Peterson breaks Indian hearts after super Tendulkar ton

NAGPUR, India, March 12 (Reuters) - South Africa, needing 13 runs off the last over, broke the hearts of a partisan Indian crowd by pulling off a thrilling three-wicket win in the World Cup on Saturday.

Sachin Tendulkar had set up an enthralling Group B encounter with 111, his 99th international century and 48th ODI ton. It also gave him his sixth World Cup three-figure score.

That, along with 73 from Virender Sehwag, left India in great shape at 267-1 but their remaining nine wickets crashed for 29 runs to leave them 296 all out after 48.4 overs.

In response, South Africa were always adrift of the required run rate although Jacques Kallis (69), Hashim Amla (61) and AB de Villiers (52) kept them in with a chance until Robin Peterson (18 not out) blasted 16 off the final over including a six and two fours to edge the Proteas to a three-wicket victory with a ball left.

India, March 12 (AFP) - Dale Steyn led South Africa's fightback with a maiden five-wicket haul to restrict India to 296 in a key World Cup match on Saturday despite a sparkling 111 from Sachin Tendulkar.

India were on course for a massive total after reaching 267-1 but lost their last nine wickets for 29 runs in nine overs in a dramatic collapse, with paceman Steyn finishing with 5-50.

Steyn, who conceded 24 in his opening three overs, came back strongly to make short work of the Indian innings in a superb exhibition of fast bowling on a flat track.

The home team, with seven points from four matches, need to win this day-night game to make sure of a place in the last eight. South Africa have four points from three matches.

Tendulkar earlier dominated the Proteas' attack, cracking three sixes and eight fours in a 101-ball knock for his 48th one-day hundred.

He now needs just one more century to become the first player to score 100 international hundreds, having already made 51 in Test cricket.

South Africa's attack came under pressure for the first time in four matches as Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag (73) and Gautam Gambhir (69) comfortably gathered runs against pace and spin, much to the delight of a capacity crowd. India made the most of winning the toss on an easy-paced pitch as Sehwag and Tendulkar provided an explosive 142-run start off just 17.4 overs. Gambhir continued the good work, adding 125 for the second wicket with Tendulkar.

Sehwag, who survived on four and 70, hammered 12 fours in his 66-ball knock. He began his fifth successive innings with a four when he lofted Steyn over mid-on.

He had a lucky escape in the next over, his edge off paceman Morne Morkel flying past wicket-keeper Morne van Wyk.

INDIA INNINGS
		
V. Sehwag b du Plessis 			 73
S. Tendulkar c Duminy b Morkel 		111
G. Gambhir c Kallis b Steyn 		 69
Y. Pathan c Smith b Steyn 		 00
Yuvraj Singh c Botha b Kallis 		 12
M. S. Dhoni not out 			 12
V. Kohli c & b Peterson 		 01
Harbhajan Singh b Steyn 		 03
Z. Khan c Morkel b Peterson 		 00
A. Nehra c Smith b Steyn 		 00
M. Patel b Steyn 			 00
Extras (lb 2 w 12 nb 1) 		 15
Total (all out; 48.4 overs) 		296

Fall of wickets: 1-142 2-267 3-268 4-268 5-283 6-286 7-293 8-294 9-296.

Bowling: Steyn 9.4-0-50-5 (2w), Morkel 7-0-59-1 (1nb),Kallis 8-0-43-1 (1w), Peterson 9-0-52-2 (2w), Duminy 3-0-29-0,

	Botha 9-0-39-0 (2w), Du Plessis 3-0-22-1 (1w)

SOUTH AFRICA

G. Smith c Tendulkar b Khan 		 16
H. Amla c Dhoni b Harbhajan Singh 	 61
J. Kallis run out 			 69
AB de Villiers c Kohli b Harbhajan Singh 52
JP Duminy st Dhoni b Harbhajan Singh 	 23
F. du Plessis not out 			 25
M. van Wyk lbw b Patel 			 05
J. Botha c sub b Patel 			 23
R. Peterson  not out 			 18
Extras (lb 7 w 1) 			 08
Total (for 7 wickets) 			300

Fall of wickets: 1-41 2-127 3-173 4-223 5-238 6-247 7-279
Did not bat: M. Morkel, D. Steyn.

Bowling: Khan 10-0-43-1, Nehra 8.4-0-65-0, Patel 10-0-65-2, Pathan 
		4-0-20-0, Yuvraj Singh 8-0-47-0, Harbhajan Singh 9-0-53-3 (1w)