Cricket-India's brilliant Pandya punishes sloppy S.Africa

* India trail by 101 with seven wickets remaining

* Pandya is unbeaten on 81 after being handed two lives

* South Africa bowled out for 286 on day one (adds details)

By Nick Said

CAPE TOWN, Jan 6 (Reuters) - India all-rounder Hardik Pandya punished sloppy South Africa by smashing a quick-fire half-century to lead the tourists' revival and take his side to tea at 185 for seven on day two of the opening test at Newlands on Saturday.

India still trail by 101 runs in their first innings after bowling South Africa out for 286 on the first day, but their once perilous position has been vastly improved by some excellent counter-attacking cricket from Pandya.

He will resume on 81 from 68 balls having twice been handed a lifeline by the hosts in what could yet be a game-changing innings as he put on an unbeaten eighth-wicket stand of 93 from just 19.2 overs with Bhuvneshwar Kumar (24).

Cheteshwar Pujara led a stout rearguard of a different kind in the morning session, reaching 26 from 91 balls at lunch, but was out the first ball after the interval as he edged Vernon Philander's (3-33) delivery to Faf du Plessis at second slip.

When Ravichandran Ashwin (12) and Wriddhiman Saha (zero) followed shortly afterwards India were reeling at 92 for seven, facing a massive first innings deficit on a difficult wicket.

Pandya had his first piece of luck when he was dropped by Dean Elgar at gully off Dale Steyn (2-51) with his score on 15.

With an attacking field set, he was able to manoeuvre the ball into the vast empty spaces on the ground and reached his half-century off just 46 balls with 10 fours.

More good fortune followed when South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock missed a stumping chance off spinner Keshav Maharaj when Pandya had 71.

The pace of Pandya's scoring was in stark contrast to the morning session as India simply tried to keep the venomous home seam attack at bay.

After resuming the day on 28 for three, India scored just 17 runs in the opening hour, a mixture of well-judged leaves and the ball whistling past the edge of the bat.

Philander bowled an excellent line and it took the tourists 34 balls to squeeze a run off him, which was all he conceded in a six-over spell.

It was a game of patience for the hosts but they were eventually rewarded when Kagiso Rabada (1-15) trapped Rohit Sharma in front of his wicket for a painstaking 11 from 59 balls.

South Africa host India in three tests this month with the next two to be played in Pretoria and Johannesburg. (Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Sudipto Ganguly and Ken Ferris)