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Dravid passes 10,000 runs as South Africa fight back

India's Rahul Dravid celebrates as he hits his 10,000th career run during the fourth day of the first Test against South Africa in Chennai, India, yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

South Africa dominated day four of the opening Test against India yesterday as the match drifted toward a draw amid a series of records.

South Africa claimed nine wickets in the first two sessions to dismiss India for 627 and restrict the first innings deficit to 87 runs. Then Neil McKenzie hit an unbeaten 59 to steer the tourists to 131-1 in their second innings at stumps.

Resuming on Friday's score of 468-1, Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid stretched their second-wicket partnership to 268 before Sehwag fell in the sixth over of the day.

Sehwag added only 10 runs to his overnight score before edging paceman Makhaya Ntini (3-128) into the hands of McKenzie at first slip.

His innings, which was the fastest triple century since numbers of balls were recorded, included 43 fours and five sixes off 304 deliveries in just over nine hours.

The early departure of Sehwag prompted an unraveling of India's innings.

Incoming batsman Sachin Tendulkar lasted only five balls before edging an Ntini delivery to Jacques Kallis at slip.

Dravid and Sourav Ganguly put on 45 runs for the fourth wicket to take India past 500, while Dravid passed 10,000 runs in Test cricket.

He became just the sixth man to have reached five figures, along with fellow Indians Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, Lara and Australian pair Allan Border and Steve Waugh.

The tail fell away quickly, with Dale Steyn (4-103) taking four wickets in 21 deliveries as the last five wickets fell for 54 runs.
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