Steyn mauls India

South Africa on top in second Test as tourists reduced to 183 for six.

DURBAN: Fast-bowler Dale Steyn struck four times as India’s hopes of squaring their Test series against South Africa suffered a blow on the first day of the second Test at Kingsmead. India were 183 for six when bad light stopped play 16 minutes after tea.

Steyn had figures of four for 36 as he took advantage of overcast conditions and a bouncy pitch after India, for the second successive match, were sent in after rain delayed the start of play.

With the exception of Steyn, however, the South African bowlers did not take full advantage of helpful conditions.

Steyn posed a consistent threat, bowling at a lively pace and swinging the ball away from the batsmen.

He dismissed both openers, Virender Sehwag (25) and Murali Vijay (19), in a spell of two for 19 in eight overs before lunch and added the wickets of Rahul Dravid (25) and the dangerous VVS Laxman (38) during the afternoon.

Left-armer Lonwabo Tsotsobe claimed the key wicket of Sachin Tendulkar, who was caught at second slip for 13 in the first over after lunch.

Tsotsobe struck again shortly before tea, again in the first over of a spell, when Cheteshwar Pujara (19) top-edged an attempted hook to give wicket-keeper Mark Boucher an easy catch.

Tsotsobe also held a sensational catch to dismiss Laxman, the most impressive of the Indian batsmen.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 27^th, 2010.