India's bowling at the death stood exposed once again in a gut-wrenching duel at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium here on Sunday. The first ODI twisted and turned before concluding in an explosive manner.
Defending 298, India clinched a thriller by one run off the last ball after India skipper and 'keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni collected a widish throw from S. Sreesanth at third man and whipped the bails off before Wayne Parnell could complete a second run.
The arena was a sea of emotions as the Indians celebrated. Soon, the ground was swarmed by plain-clothed security personnel.
The spirited South African tail scripted a dramatic comeback under the lights after the side was reeling at 225 for eight in the 43rd over. Parnell (49, 47b, 4x4, 1x6) and Dale Steyn (35, 19b, 1x4, 3x6) gave India a fright under the lights with an audacious 65-run partnership for the ninth wicket in only 38 balls.
Pacemen S. Sreesanth and Ashish Nehra and Suresh Raina's off-spin came under the hammer. South Africa required 10 runs at the start of the final over, delivered by swing bowler Praveen Kumar. Parnell took a single off the first ball but Praveen castled Steyn with a clever change of pace off the second. The next two deliveries produced a run each.
Last man Charl Langveldt pulled the fifth delivery to fine leg where Sachin Tendulkar made a diving stop but the batsmen completed three runs. Had the ball or Tendulkar's hand touched the rope? The decision was referred to the third umpire, who after an agonising wait, declared it a three. The South African camp was unhappy.
Emotions ran high on the field. The left-handed Parnell missed the next delivery – the final ball - but the umpire declared it a wide.
The Indians celebrated prematurely. They had to gather themselves again. Three runs were required off the final ball. Then Dhoni came up with a last act of the match. The Indians were home but only just.
Earlier, Sreesanth and Nehra had disappointed in the end overs as Parnell and Steyn cleared the ropes or found the gaps. Twenty six runs were required off the last two overs and India conceded 16 runs, including two sixes, in the penultimate over which was bowled by Nehra. It was a dramatic turn-around.
The ground staff worked hard during the intervals and the dew was not a major factor. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja consistently spun the ball away from the right-hander. He was adjudged Man of the Match.
The South Africans, though, blundered by leaving out the prolific Hashim Amla. Skipper Jacques Kallis, all balance and poise but lacked support from a frontline batsman.
Herschelle Gibbs and Loots Bosman unleashed a flurry of strokes at the start but could not consolidate. Gibbs, strong between mid-on and mid-wicket, dented S. Sreesanth's analysis.
However, Gibbs had been lucky when he was adjudged not out after under-edging paceman Ashish Nehra to 'keeper Dhoni. Kallis (89, 97b, 6x4, 1x6) stroked majestically between mid-off and covers; he leaned into his drives, timed the ball and found the gaps. And he displayed nifty footwork for a big man, skipping down and striking off-spinner Yusuf Pathan over the long-off fence. When the ball was pitched short, Kallis was quick with his pull stroke.
He lost partners though. Abraham de Villiers (25), who promised much, was castled by an arm-ball from the impressive Jadeja. Alviro Petersen was sluggish while grounding his bat and Sreesanth's flat throw from deep square-leg to Dhoni terminated his innings.
Albie Morkel was done in by a Nehra delivery that darted back into the left-hander. The batsman made no secret of his disappointment but the decision was a fair one.
The South Africans continued to lose ground. Mark Boucher slashed at a widish delivery from Sreesanth – brought back for a fresh spell – and Dhoni dived to his right to pluck a fine catch. Kallis, eventually, swung at Sreesanth to see his stumps in a shamble. South Africa orchestrated a sensational turnaround.
Earlier, Raina's 63-ball 58 (6x4, 1x4) was an innings of cultured stroke-play. Kallis bowled with heart and craft to scalp three. He also bounced at Raina and sparks flew. India progressed to 298 for nine after being put in to bat. The left-handed Raina eased into front-footed cover-drives, whipped with panache and handled the short-pitched stuff from an inspired Kallis capably.
Raina produced a cheeky dap to the third-man fence and responded with a fierce pull when the South African skipper banged short. He picked the length in a jiffy to ruthlessly dump Parnell over the long-on ropes. Raina was eventually snared by a fullish delivery outside the off-stump from Kallis. Kohli, who essentially worked the ball for singles and twos, was smartly held by Herschelle Gibbs at short mid-wicket off the unimpressive Albie Morkel.
Yusuf Pathan biffed a quick-fire 18 before being foxed by a slower, fuller ball from Parnell. And the left-handed Ravindra Jadeja (22) chipped in usefully before succumbing to the Kallis - Boucher combination. Kallis bowled a telling line and mixed his length well.
Handy runs from the tail, including a freakish boundary when the ball ricocheted off the off-stump to the third-man fence after Aashish Nehra edged Langeveldt, enabled India to get very close to 300.
India also collected 47 runs in the five batting power play overs, taken from the 39th over.
Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar departed following a mix-up after Sehwag drove left-arm Parnell to cover point, set off and then changed his mind.
There was a measure of bounce for the pacemen; this also meant the batsmen could play horizontal bat strokes or just harness the pace on the ball if the line was awry.
When Dale Steyn provided a hint of width, Sehwag upper-cut him over the third-man fence. The crowd roared. Sehwag's hand-eye coordination, bat-speed, rare ability to play - naturally - besides the line of the ball, and decisiveness stemming from confidence enabled him find the gaps at will.
India was 58 for one after the first block of 10 power play overs. Sehwag continued to create. Making room, he unleashed an astonishing cover-drive off Morkel that sailed over the ropes.
Against the run of play, Sehwag (46, 37b, 6x4, 2x6) departed. Dinesh Karthik's firm drive clipped bowler Langeveldt's fingers on its way to the stumps with Sehwag out of the crease. The South Africans breathed easy.
Karthik, promoted to No. 3, batted with flair and dash. He is a busy little batsman with dexterous wrists. Left-armer Parnell was taken to the cleaners by Karthik; he struck Parnell over his head, essayed an on-the-walk whip and pulled the South African for boundaries. When off-spinner Johan Botha gave some air, Karthik (44, 56b, 5x4, 1x6) got under the ball for a sweet six over mid-wicket. Karthik was snared by a short-pitched delivery from Langeveldt when he looked set for a big score.
Dhoni and his men had the final say... after surviving a scare.
