India get off to a Steady start

South Africa resumed the day at 304 for 4 and the visitors played cautious cricket in the first hour.The conditions were hot and humid at the M.A.Chidhambaram stadium in chennai.

Amla, 85 not out overnight, batted into the afternoon session and his 262-ball innings – his fourth Test hundred - was only curtailed by a needless run out, as he stranded himself calling partner Mark Boucher for a single that wasn’t.

Boucher hit 70 at an unusually slow rate for him, scoring at just 47 runs per 100 balls, but he did add 99 with Amla for the sixth wicket and help to take the Proteas nearer to a commanding first innings total.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed his 21st five-wicket haul in Tests but his five-for did not come cheaply, conceding 164 runs from his 44 overs. It showed the nature of the surface. Maybe if India can score a similar total, things may be different in the second innings if the pitch cracks and breaks up.

India replied confidently on a flat pitch to reach stumps on day two at 82-0.Wasim Jaffer (25 not out) and Virender Sehwag (52 not out) will look to bat all day on Friday and exploit the placid wicket at the Chepauk and the draw would now seem the most likely outcome, unless South Africa’s bowlers can somehow find some menace in the wicket and use it to their advantage.