't play this game as his stiches on thumb hadn't healed, Wridhiman Saha, the wicket keeping reserve, made his debut, becoming first Kolkata player to play for India since Sourav Ganguly. Interestingly, Ganguly finished his test career at this very ground in Nagpur against Australians last year!

The scores : end of day 1

South Africa 291 for 2 wkts in 91 overs
J Kallis 159*, H Amla 115*, Z Khan 2/67
Full scorecard : India vs SA, 1st test.

91 overs bowled

in the day's play by India, a rare instance as Indian captain MS Dhoni was fined recently for his team failing to bowl their quota of overs in speculated time in one day matches. In tests, 90 overs are mandatory every day but if time remains, extra overs can be bowled and today Indians did 1 over of extra work!

Neo cricket, the broadcasters

are often criticised for selecting a radio like commentary panel for its television audiances, finally fielded an audiable team today of Daryl Cullinan and Robin Jackman for South African perspective with Sunil Gawaskar, Ravi Shastri and Laxman Shivramakrishnan for Indian perspective mixed with New Zealander Danny Morrison's neutral views.

Preview : Injured Indians out to defend their numero uno tag.

Scorecard : India v South Africa, 1st test, Nagpur : 6-10 Feb 2010

Day 1 : Kallis + Amla = 285, undefeated = India on backfoot, already.

Day 2 : South Africa 558 for 6 declared : Hashim Amla 253, unbeaten.

1st test : Indians out batted, out bowled to an innings defeat.