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Page last updated at 10:06 GMT, Sunday, 30 March 2008 11:06 UK

McKenzie ton holds India to draw

First Test, Chennai (day five, stumps):
South Africa 540 & 331-5 drew with India 627

South Africa opener Neil McKenzie
McKenzie batted throughout the final day, scoring 155 not out

South Africa's Neil McKenzie compiled a patient 155 not out as the first Test against India petered out into a draw.

South Africa began the day on 131-1 in their second innings, 44 runs ahead, after both sides had amassed big first innings totals in Chennai.

Hashim Amla made 81, adding 157 with McKenzie, but after being dropped twice he fell to India captain Anil Kumble.

But the match was clearly over as a contest as the Proteas settled for batting practice, finishing on 331-5.

606: DEBATE
Kahlarn
With 1,498 runs scored over the five days, the game set a new record for the highest match aggregate in Chennai - beating the 1,488 from the tied Test between India and Australia in September 1986.

With the bat so dominant, a positive result already looked unlikely when McKenzie and Amla - who scored 489 runs between them during the game - resumed on the fifth morning.

But India's faint hopes of running through the visitors early on faded as both Sree Santh and RP Singh could not hold on to chances given by Amla - who eventually fell just before lunch when he nudged Kumble to Rahul Dravid at first slip.

Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince both departed cheaply during the afternoon session, as RP Singh redeemed himself in the field by taking a good catch at square leg to remove Kallis off the bowling of Harbhajan Singh.

VVS Laxman
Laxman, who has just two wickets from 91 Tests, sent down 10 overs
And off-spinner Harbhajan soon claimed his third wicket of the innings when Prince gave a bat-pad catch to Wasim Jaffer at short leg.

However, at the other end, McKenzie reached his fourth Test hundred and was unbeaten on 139 at tea as a draw became inevitable - and after only 17 overs in the final session, the captains agreed to call it a day just before 1530 local time (1100 BST).

Front-line spinners Harbhajan and Kumble both had a long bowl, while part-time off-spinner Virender Sehwag sent down 22 overs and captured the wicket of AB de Villiers, before wicket-keeper Mark Boucher helped McKenzie see out the day.

Even the rare sight of batsman VVS Laxman turning his arm over for 10 overs of gentle off-breaks could not prevent the game finishing tamely.

Sehwag was named as man of the match for his breathtaking 319 in India's innings - the fastest triple hundred in Test history.


  • South Africa captain Graeme Smith:
    "A draw's better than a loss - we've got a few things to work on, but there's a lot of encouragement for us going into the second Test. Virender had a great knock, but I was pretty comfortable with the way we bowled. There were a lot of positives - we just need to get ourselves into a position to win a Test match, and be more ruthless."

  • India captain Anil Kumble:
    "It was very tough for the bowlers in this heat, when the wicket was as flat as it was - we expected it to deteriorate more. South Africa's batsmen have always done well here, they batted well to counter our attack - hopefully the wicket will be better in Ahmedabad."

  • Man of the Match Virender Sehwag:
    "It was a good Test for me, but unfortunately we couldn't win the match. I never planned to play like that - I knew it was a good track and I had to bat through a full day, so I was happy with my effort. Rahul Dravid was telling me 'just stay there' as I was tired."


    see also
    Nel discarded as SA quota bites
    12 Mar 08 |  Cricket
    South Africa in India 2008
    23 Jan 08 |  Cricket


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