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Cricket

Ruthless bowling gives India first-day edge

11/04/2008

India staged a remarkable comeback to bowl South Africa out for 265 on the third day of the final Test in Kanpur.

The hosts went into the game knowing that a draw in the Test would be enough to propel them into second place in the ICC's Test rankings behind Australia and were given a boost by the absence of Indian captain Anil Kumble through injury.

Graeme Smith and Hashim Amla gave the Proteas a dream start, with the former hitting 69 to help them to 152-1 after tea.

However, India's spin-bowling pair of Harbhajan Singh and Piyush Chawla then got to work, with the recalled Singh taking Amla's wicket for 61 before Amla was dismissed by Ishant Sharma.

With Jacques Callis then falling for a single run, South Africa were on 161-4 and looking shaky.

Even late resistance from AB de Villiers (25) and Ashwell Prince (16) was quickly taken care off by a confident bowling line-up and a quick dismissal of a tail comprising of Paul Harris and Mark Boucher left the home side all-out for 265.

India, skippered by Mahendra Dhoni in the absence of Kumble, need to win the game to level the three-match series.