Cautious India off to solid start in third test

CAPE TOWN, Jan 2 (Reuters) Openers Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik got India off to a solid start in the third test against South Africa today, reaching lunch on 61 without loss in the deciding match of the series.

At the interval, Jaffer was 38 not out with Karthik on 22 after the tourists won the toss and elected to bat on the flattest pitch of the series.

India, who won their first ever test match on South African soil in last month's first test in Johannesburg, began cautiously and managed to score just eight runs in the opening five overs.

However, Jaffer raised the pace when he cut fast bowler Makhaya Ntini down to third man for four in the sixth over and drove the next delivery through the off-side for another boundary.

Jaffer stroked India past 50 when he hit medium pacer Shaun Pollock through midwicket for four in the seventh over before lunch.

South Africa gave a first cap to left-arm spinner Paul Harris, while all-rounder Jacques Kallis and fast bowler Dale Steyn returned to action from injuries that kept them out of the home side's second test victory in Durban.

Wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni was forced out of India's team with a hand injury and replaced by Karthik, who also displaced the out-of-form Virender Sehwag at the top of the order.

Sehwag has been listed to bat at number six.

Fast bowler Munaf Patel, who has been sidelined since injuring an ankle in the second one-day international in Durban on November 22, won back his place in the team at the expense of Vikram Singh.

REUTERS PM VV1655