India-SA: India need 340 to win 3rd Test

Cape Town: Jacques Kallis defied a painful rib injury to complete a remarkable century in both innings as South Africa recovered from early jitters to set India a daunting target of 340 to win the Test series-decider here on Wednesday.

The experienced Kallis, who scored 161 in the first innings, played the saviour again with a gritty unbeaten 109 to not only pull the home team out of the pits but also virtually take the game away from India.

The hosts recovered from a precarious 64 for four to score 341 all out in the last ball of an absorbing penultimate day at Newlands.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was the pick of Indian bowlers with figures of seven for 120 -- after returning wicketless in the first innings -- but the visiting side seamers were a bit disappointing.

India began the day in dramatic fashion with Harbhajan claiming two wickets in quick succession in the morning but the visitors' bowling lost the fizz, allowing the Proteas to wriggle out to safety.

It was the brilliance of Kallis which held the innings together as he endured the pain to achieve the 'double'. He was involved 103 partnership for the seventh wicket with Mark Boucher Boucher (55) which was largely responsible for the

turnaround.

With just one day left in the game, India have been left with the daunting task of chasing a stiff target on a fifth day track to entertain any hopes of a historic series triumph on South African soil.

It will be interesting to see whether India go for the target or play for a draw on Thursday. Much will depend on the start they get on Thursday from the flamboyant Virender Sehwag who has not been exactly on fire in this series.

Resuming at the overnight score of 52 for two, the South Africans plunged into trouble straightaway with Harbhajan removing Alviro Petersen (22) and Hashim Amla (2) in quick succession.

The wily off-spinner struck in his very first over, second of the day, by getting rid of Petersen, with a ball that did quite a bit after landing on the rough just outside the off stump.

Petersen went on the backfoot and tried to defend the ball but missed it completely to be trapped leg before wicket.

Kallis, who did not bowl during India's first innings because of the rib injury, came into bat and immediately went into an attacking mode by playing his strokes.

Realising that Harbhajan was getting a lot of turn from the rough, Kallis used the reverse sweep to counter the spinner. He hit two boundaries by reverse sweeping, prompting Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni to post a fielder for that shot.

The hosts suffered a big jolt when Amla, who has been in very good form, returned to the pavilion cheaply, falling prey

to Harbhajan.

Amla went down on his knee to sweep but the ball hit the pad and went on to dislodge the stump. He tried desperately to

push it away with his bat but he had no chance.

Kallis and AB de Villiers tried to rebuild the crumbling innings by playing cautiously, though they played and missed a

number of times.

The pair put on 34 runs for the fifth wicket before pace spearhead Zaheer Khan evicted de Villiers (13) who was caught in two mind on how to deal with the ball.

de Villiers shouldered arm to an incoming delivery but the ball bounced, hit the bottom of the bat and crashed into the

stumps, reducing the hosts to 98 for five.

Kallis and Ashwell prince ensured that there were no further setbacks for the team by holding fort till the lunch break.

South Africa suffered a huge jolt immediately after the lunch break with Ishant Sharma taking the wicket of Prince who cut an outside the off stump ball straight to Sreesanth at point.

Boucher, who was out for a first-ball duck in the first innings, began with a flourish by hitting a couple of boundaries.

Ishant Sharma strayed down the leg side on a number of occasions and Boucher took full advantage.

Kallis and Boucher then went about the task of rebuilding the innings and took the score beyond the 200-mark with the Indian bowlers losing the sting.

Kallis notched up his 55th half century by unleasing a delightful on-drive to the boundary, getting a standing ovation from the crowd. In the same over, he spanked him for another boundary to the square leg region.

Boucher, who grew in confidence as the innings wore on, completed his 34th half century soon after the tea break by taking a single off Harbhajan.

Kallis and Boucher seemed to be in no trouble at all as they kept consolidating the position for the team and gradually take the game away from India.

With the seventh wicket partnership crossing the 100-mark, captain Dhoni brought in part-timer Sachin Tendulkar in a desperate bid to break the partnership and he obliged his skipper.

Boucher fell to a shooter from Tendulkar as the ball kept very low and trapped the batsmen leg before as he went for a pull. Boucher's 55 came off 82 balls and contained five boundaries.

The dismissal brought an end to the resolute 103-run partnership which may play a crucial role in the outcome of the match.

Next man, Dale Steyn hit some meaty blows, including a huge six off Harbhajan before he fell to the same bowler for a 48-ball 32 and after sharing a crucial 58-run partnership for the eighth wicket with Kallis.

Soon after, Kallis hit his 40th Test ton with a single behind square-leg off Harbhajan to the applause of his team-mates at the dressing room and Indian fielders.

Morne Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe fell in the space of four balls, both off Harbhajan as South Africa folded their second innings at 341.

Cricket: Cook, Bell put England in command of final Test

SYDNEY, Jan 5,- - Centuries from Alastair Cook and Ian Bell put England within sight of their first series victory in Australia for 24 years after a dominant third day at the final Sydney Ashes Test on Wednesday.

Cook again tormented Australia with 189 while Bell scored his elusive first Ashes century, breaking an 18-Test drought against Australia with 115 to leave England with a commanding 208-run lead and two days play to force a result.

When bad light ended play with five overs left, England were 488 for seven with Matt Prior on 54 and Tim Bresnan yet to score.

It puts the tourists in a strong position having already retained the Ashes after a convincing victory over Australia last week in the fourth Test in Melbourne.

Cook was finally out driving at Shane Watson and edged to a diving Michael Hussey at gully after tea, while Bell was caught at slip by Michael Clarke off Mitchell Johnson.

"We obviously had a really good day," Cook said. "But we have to go out and win that first hour tomorrow and get as many runs as we can to build our lead up then put Australia under some pressure with our bowling."

Cook blunted Australia's attack in over eight hours' of supreme concentration spread over 342 balls with 16 fours.

Along the way, the left-handed opener extended his series aggregate to 766 at 127.66, second only to Wally Hammond (905 in 1928-29) for most runs for England in a series in Australia.

Cook, who has batted for almost 36 hours in the series -- equivalent to six days' play -- tilted the pendulum towards the tourists with a 154-run sixth-wicket partnership with Bell.

He was denied his second double-century of the series after his unbeaten 235 in the first Brisbane Test. He also scored 148 in Adelaide.

It was his 16th career Test century and he now has 5,130 runs at 47.50.

The Essex left-hander survived a fright on 99 when close-in fielder Phillip Hughes claimed a catch off spinner Michael Beer, only for a referral to show that the ball had bounced just before the fielder's hands.

"Phil Hughes said he wasn't sure, they went upstairs and I think the right decision was made," Cook said.

It was Cook's second close shave of his innings -- both off debutant Beer.

Beer celebrated what he thought was his first Test wicket late on Tuesday when Cook, then on 46, skied to Ben Hilfenhaus at deep mid-on only for umpire Billy Bowden to ask the third umpire to check on a suspected no-ball.

Replays showed the spinner had overstepped and Cook batted on.

Despite the daunting task ahead of his team, acting captain Clarke has not given up on an against-the-odds Australian win.

"I'm confident if we come out out tomorrow and get these last couple of wickets, we're going to have to bat our backsides off," he said.

"We're going to have to put up a really good fight and get a big total. If we can get somewhere between a 180-200 run lead, on the last day of the SCG Test match, I'm confident we can still win the game."

Bell also benefited from a reviewed decision after he was given out caught behind when 67 off Shane Watson by umpire Aleem Dar.

Replays could not show any mark on the "hot spot" technology and Dar reversed his decision.

The Warwickshire right-hander, who batted for 296 minutes, was also dropped on 84 by legspinner Steven Smith off his own bowling.

Beer finally claimed his maiden Test wicket when he had the out-of-form Paul Collingwood caught in the deep for 13.

Collingwood, whose Test future is up the air after dismal batting returns in the series, tried to smash Beer down the ground only to skew high to a back-pedalling Hilfenhaus at mid-on.

The dismissal took his series tally to 83 from six innings, further increasing the pressure on his Test place.

Nightwatchman James Anderson was out 20 minutes into the third day when he was bowled by Peter Siddle for seven.

England, who lead the series 2-1, outplayed the hosts in Adelaide and Melbourne while Australia won the third Test in Perth. The first Brisbane Test was drawn.

England were the last team to beat Australia at the SCG, in 2003.

Ashes: Cook, Bell build lead after lunch

Sydney: Alastair Cook reached 150 and along with Ian Bell, continued to pile on the runs as England look to take a formidable first innings lead over Australia in the fifth Ashes Test at Sydney.

Earlier, Alastair Cook posted his third hundred of the series after getting another reprieve against Michael Beer on 99 to move England within three runs of Australia's first innings total at lunch on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old opener has plundered the Australian bowling attack for more than 707 runs, averaging more than 140, in the series and surpassed 5,000 career Test runs as he scored an unbeaten 130 and guided England to 277-5 at lunch.

He shared an unbroken 51-run stand with No. 6 Ian Bell, who was 20 not out at the break.

Australia picked up two wickets in the session, with Peter Siddle bowling night watchman Jimmy Anderson (7) and left-arm spinner Beer, after two false starts, claiming his first when Paul Collingwood (13) stepped down the pitch to him and lofted a catch to Ben Hilfenhaus at mid-on.

But it wasn't enough as the overcast conditions of the first two days gave way to a mild, sunny day.

Cook has been the backbone of a top-order which has given England some excellent starts in the series and was crucial in giving the visitors an unbeatable 2-1 lead, ensuring they'll retain the Ashes. Australia needs to win to level the five-match series and prevent England winning a Test series on Australian soil for the first time since 1987.

Cook's innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground wasn't without its scares.

The left-hander survived two confident appeals from Beer on 46 and 99.

Cook was four runs short of a half century when he appeared to be caught out off Beer's bowling late on the second day, only for umpire Billy Bowden to refer the decision to the TV umpire, suspecting a no-ball. The third umpire confirmed Beer had overstepped the crease and Cook survived to bring up his 50 in the next over.

On 99, he clipped a Beer delivery to bat-pad, where Phil Hughes claimed a catch at ground level. But Cook stood his ground despite loud and sustained appeals from the Australians and got the benefit of the doubt when video replays seemed to show the ball touching the grass millimeters before Hughes got his fingers under it.

He gave another half chance on 87, when he edged a Shane Watson ball just short of Michael Clarke at second slip.

But otherwise, his 247-ball innings has been full of confident, well executed strokes and contained 12 boundaries.

Ind-SA: Late wickets give India the edge

Cape Town: Sachin Tendulkar cracked his 51st Test century in difficult conditions as India eked out a slender 2-run first innings lead and then scalped two quick wickets to take a slight upper hand in the series-deciding third cricket Test against South Africa.

Tendulkar held the innings together brilliantly to not only notch up his second century in the series but also pull India out of trouble and keep its hopes alive for a first ever series triumph on South African soil.

Apart from Tendulkar's heroic 146, Gautam Gambhir (93) and Harbhajan Singh (40) were the other notable contributors as India scored 364 in response to South Africa's first innings total of 362.

The hosts were struggling at 52 for two at close on the third day with Harbhajan Singh claiming the wickets of skipper Graeme Smith (29) and Paul Harris (0).

Alviro Petersen (22) and Hashim Amla (0) were at the crease when play came to an end on an absorbing third day.

With two full days of play left in the decider India will try to capture the remaining eight wickets as quickly as possible and push for a victory.

It was an engrossing tussle between the bat and the ball right through the day with South African speed star, particularly Dale Steyn, who returned with figures of five for 75, getting a lot of movement with the second new ball.

There was also a brief interruption in play when pacer S Sreesanth was hurled empty water bottles at the boundary but order was restored quickly to play to resume again.

Earlier, resuming at the overnight score of 142 for two, the two overnight batsmen -- Gambhir and Tendulkar -- faced a few anxious moments early in the pre-lunch session as they played and missed a number of times.

Dale Steyn produced a brilliant first over to Tendulkar who was repeatedly beaten as the balls kept swinging away.

Tendulkar was a little uncomfortable with the late movement Steyn got in his first over.

But the champion batsman gradually settled down to unleash some delightful strokes on both sides of the wicket, a majestic drive through covers off Steyn standing out.

Gambhir also grew in confidence as he pulled Morne Morkel for a boundary, though some of his strokes were a little streaky.

The third wicket pair of Gambhir and Tendulkar put on 176 runs before spinner Paul Harris provided the breakthrough much to the relief of the South Africans.

Gambhir fell to a ball that jumped after pitching on the rough and the left hander got a thin edge. Mark Boucher took a smart catch behind the stumps.

Laxman, who joined the action after Gambhir's departure, struck three delectable boundaries, before returning to the pavilion in a tragic manner.

Ironically, a dropped chance of Tendulkar by Harris led to Laxman's run out.

Tendulkar went down the track and smashed the ball straight to Harris who just about managed to get some hand on it. Laxman was outside his crease and the ball fell on the stumps at his end.

The Indians added 95 runs in 32 overs in an engrossing two and half hour pre-lunch session.

Tendulkar brought about his century with a six off Morne Morkel shortly after the lunch break in an absorbing post lunch session which saw Dale Steyn produce a fiery spell to dismiss Cheteswar Pujara (2) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (0) in the span of 9 deliveries.

The young Pujara was dismissed in the very first over after lunch, trapped leg before wicket to a gem of a delivery from Steyn to reduce India to 237 for five.

Tendulkar then completed his century by hooking Morne Morkel for a six. It was a mistimed shot and the ball took the top edge and flew for a six.

Steyn struck again in his next over by getting rid of captain Dhoni with a ball which swung away sharply. the Indian captain tried to steer the ball but only succeeded in edging it to Ashwell Prince at third slip.

Harbhajan tried to play a few attacking shots to ease the pressure on the Indians who suddenly found themselves in trouble with the two quick dismissals.

Harbhajan had a huge slice of luck when a Steyn express delivery clipped the edge of the off-stump but the bails did not fall much to the disbelief of the South Africans.

The fiesty spinner celebrated the reprieve by clobbering Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who replaced Morkel from the pavilion end, for a huge six in the square leg region. He then cracked him for a boundary.

Tendulkar and Harbhajan have stitched an unfinished 69-run partnership for the seventh wicket to take India beyond the 300-run mark and inch closer to the South African total.

Harbhajan Singh (40) perished immediately after the tea break as he went for the short-arm pull to a short-pitched ball from Steyn but could not connect well and substitute JP Duminy ran in from deep square-leg take the catch.

It brought an end to the vital 76-run seventh wicket partnership which pulled India out of a difficult situation.

Morkel then got the prized scalp of Tendulkar with a superb delivery which dislodged the off stump. Tendulkar's knock of 146 came off 314 balls and was laced with 17 boundaries and two sixes.

Ishant Sharma could not survive for long as he tried to fend a short-pitched ball and offered a simple catch to Boucher to give Steyn his fifth wicket of the innings.

Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth then added 14 runs to help India overhaul South Africa's first innings total and gain a slender two-run lead.

In their second essay, South Africa went off to a good start but off-spinner Harbhajan dealt two quick blows late in the evening to hand India a slight advantage.

Smith was the first one to go after he was wrapped on the back foot by a Harbhajan delivery which pitched on the middle and leg and then straightened up in the 14th over.

Harbhajan struck again on the second ball of his next over, removing night watchman Harris for a naught. Harris was completely deceived by Harbhajan's off-break which landed outside the off stump and turned square as the batsman didn't offer a shot.

Ashes: Sydney Test evenly poised

Sydney: England rode their luck through a rocky afternoon spell to reach 167-3 in their first innings at the close of play on the second day of the fifth Ashes Test after dismissing Australia for 280 on Tuesday.

Alastair Cook, who was saved from dismissal by a no-ball review, had made 61 with nightwatchman James Anderson alongside him on one after a triple blow from the Australian bowlers had disrupted England's comfortable post-lunch progress.

England have already retained the Ashes courtesy of their innings and 157-run victory in Melbourne last week but Australia could still square the series at 2-2 with a victory this week.

That looked highly unlikely when Australia were reduced to 189-8 in the morning session but Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus then delighted the 40,000 crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground with a stand of 76 for the ninth wicket.

After dismissing the Australians, England were cruising at 98 without loss in their reply when Hilfenhaus bowled Andrew Strauss for 60 to reignite the contest.

Johnson, who had made 53 with the bat, then struck to remove Jonathan Trott for a duck six balls later and England were on the rack.

Kevin Pietersen, who came out to the crease to a chorus of boos, survived a shaky start, most notably when he hit the ball between his legs and the stumps when he was on eight.

Cook was approaching his third half century of the series on 46 when Australia's debutant spinner Michael Beer thought he had claimed his first Test wicket.

England's top batsman of the series walked after ballooning the ball into the hands of Hilfenhaus but umpire Billy Bowden called him back and checked with the third umpire, who confirmed that the hapless Beer had overstepped the crease.

Pietersen look destined to stay with Cook until the end of the day but, when he was on 36, a rush of blood to the head saw him mis-time a hook shot off Johnson and Beer took a comfortable catch at deep backward square.

It was a shot that recalled those made by several Australian batsmen as the hosts lost four wickets for 55 runs in the morning.

Brad Haddin, elevated to number six in the batting order, departed for six runs 20 minutes into the session after a wild slash at an Anderson delivery took a big edge and Matt Prior claimed a simple catch behind the wicket.

Mike Hussey started by defying the English attack as he has for much of the series but he went for 33 just before the new ball was taken, tricked into an inside edge onto his own stumps by an inswinger from Paul Collingwood.

Anderson got the new ball swinging immediately and Steve Smith was the next to go for 18 with an ill-advised attempt at a big drive that took an edge and Collingwood snaffled up at third slip.

Peter Siddle made two runs but lasted just four balls before getting an outside edge to another Anderson outswinger and England skipper Andrew Strauss did the honours in the slips.

Johnson and Hilfenhaus then mounted their marvellously aggressive rearguard action, both slugging sixes in one three-ball spell.

Once Tim Bresnan had removed Johnson's off stump, however, it was only a matter of time and Hilfenhaus duly fell, well caught behind for 34 after getting a nick on a short delivery from Anderson, who finished with 4-66.

Ashes: Australia fold up for 280

Sydney: Jimmy Anderson took four wickets while Tim Bresnan scalped three as Australia were bowled out for 280 in the fifth Ashes Test on Tuesday after a late-order fightback by Mitchell Johnson (53) and Ben Hilfenhaus (34).

Earlier, the hosts slumped to 230-8, losing four batsmen in an overcast opening session on day two that provided ideal conditions for England's seam bowlers.

Australia resumed at 134-4 — in an extended session after 31 overs were lost on day one due to rain and bad light — and only survived to lunch due to an unbeaten 41-run ninth-wicket stand between Mitchell Johnson (30) and No. 10 Ben Hilfenhaus (14).

It was Australia's best partnership of the morning, when England claimed four wickets and conceded 96 runs.

Anderson went wicketless in 20 overs on day one but now has figures of 3-66.

He had Brad Haddin (6) caught behind, chasing a wide delivery, with the addition of only nine to the overnight total.

Mike Hussey shared a 28-run seventh-wicket stand with Steve Smith before he was out for 33, playing a delivery from Paul Collingwood onto his stumps to make the total 171-6. Then Anderson struck twice in one over with the new ball as England threatened to remove Australia for another sub-200 total.

Smith (18) slashed recklessly to Anderson outside off stump, giving Collingwood a regulation catch at third slip and No. 9 Peter Siddle played at an outswinger four balls later and edged to Andrew Strauss, who took a low catch at slip.

Johnson batted resiliently, lifting the total over 200 with two off Tremlett and batting through 70 minutes in his unbeaten 30. Hilfenhaus scored most of his runs behind the wicket but did a job for Australia, facing 25 balls in 45 minutes until the interval.

Only Michael Beer, who is making his Test debut after only seven first-class matches, is yet to bat for the hosts.

Desperate for a series-leveling win in the final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, stand-in captain Michael Clarke won the toss on Monday and elected to bat.

All of the top order, with the exception of Clarke (4), got starts but failed to capitalise.

Openers Shane Watson (45) and Phil Hughes (31) batted with discipline and restraint in the first session until Hughes was out the ball before the first break. Pakistan-born Usman Khawaja made an entertaining 37 on his Test debut before he mis-timed a sweep and was out on the last ball of day one.

England has already ensured it will retain the Ashes after taking a 2-1 lead with its emphatic win in the fourth Test at Melbourne last week and is now chasing its first Test series victory in Australia since 1987. England hasn't won back-to-back Tests in Australia since 1978-79.