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India - SA Cricket Series 2005-2006
ODI Schedule
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South Africa vs India at Hyderabad
 South Africa open series with winNov 16 2005
Jacques Kallis and Justin Kemp steered South Africa to a five-wicket win over India to open their one-day series.
The result marked South Africa's 20th successive match unbeaten, one behind Australia's all-time record.
Kallis, who finished 68 not out, shared an 89-run stand with Ashwell Prince (46) before Kemp (46 not out) helped add 84 to win with seven balls left.
Earlier, Yuvraj Singh hit 103 to drag India from early trouble at 35-5 towards a final total of 249-9.
Yuvraj struck 10 fours and three sixes from 122 balls after fast bowlers Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini grabbed two wickets apiece in early seam-friendly conditions.
The top four wickets fell in the first 11 overs, with none of the leading batsmen reaching double figures.
Yuvraj found a willing partner in Irfan Pathan, whose 46 occupied 63 deliveries, before he becam debutant Johan Botha's maiden international wicket.
Harbhajan Singh then smashed four fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 37.
Chasing 250 for victory, the tourists made a similarly blazing start, with skipper Graeme Smith hitting 48 from 36 balls.
His early partners AB de Villiers and Justin Ontong perished cheaply to Ajit Agarkar.
And Smith dragged a ball from left-arm paceman Rudra Pratap Singh onto the stumps to leave the visitors in some worry in the 13th over, with 76 already on the board.
Prince and Mark Boucher fell in successive overs to make South Africa sweat a little but Kemp resisted the urge to hit out, with five boundaries in his 49-ball knock.
South Africa just need to avoid defeat in Bangalore on Saturday to equal Australia's record, set between January and May 2003.
South Africa beat India by 5 wickets
South Africa won the toss and decided to field
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249 for 9 (50.0 overs)
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252 for 5 (48.5 overs)
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|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
| V Sehwag |
c A G Prince |
b M Ntini |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
| S R Tendulkar |
c M V Boucher |
b S M Pollock |
2 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
| M Kaif |
lbw |
b S M Pollock |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
| R Dravid |
|
b A Nel |
8 |
24 |
1 |
0 |
| Yuvraj Singh |
run out |
|
103 |
122 |
10 |
3 |
| G Gambhir |
c M V Boucher |
b M Ntini |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
| I K Pathan |
|
b J Botha |
46 |
63 |
6 |
0 |
| M S Dhoni |
run out |
|
17 |
28 |
1 |
0 |
| A B Agarkar |
c J M Kemp |
b A Nel |
21 |
27 |
2 |
0 |
| Harbhajan Singh |
not out |
|
37 |
17 |
4 |
2 |
| R P Singh |
not out |
|
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| Extras |
|
3nb 4w 1b 3lb |
11 |
|
| Total |
|
for 9 |
249 |
|
Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| S M Pollock |
10.0 |
1 |
37 |
2 |
| M Ntini |
10.0 |
1 |
62 |
2 |
| A Nel |
10.0 |
2 |
45 |
2 |
| C K Langeveldt |
8.0 |
0 |
34 |
0 |
| J Botha |
6.0 |
0 |
31 |
1 |
| J H Kallis |
6.0 |
0 |
36 |
0 |
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|
Fall of wicket |
|
| 1 |
V Sehwag |
| 4 |
M Kaif |
| 5 |
S R Tendulkar |
| 34 |
R Dravid |
| 35 |
G Gambhir |
| 110 |
I K Pathan |
| 159 |
M S Dhoni |
| 198 |
A B Agarkar |
| 227 |
Yuvraj Singh |
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Gambhir replaced Kartik after 10.3 overs of India's innings
Back to top 
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|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
| G C Smith |
|
b R P Singh |
48 |
36 |
9 |
0 |
| A B de Villiers |
lbw |
b A B Agarkar |
7 |
16 |
1 |
0 |
| J L Ontong |
c R Dravid |
b A B Agarkar |
11 |
23 |
2 |
0 |
| J H Kallis |
not out |
|
68 |
97 |
5 |
0 |
| A G Prince |
c V Sehwag |
b Harbhajan Singh |
46 |
74 |
5 |
0 |
| M V Boucher |
c R Dravid |
b S R Tendulkar |
2 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
| J M Kemp |
not out |
|
46 |
49 |
5 |
0 |
| Extras |
|
6nb 13w 5lb |
24 |
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| Total |
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for 5 |
252 |
|
Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| I K Pathan |
6.0 |
0 |
51 |
0 |
| A B Agarkar |
9.5 |
1 |
55 |
2 |
| R P Singh |
7.0 |
1 |
18 |
1 |
| Harbhajan Singh |
10.0 |
0 |
35 |
1 |
| V Sehwag |
3.0 |
0 |
18 |
0 |
| S R Tendulkar |
8.0 |
0 |
43 |
1 |
| Yuvraj Singh |
5.0 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
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Fall of wicket |
|
| 32 |
A B de Villiers |
| 76 |
J L Ontong |
| 76 |
G C Smith |
| 165 |
A G Prince |
| 168 |
M V Boucher |
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Ontong replaced Nel after 5.2 overs of South Africa's innings
Back to top
Umpires: K Hariharan, D J Harper
India: V Sehwag, S R Tendulkar, R Dravid, M S Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, M Kaif, I K Pathan, A B Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, R P Singh, M Kartik, G Gambhir (sub)
South Africa: G C Smith, A B de Villiers, J H Kallis, A G Prince, J M Kemp, S M Pollock, M V Boucher, C K Langeveldt, J Botha, A Nel, M Ntini, J L Ontong (sub)
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South Africa vs India at Banglore
 Sehwag makes it one-all.Nov 19 2005 Virender Sehwag 's blistering 77 off 62 balls steered India to a six-wicket victory over South Africa in the second one-day international in Bangalore.
Irfan Pathan's 3-23 and tight bowling from India's spinners kept the tourists down to only 169-9 in their 50 overs.
It was never going to be enough as Gautam Gambhir (38), Pathan (37) and Sehwag took the attack to the bowlers.
The result tied the series and ended South Africa's bid to match Australia's record 21-game unbeaten run in 2002/3.
India were always on top after Rahul Dravid 's decision to field was followed by a fine opening burst from Pathan.
AB de Villiers turned the fifth ball to Harbhajan Singh at square-leg, captain Graeme Smith was lbw shuffling across his stumps, and Jacques Kallis edged one that was angled across him behind.
Andrew Hall began confidently, hitting Pathan and Ajit Agarkar through the covers for early fours, but he edged Harbhajan Singh's sharp off-break to Mohammad Kaif at forward short-leg to be out for 32.
Sehwag trapped Mark Boucher leg before with his first delivery and then saw Ashwell Prince (30) come down the track to loft the ball to Harbhajan at long-off as the tourists slumped to 96-6.
Justin Kemp and Shaun Pollock steadied the innings before the inevitable flurry of boundaries and wickets at the end - but it soon became clear that the Proteas' total was well below par.
Pollock was as miserly as usual at the start of the Indian reply - only 10 came off his first six overs.
He also struck an early blow when Sachin Tendulkar - equalling Wasim Akram's record of 356 one-day international appearances - mistimed a drive off a slower ball to substitute Robin Peterson.
But it all went India's way after that, with a series of edges from Gambhir and Pathan flying down to third man and two clear run-out opportunities squandered by Justin Ontong.
Eventually Ontong had to succeed, with the help of Boucher, but Sehwag's arrival merely added to the tourists' suffering.
He was brutal on anything pitched up or just short of a good length, while Pathan joined in on the act by launching Andre Nel over the long-off fence.
When Ontong hit the target to remove Pathan, 64 were still needed but they came in a hurry as Sehwag dominated a stand of 50 with Dravid.
Johan Botha and Ontong came in for some particularly rough treatment and even a return catch from Ontong when Dravid got a leading edge only delayed the inevitable.
Sehwag and Yuvraj produced powerful drives off Ontong to clinch victory with more than 14 overs to spare and give South Africa plenty to think about ahead of Tuesday's third game in Chennai.
India beat South Africa by 6 wickets
India won the toss and decided to field
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169 for 9 (50.0 overs)
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171 for 4 (35.4 overs)
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|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
| A B de Villiers |
c Harbhajan Singh |
b I K Pathan |
4 |
5 |
1 |
0 |
| G C Smith |
lbw |
b I K Pathan |
3 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
| A J Hall |
c M Kaif |
b Harbhajan Singh |
32 |
43 |
6 |
0 |
| J H Kallis |
c M S Dhoni |
b I K Pathan |
2 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
| A G Prince |
c Harbhajan Singh |
b V Sehwag |
30 |
69 |
4 |
0 |
| M V Boucher |
lbw |
b V Sehwag |
14 |
33 |
1 |
0 |
| J M Kemp |
c R P Singh |
b Harbhajan Singh |
28 |
59 |
3 |
0 |
| S M Pollock |
|
b Yuvraj Singh |
29 |
61 |
1 |
1 |
| J Botha |
not out |
|
15 |
12 |
3 |
0 |
| M Ntini |
|
b A B Agarkar |
1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
| Extras |
|
3nb 4w 1b 3lb |
11 |
|
| Total |
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for 9 |
169 |
|
Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| I K Pathan |
6.0 |
1 |
23 |
3 |
| A B Agarkar |
7.0 |
0 |
25 |
1 |
| R P Singh |
5.0 |
0 |
22 |
0 |
| Harbhajan Singh |
10.0 |
2 |
33 |
2 |
| M Kartik |
10.0 |
4 |
16 |
0 |
| V Sehwag |
8.0 |
0 |
29 |
2 |
| Yuvraj Singh |
4.0 |
0 |
17 |
1 |
|
|
Fall of wicket |
|
| 4 |
A B de Villiers |
| 14 |
G C Smith |
| 20 |
J H Kallis |
| 57 |
A J Hall |
| 85 |
M V Boucher |
| 96 |
A G Prince |
| 143 |
J M Kemp |
| 158 |
S M Pollock |
| 169 |
M Ntini |
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Back to top
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|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
| G Gambhir |
run out |
|
38 |
50 |
7 |
0 |
| S R Tendulkar |
c sub |
b S M Pollock |
2 |
22 |
0 |
0 |
| I K Pathan |
run out |
|
37 |
58 |
4 |
1 |
| V Sehwag |
not out |
|
77 |
62 |
11 |
0 |
| R Dravid |
c and b |
J L Ontong |
10 |
17 |
0 |
0 |
| Yuvraj Singh |
not out |
|
4 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
| Extras |
|
1nb 2w |
3 |
|
| Total |
|
for 4 |
171 |
|
Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| S M Pollock |
6.0 |
3 |
10 |
1 |
| M Ntini |
8.0 |
1 |
32 |
0 |
| A Nel |
5.0 |
0 |
31 |
0 |
| J Botha |
8.0 |
1 |
47 |
0 |
| A J Hall |
6.0 |
0 |
23 |
0 |
| J L Ontong |
2.4 |
0 |
28 |
1 |
|
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Fall of wicket |
|
| 13 |
S R Tendulkar |
| 52 |
G Gambhir |
| 105 |
I K Pathan |
| 155 |
R Dravid |
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Gambhir replaced R Singh at the start of India's innings
Ontong replaced de Villiers at the start of India's Innings
Back to top
Umpires: D J Harper, A V Jayaprakash
India: V Sehwag, S R Tendulkar, R Dravid, M S Dhoni, M Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, I K Pathan, A B Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, R P Singh, M Kartik, G Gambhir (sub)
South Africa: G C Smith, A B de Villiers, J H Kallis, A G Prince, J M Kemp, M V Boucher, S M Pollock, A J Hall, J Botha, A Nel, M Ntini, J L Ontong (sub)
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South Africa vs India at Chennai
 Match abandoned due to rainNov 22 2005
Heavy rain in Chennai forced the third one-day international between India and South Africa on Tuesday to be abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The wash-out was largely expected after rain lashed the city since Monday morning.
The umpires inspected the ground at the M A Chidambaram stadium twice on Tuesday before deciding to call off the day-night encounter, much to the disappointment of the nearly 20,000 fans who braved the wet spell in the hope of witnessing at least a truncated match.
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South Africa vs India at Culcatta
 Smith ruins Tendulkar celebrationNov 25 2005
Graeme Smith's career-best 134 helped South Africa crush India by 10 wickets in the fourth one-dayer in Calcutta.
Sachin Tendulkar - in his world record 357th appearance - scored two as India made only 188, with Shaun Pollock and Andrew Hall taking three wickets each.
Captain Smith, who hit 20 fours and a six off 124 balls, and Hall (48 off 94) had few problems reaching their target with more than 14 overs to spare.
South Africa lead the series 2-1 with the final game in Mumbai on Monday.
A huge crowd packed into Eden Gardens to witness Tendulkar surpassing Wasim Akram's total of 356 appearances for Pakistan.
But he and the rest of the top order were quickly back in the pavilion after Smith won the toss.
Pollock's third delivery was dragged back on to his stumps by Irfan Pathan before Tendulkar edged behind one that Pollock got to straighten.
The same bowler pitched the ball up and got some late seam movement to draw Gautam Gambhir (11) into edging to Smith at slip. Virender Sehwag cracked six fours in his fluent 30 before edging a wide one from Hall to wicket-keeper Mark Boucher to make it 49-4.
Skipper Rahul Dravid played down the wrong line to Charl Langeveldt to be bowled for six and at 71-5 a quick finish to the innings looked on the cards.
But Yuvraj Singh (53) made his 20th one-day fifty, and added 81 runs for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Kaif (46) to lend some respectability to the total.
They stayed together for 17 overs before off-spinner Botha won an lbw decision against Yuvraj and Kaif was denied a half century by paceman Andre Nel as Smith claimed his second catch of the innings.
The last three Indian wickets went down for one run as Hall and Jacques Kallis wrapped up the tail.
The total never looked like challenging Smith and Hall, with the captain racing to his fifth one-day international century and past his previous highest core of 117.
He hit a flurry of early fours off Ajit Agarkar and Pathan, playing fluently through the cover and mid-wicket regions to reach 50 off as many balls.
Smith lofted Harbhajan Singh for a straight six and hammered Agarkar for three fours in one over before driving Sehwag to the cover boundary to complete his hundred.
Hall was more circumspect but that was all he needed to do and South Africa are now on the brink of winning their first one-day series on Indian soil.
South Africa beat India by 10 wickets
South Africa won the toss and decided to field
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188 all out (45.5 overs)
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189 for 0 (35.5 overs)
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|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
| G Gambhir |
c G C Smith |
b S M Pollock |
11 |
19 |
2 |
0 |
| I K Pathan |
|
b S M Pollock |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
| S R Tendulkar |
c M V Boucher |
b S M Pollock |
2 |
15 |
0 |
0 |
| V Sehwag |
c M V Boucher |
b A J Hall |
30 |
20 |
6 |
0 |
| R Dravid |
|
b C K Langeveldt |
6 |
32 |
1 |
0 |
| Yuvraj Singh |
lbw |
b J Botha |
53 |
78 |
7 |
0 |
| M Kaif |
c G C Smith |
b A Nel |
46 |
63 |
4 |
0 |
| M S Dhoni |
c J Botha |
b A J Hall |
14 |
26 |
0 |
0 |
| A B Agarkar |
|
b J H Kallis |
11 |
16 |
1 |
0 |
| Harbhajan Singh |
lbw |
b A J Hall |
0 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
| R P Singh |
not out |
|
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
| Extras |
|
1nb 8w 5lb |
14 |
|
| Total |
|
all out |
188 |
|
Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| S M Pollock |
10.0 |
4 |
25 |
3 |
| A Nel |
10.0 |
1 |
35 |
1 |
| A J Hall |
6.5 |
0 |
36 |
3 |
| C K Langeveldt |
8.0 |
1 |
33 |
1 |
| J H Kallis |
4.0 |
0 |
20 |
1 |
| J Botha |
5.0 |
0 |
21 |
1 |
| J A Morkel |
2.0 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
|
Fall of wicket |
|
| 2 |
I K Pathan |
| 14 |
S R Tendulkar |
| 23 |
G Gambhir |
| 49 |
V Sehwag |
| 71 |
R Dravid |
| 152 |
Yuvraj Singh |
| 167 |
M Kaif |
| 187 |
M S Dhoni |
| 187 |
A B Agarkar |
| 188 |
Harbhajan Singh |
|
Back to top
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|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
| G C Smith |
not out |
|
134 |
124 |
20 |
1 |
| A J Hall |
not out |
|
48 |
94 |
4 |
0 |
| Extras |
|
3nb 4w |
7 |
|
| Total |
|
for 0 |
189 |
|
Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| A B Agarkar |
5.0 |
0 |
41 |
0 |
| I K Pathan |
6.0 |
0 |
28 |
0 |
| R P Singh |
4.0 |
0 |
18 |
0 |
| Harbhajan Singh |
10.0 |
0 |
37 |
0 |
| M Kartik |
8.0 |
1 |
52 |
0 |
| V Sehwag |
2.5 |
0 |
13 |
0 |
|
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Peterson replaced Nel at the start of South Africa's innings
Kartik replaced Gambhir after 11 overs of South Africa's innings
Back to top
Umpires: A V Jayaprakash, D J Harper
India: V Sehwag, G Gambhir, S R Tendulkar, R Dravid, M Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, M S Dhoni, I K Pathan, A B Agarkar, R P Singh, Harbhajan Singh, M Kartik (sub)
South Africa: G C Smith, A J Hall, J H Kallis, A G Prince, J M Kemp, S M Pollock, M V Boucher, C K Langeveldt, J A Morkel, A Nel, J Botha, R J Peterson (sub)
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South Africa vs India at Mumbai
 India cruise to victory in MumbaiNov 28 2005
India cruised to an easy win over South Africa under lights in Mumbai (Bombay) as the series ended drawn 2-2.
Jacques Kalls (91) held together South Africa's innings as they totalled 221-6 having lost another crucial toss.
For India, Irfan Pathan (3-20) and Harbhajan Singh (2-32) were the two outstanding bowlers during the day.
And India's batsmen found it much easier to score boundaries than the tourists. Rahul Dravid 's 78 not out saw them cruise home with 15 balls to go.
India made light of losing Gautam Gambhir in the second over of their reply as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag put on 45 off just 34 balls.
The key partnership, though, was Dravid and Yuvraj Singh's even-paced 79 in 19 overs.
When Yuvraj edged an Andre Nel leg-cutter one short of a half-century, just 60 were wanted in 16 overs, with six wickets in hand.
India lost just one more batsman - Mahendra Dhoni for 12 - the winning runs coming from Mohammad Kaif cover-drive for four off Charl Langeveldt.
India beat South Africa by 5 wickets
India won the toss and decided to field
|
221 for 6 (50.0 overs)
|
|
224 for 5 (47.3 overs)
|
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
| G C Smith |
c Harbhajan Singh |
b I K Pathan |
24 |
29 |
3 |
0 |
| A J Hall |
|
b I K Pathan |
4 |
7 |
1 |
0 |
| J H Kallis |
c M Kaif |
b I K Pathan |
91 |
146 |
5 |
0 |
| A G Prince |
c Yuvraj Singh |
b Harbhajan Singh |
9 |
32 |
1 |
0 |
| M V Boucher |
c Harbhajan Singh |
b V Sehwag |
35 |
56 |
0 |
0 |
| J M Kemp |
c Yuvraj Singh |
b Harbhajan Singh |
11 |
12 |
1 |
0 |
| S M Pollock |
not out |
|
30 |
17 |
4 |
1 |
| J Botha |
not out |
|
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
| Extras |
|
2nb 8w 4lb |
14 |
|
| Total |
|
for 6 |
221 |
|
Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| I K Pathan |
8.0 |
1 |
20 |
3 |
| A B Agarkar |
7.0 |
1 |
33 |
0 |
| R P Singh |
6.0 |
0 |
27 |
0 |
| M Kartik |
10.0 |
0 |
58 |
0 |
| Harbhajan Singh |
10.0 |
0 |
32 |
2 |
| V Sehwag |
5.0 |
0 |
24 |
1 |
| Yuvraj Singh |
4.0 |
0 |
23 |
0 |
|
|
Fall of wicket |
|
| 6 |
A J Hall |
| 36 |
G C Smith |
| 77 |
A G Prince |
| 158 |
M V Boucher |
| 178 |
J M Kemp |
| 209 |
J H Kallis |
|
Back to top
|
|
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
| G Gambhir |
c J M Kemp |
b M Ntini |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
| S R Tendulkar |
c A G Prince |
b A Nel |
30 |
44 |
5 |
0 |
| V Sehwag |
lbw |
b S M Pollock |
27 |
20 |
4 |
1 |
| R Dravid |
not out |
|
78 |
106 |
10 |
0 |
| Yuvraj Singh |
c M V Boucher |
b A Nel |
49 |
64 |
7 |
0 |
| M S Dhoni |
c M V Boucher |
b C K Langeveldt |
12 |
26 |
1 |
0 |
| M Kaif |
not out |
|
16 |
19 |
2 |
0 |
| Extras |
|
1nb 5w 6lb |
12 |
|
| Total |
|
for 5 |
224 |
|
Bowler |
O |
M |
R |
W |
| S M Pollock |
9.0 |
1 |
49 |
1 |
| M Ntini |
10.0 |
0 |
53 |
1 |
| A Nel |
10.0 |
2 |
35 |
2 |
| C K Langeveldt |
8.3 |
1 |
38 |
1 |
| J Botha |
6.0 |
0 |
24 |
0 |
| A J Hall |
4.0 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
|
|
Fall of wicket |
|
| 1 |
G Gambhir |
| 46 |
V Sehwag |
| 83 |
S R Tendulkar |
| 162 |
Yuvraj Singh |
| 201 |
M S Dhoni |
|
Gambhir replaced R Singh at the start of India's innings
Peterson replaced Kemp after 8 overs of India's innings
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Umpires: K Hariharan, D J Harper
India: V Sehwag, S R Tendulkar, R Dravid, M Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, M S Dhoni, I K Pathan, A B Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, R P Singh, M Kartik, G Gambhir (sub)
South Africa: G C Smith, A J Hall, J H Kallis, A G Prince, J M Kemp, S M Pollock, M V Boucher, C K Langeveldt, J Botha, A Nel, M Ntini, R J Peterson (sub)
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India - SA Cricket Series 2004-2005 A series win for IndiaSouth Africa's collapse from 183-5 to 222 all out enabled the Indians to record a comfortable eight-wicket victory and claim a 1-0 series win on the final day of second test in Kolkata on Dec 02, 2004. Man-of-the-match Harbhajan Singh struck three vital blows, including the crucial wicket of Jacques Kallis, to finish with figures of seven for 87 and a match analysis of 51-9-141-9.
Shaun Pollock, with a single off Harbhajan, got the run that took him to the 3 000 mark, having already taken 300 wickets. He joins the august company of Sir Richard Hadlee, Ian Botham, Kapil Dev and Imran Khan as the fifth all-rounder to have achieved the feat.
In the second Innings, Anil Kumble dismissed Ntini to equal Kapil Dev's Indian record of 434 wickets
The first Test between India and South Africa had ended in a predictable draw after South Africa batted through most of the final day. For SA, Hall made 163 in the first innings and in return Sehwag (164) and Gambhir (96) achieved the second highest opening stand in a Test for India, recording 218.
At the start of the tour, South Africa narrowly averted an embarrassing defeat to the Indian Board President's XI on the final day of their only warm-up match in India.
This was South Africa's first Test series on Indian soil since winning both Tests in 2000 under the late Hansie Cronje. When the series started, South Africa had a good record against India, having won seven of 14 Tests, two loses and five draws. Indian captain Sourav Ganguly who was earlier banned for the Test series against South Africa was allowed to play by the International Cricket Council.
It was only the second Test series win for India over South Africa after the 1996-97 series at home which India took 2-1. The series victory reversed the result from South Africa's last tour and was some consolation after the defeat at home to Australia in November.
 In Picture: Top: Ganguly lifts the Videocon Cup after victory over South Africa. The Cup, 16 inches in height and seven inches wide, is designed by Swarovski, the world's leading manufacturer of cut crystal.
Above: Indian cricket team members with the Videocon trophy after winning the test series against South Africa on the fifth and final day of the second cricket test match in Calcutta (Kolkata), Thursday, December 2, 2004. India won by 8 wickets.
Left: Sehwag was declared man of the series for his innings of 164, dnb, 88 and 10.
Hall was the man of the match in the first test at Kanpur after hitting a marathon 163 in a score of 459-7.
Harbhajan who ended up with seven wickets for 87 runs in the second innings, the best ever bowling figures by an Indian bowler against South Africa, earned man of the match title for the second test at Calcutta.
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