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December 07, 2006

Sourav Ganguly in his first game in South Africa on this tour scored a well compiled 83 and Irfan Pathan struck his maiden first class century to help India fightback from a disastrous position in their warm-up game at Potchefstroom. The pair of Sourav Ganguly and Irfan Pathan got together when the Indians were reduced to 69 for 5 on the opening day of the 4-day match against Rest of South Africa. Both the left handers put on 139 runs for the fourth wicket. Indians finished the day at a decent 316 for 7 after 85 overs were bowled.

The Rest of South Africa side led by Jacques Rudolph had put the Indians to bat first at the Sedgars Park. The Indians were led by VVS Laxman who is their official Vice-Captain for the Test Series. Sachin Tendulkar who had got a blow on his elbow during the Centurion ODI got to play in this match along with Sourav Ganguly and fast bowler VRV Singh. Wasim Jaffer once again fell in the first over itself, he was leg before the wicket to the quick Nantie Hayward for a duck. Virender Sehwag was out for a first ball duck, yorked by a young fast bowler of 22 years age, Morne Morkel who is expected to play for South Africa soon. Sachin Tendulkar too fell to the same bowler without making much, he had just got into double figures.

Before the lunch break, Morkel picked up another two wickets which included that of VVS Laxman (23) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (6). Sourav Ganguly who had a good start to his innings carried on after the lunch break to repair the damage done by Morne Morkel along with Irfan Pathan. Ganguly fell 17 runs short of a century after he got an edge trying to cut Friedel de Wet. The former Indian skipper was also hit on his helmet by a nasty bouncer from Nantie Hayward in the early part of his innings which needed the physio attention. Sourav had a good stint in the middle having faced 141 balls for his 83, his innings consisted of 13 fours. Irfan Pathan meanwhile got good support from Harbhajan Singh who helped him to reach his hundred. Harbhajan was the only other wicket to go down for the Indians after he had made a breezy 47 that had two sixes. Irfan Pathan remained undefeated on 111 having played just 176 balls with the help of 15 fours and a six. Morne Morkel's figures at the end of the day's play were 4 for 74 in 19 overs. Paul Adams, the left arm unorthodox bowler who has been recalled into the South African side for the first test was smashed for 54 in his 9 overs.

Rest of South Africa : Morne van Wyk (WK), Alviro Peterson, Jean-Paul Duminy, Jacques Rudolph (C), Vaughn van Jaarsveld, Justin Kemp, Alfonso Thomas, Morne Morkel, Nantie Hayward, Friedel de Wet, Paul Adams

Indians : Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, VVS Laxman (C), Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Wicket Keeper), Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Vikram Singh

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