'Great day for Test cricket' as Tendulkar, Steyn battle

Sachin Tendulkar and Dale Steyn fought out a titanic battle before India took a two-run first innings lead on the third day of the third and final Test against South Africa at Newlands on Tuesday. Tendulkar, Test cricket's all-time leading run-scorer, made 146 in an Indian total of 364, while Steyn, the world's number one fast bowler, took five for 75.
By the close, South Africa had reached 52 for two in their second innings to be 50 runs ahead with eight wickets standing. South African captain Graeme Smith was trapped leg before wicket by off- spinner Harbhajan Singh for 29 shortly before the close and was quickly followed by night-watchman Paul Harris. But something special was what Tendulkar and Steyn produced for 16 000 enthralled spectators.
Only two other batsmen made scores of any significance. Opening batsman Gautam Gambhir struggled to 93 and shared a third wicket stand of 176 with Tendulkar, while Harbhajan Singh was typically unorthodox as he hit 40 and put on 76 for the seventh wicket with Tendulkar. Steyn was magnificent, bowling at high pace and getting late away swing, although he had no luck in his first spell of the day. Tendulkar's innings lasted for 465 minutes. He faced 313 balls and hit 17 fours and two sixes. Zaheer Khan hit 23 off 22 balls. Khan and Smith both needed treatment on the field and there was a hold-up because Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, anointed by the crowd as India's villain.
SCOREBOAD:

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South Africa, first innings, 362

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India, first innings (overnight 142-2)

G. Gambhir c Boucher b Harris            93

V. Sehwag c Smith b Steyn                13

R. Dravid run out (De Villiers)           5

S. Tendulkar b Morkel                   146

V. Laxman run out (Harris)               15

C. Pujara  lbw b Steyn                    2

M. Dhoni c Prince b Steyn                 0

H. Singh c sub (Duminy) b Steyn          40

Z. Khan c Prince b Morkel                23

I. Sharma c Boucher b Steyn               1

S. Sreesanth not out                      4

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Extras: (lb20, nb1, w1)                  22

Total: (all out, 117.1 overs)           364

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Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-28, 3-204, 4-235, 5-237, 6-247, 7-323, 8-341, 9-350
Bowling: Steyn 31-11-75-5, Morkel 29.1-7-106-2 (nb1, w1), Tsotsobe 26-5-82-0, Harris 29-8-72-1, Petersen 2-0-9-0

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South Africa, second innings

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G. Smith lbw b Harbhajan                 29

A. Petersen not out                      22

P. Harris lbw b Harbhajan                 0

H. Amla not out                           0

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Extras: (nb1)                             1

Total: (2 wkts, 16 overs)                52

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Fall of wicket: 1-50, 2-52
Bowling: Khan 5-0-25-0 (nb1), Sreesanth 5-1-20-0, Sharma 3-0-3-0, Harbhajan 3-0-4-2
Match position: South Africa lead by 50 runs with eight wickets remaining in the second innings
Toss: India
Umpires: Ian Gould (ENG), Simon Taufel (AUS)
TV umpire: Brian Jerling (RSA)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM).
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2011