8 Feb 2010, 0533 hrs IST

Cricket News: NAGPUR: South Africa struck three blows before Virender Sehwag's defiant half century helped India reach 119 for three in reply to the visitors' mammoth first innings score of 558 at lunch on the third day of the first Test here today.

The pace duo of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel dished out fiery spells to dismiss in-form opener Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay and ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar cheaply before the home team recovered through the enterprise shown by Sehwag.

Sehwag's typically aggressive knock of 63 included eight fours in 90 balls. In his company was debutant Subramaniam Badrinath (21), who faced 54 balls.

The fourth wicket duo came together when the hosts were in deep rut at 56 for three at the fall of Tendulkar's wicket in the 15th over.

Sehwag and Badrinath stemmed the rot with an unbroken half century stand worth 63 runs by the end of the session.

The hosts added 94 runs in 27 overs in the period.

At the break, the hosts were 240 runs behind their first task of escaping follow on and in all were 439 runs adrift of the tourists huge total. It was an ordeal by fire for the Indian top order when play started with the home team at 25 for no loss.

The first to go was Gambhir without adding a run to his overnight score of 12. He was out to the first ball he faced from the tall Morkel, edging it to wicketkeeper Mark Boucher.