India halt SA?s 20-match winning streak

India bounced back in the series with an emphatic six-wicket win in the second one-day international. Full Scorecard

India have bounced back with an emphatic six-wicket win over South Africa and halted visitor's 20-match winning sequence in the second one-dayer at Chinnasamy Stadium here on Saturday. By virtue of this win India have drawn level in the five-match series.

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Electing to bat first after winning the toss, India restricted South Africa to 169/9 in the stipulated fifty overs. India achieved the target in just 35.4 overs. Virender Sehwag was the top scorer with unbeaten 62.

Pathan took three wickets while Harbhajan and Sehwag shared two each as visitors were restricted to a modest total.

This was South Africa's lowest score in India as it failed to recover from a top-order collapse triggered by left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan.

India made shaky start

In reply, India made a very slow start as Gautam Gambhir opened the innings with Sachin Tendulkar. In fact, in the first three overs India failed to score a single run.

Playing his 356th ODI, Sachin equaled Wasim Akram for the most number of ODI appearances. But he failed again with his bat. Sachin was foxed by a slower delivery from Pollock, failed to time the shot, the ball went up in the air at mid-on and Peterson took a fine catch. Sachin was out for 2 and India one down for 13 runs in 8.1 overs.

Defending their small total, the visitors were trying very hard with the ball and in the field.

After Sachin's departure, Gambhir started playing aggressive shots and took some risky singles with Irfan Pathan.

One more attempt to take a short run back-fired, as Gambhir failed to reach the creasse by few inches on Pathan's call. He was run out by Boucher after a quick throw by Ontong. Gambhir made 38 runs in 50 balls which included seven hits to the fence. India were now two down for 52 in in 16.3 overs.

After Gambhir's departure Pathan led the charge along with Virender Sehwag. Half-way through the innings India were 93/2.

Just when the 53-run partnership between the two came in just 60 balls, a brilliant direct hit by Ontong to the striker-end saw Pathan walking back to pavilion. He made 37 runs off 58 balls which included a huge six and four hits to the fence, as India were three down for 105 in 26.4 overs.

India lost one more wicket when Rahul Dravid was caught by Ontong of his own ball before before a convincing win.

South Africa failed to recover from top-order collapse

India made a brilliant start as they struck in the very first over of the innings. Irfan Pathan, who remained wicketless in the first ODI in Hyderabad, struck with vengeance, scalping three wickets in a span of just four overs.

The first to go was De Villiers in the fifth ball of the innings. After hitting a forceful boundary in the second ball, De Villiers turned the fifth ball into Harbhajan Singh's hand at the square leg. South Africa were first down for just four runs on the board.

Pathan struck again in the first ball of his third over. This time it was skipper Graeme Smith trapped leg before for just three runs as South Africa were two down for 14 runs.

And the third ball of his following over saw Jack Kallis walking back to pavillion for a mere two runs. Kallis edged an angling delivery to the wicket keeper. The top has almost gone with visitors reeling at 20 for the loss of three wickets. They were plunged into a situation that India faced at Hyderabad, losing 3 wkts in 7 overs.

At the end of the first power play, visitors were 34/1.

After 12 overs, there were bowling changes as RP Singh and Harbhajan Singh were brought into the attack. Harbhajan struck in the last ball of the 16th over. A flighted delivery on the middle and the off stumps and Andrew Hall was caught brilliantly at forward short leg by Kaif for 32 runs. Visitors were in trouble now as their four top batsmen were out for 57.

Hall's 32 came in 43 balls which included six hits to the fence. His 37-run fourth wicket partnership with Prince was so far the biggest by the vistors. At the half-way mark, South Africa were 82/4 with no run coming in the last 12 balls in face of some tight bowling by spinners Harbhajan and Murali Kartik.

After 26 overs, Virender Sehwag was bought into the attack in place of Harbhajan. The move instantly yielded dividend as the South African wicket keeper was trapped leg before in the very first ball of his over for 14 runs. Visitors were now six down for 85.

The Delhi cricketer struck again in the fifth ball of his next over. This time it was Prince, who was quite steady at crease, departed for 30. He mistimed a lofted delivery and hit it hard in the air, Harbhajan at long off took a fine catch. Prince hit five boundaries and played 69 balls. With six down for 96, the onus now lied on the tail-enders to give South Africa a respectable total.

Justin Kemp and Shaun Pollock added 47 runs off 99 balls before Kemp fell on 28 to a diving catch by Rudra Pratap Singh off Harbhajan Singh in the 46th over.

Left-arm spinner Yuvraj Singh clean bowled Shaun Pollock for 29 and Ajit Agarkar dismissed Makhaya Ntini (1) on the last ball as South Africa reached 169/9.

South Africa had made one change to the team that played in the first match. Injured Charl Langeveldt has been replaced by Andrew Hall. Justin Ontong is the super-sub for the visitors.

India retained the same side that played at Hyderabad with Gautam Gambhir as the super-sub.