Proteas strike early

Centurion - South Africa had the better of the opening session of the first cricket Test against India at Supersport Park on Thursday, with the visitors going into tea on 55 for the loss of three wickets.

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Graeme Smith won the toss and put India into bat after heavy rain delayed the start of the match. Play finally got underway at 3pm with 48 overs scheduled for the rest of the afternoon.

Smith's decision paid off early as Virender Sehwag went out for a duck at the start of the third over. He scooped a ball from Dale Steyn to third man where Hashim Amla was waiting specifically for that shot.

Finding themselves one down with just one run on the board, Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid faced some accurate and hostile bowling from Steyn and Morne Morkel in their opening spells.

With still only 11 runs on the board, there was a strong appeal for caught behind when a snorter from Morkel appeared to come off the glove of Gambhir but umpire Steve Davis indicated the ball came off his shoulder.

Without the Decision Review System, the batsman may have been lucky to get away with it but only managed to accumulate five runs before being caught by Paul Harris at first slip as Morkel finally got his sculp.

Sachin Tendulkar was given a warm welcome when he walked to the crease and treated the spectators to a variety of boundaries on both sides of the wicket.

Dravid (14) was given out lbw to Morkel and India were in serious trouble at 27/3.

India's 50 came up in the 19th over off 119 balls and included seven fours.

At tea, Tendulkar was not out on 22 and VVS Laxman on six.

Scoreboard:

Scoreboard at tea (after a delayed start) on day one of the first Test between

South Africa and India at Centurion on Thursday.

Toss: South Africa

India first innings

G Gambhir c Harris b Morkel 5 (43b)

V Sehwag c Amla b Steyn 0 (3b)

R Dravid lbw b Morkel 14 (42b, 2x4)

S Tendulkar not out 22

VVS Laxman not out 6

Extras: (5lb, 2nb, 1w) 8

Total: (for three wickets) 55 €“ 20 overs

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Sehwag 2.1 ov), 2-24 (Gambhir 12.6), 3-27 (Dravid 14.4). Bowling: Steyn 6-0-17-1 (1w), Morkel 7-4-4-2 (2nb), Tsotsobe 5-2-19-0, Kallis 1-0-4-0, Harris 1-0-6-0