Championship trophy kicks off with first century from Dhawan

ESPNCricinfo: It was a cold morning in Wales, you win the toss against India, ask them to bat first, and go and bowl short.

Not like South Africa, though. Apart from Morne Morkel, and in Dale Steyn’s absence, none of their bowlers had the sting to trouble the young Indian batsmen, who posted 331 despite a wobble in the end.

Shikhar Dhawan became only the second left-hand batsman to score a century against South Africa in six years, the 127 that he added with Rohit Sharma, was the first 100 opening stand against South Africa in more than two years, and to become only the second opening pair in four years to have both scored 50 or more against South Africa.

South Africa weren’t helped by their fielding either. Two fielders were lobbed at the boundary when Shikhar Dhawan was 27 and 70. Then A.B. de Villiers missed a stumping when Dhawan was 102. There were more than a few miss-fields along the way.

Morkel pulled up with a groin strain too, and bowled only 6.5 overs for just 27. Ryan McLaren gave South Africa a chance, though, with some clever slower short balls towards the end, but India’s slowing down wasn’t quite Nagpur 2011, the last time these two teams played, when India went from 267 for 1 in the 40th over to 296 all out. Ravindra Jadeja proved to be the difference in this innings, with 47 off 29.

At the toss, when India was itching to have a bowl themselves, they would hardly have split hairs had they been offered more than 300. Morkel began the first over with testing short bowling, which Rohit did well to avoid.

However, the others were gentle compared to Morkel, especially Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Rory Kleinveldt, who went for 164 in the 20 overs between them.

And Dhawan and Rohit hardly hit a shot in anger. It was all timing and placement after the cautious start. When Rohit eased into a Tsotsobe length ball for four through cover, the signs were all there.

However, Rohit is known to throw it away too often. Not today. He attacked in a calculated manner, and saw from the other end Dhawan batting as if continuing from his Test debut.

Rohit remained fluent, Dhawan was crisp, and they took full toll of South Africa’s rigid bowling and cold fielding. If Tsotsobe drew little help from the pitch, Kleinveldt kept bowling too short and too slow.

McLaren began with deliveries down the leg side with fine leg up. Without taking risks, the openers raced away. When Rohit finally fell for 65 off 81, pulling a ball not short enough, India had already reached 127 in the 22nd over, and Dhawan was 53 off 49.

Suddenly, Dhawan entered another gear, going after Tsotsobe, ramping him for four and then charging him for a six over long-off. As expected, India took the Powerplay only at the latest possible but Virat Kohli picked out deep midwicket an over before the restrictions could be called upon.

In the Powerplay, India scored 36 runs and lost two more wickets. When M.S. Dhoni fell in search of quick runs, the memories of Nagpur came back. However, Jadeja stayed cool, and capitalised on some short and length bowling towards the end to help India to 40 runs in the last 3.4 overs.