December 7, 2001	Friday	Ramazan 21, 1422

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

MOHALI (India), Dec 6: The ghost of 1993 returned to haunt England Thursday as leg-spinner Anil Kumble grabbed six wickets for 81 and bowled India to a 10-wicket victory on the fourth day of the first Test.

Kumble, who had been the chief destroyer eight years ago at home when England tumbled to a 3-0 Test series loss, picked up his 17th five-wicket haul to bowl out the visitors, trailing by 231 on the first innings, for 235.

Only left-hander Graham Thorpe, who struck a resiliiant 62, had the necessary technique to combat the guile of India’s spinners as wickets kept tumbling at the other end.

The most lethal spin duo in the world in home conditions, Kumble and off-spinner Harbhajan Singh were virtually unplayable after lunch as they ran through up the England tail before 25,000 screaming fans.

Harbhajan, who had grabbed five England wickets for 51 in the first innings, added two more to his tally after debutant paceman Tinu Yohannan had given India the edge with two wickets in the morning session.

India knocked off the five runs required to win in two balls, promoted opener Iqbal Siddiqui edging paceman Matthew Hoggard for four to third-man and then picking up a single to mid-wicket.

Kumble, the lanky 31-year-old from Bangalore, started the slide trapping Mark Ramprakash lbw for 28 to end a 72-run fourth-wicket stand with a ball that pitched on middle-stump and hurried through.

All-rounder Andrew Flintoff on-drove Kumble for four to get off the mark but was walking back to the pavilion next ball when Kumble had him spoon a simple bat-pad catch to Ganguly at silly point to reduce England to 163 for five.

Harbhajan deceived Craig White with his looping flight and had him edge to wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta for a brisk 33-ball 22.

He then had trapped James Foster (5) lbw when he tried to sweep a ball that pitched outside off-stump before Kumble bowled James Ormond off his pads for a duck to leave England tottering at 207 for eight.

Kumble grabbed his fifth wicket when Thorpe played early, lobbing a return catch, and finished the England innings bowling Richard Dawson through the gate for 11 to take his wickets tally to 289. He is the second-highest Indian Test wicket-taker behind Kapil Dev’s 434.

“He has won us so many games and I can see him doing that for many, many games more,” said India skipper Saurav Ganguly.

“There was bounce but it was really a good wicket. It was a good track to bat on,” added Kumble.

Kumble had earlier fooled England captain Nasser Hussain with a googly, bowling him off an inside edge for 12 when he tried to cut the ball.

Overnight 34 for no loss, England had begun the day aggressively with Marcus Trescothick hitting a flashy 46 with nine boundaries.

Despite friendly morning conditions for seamers, India opened the attack with Harbhajan, who caused the batsmen all sorts of trouble, surrounding them with a slip, a gully, a forward short-leg and a silly point.

Mark Butcher cut Yohannan for a four through point, but the lanky paceman hit back when the left-hander miscued an attempted pull on 18 and substitute Jacob Martin took a simple catch at mid-wicket.

Trescothick struck Yohannan for six of his nine boundaries, but he was brilliantly caught close to the ground by Iqbal Siddiqui when he hooked Yohannan to fine-leg.

Thorpe, running out of partners, steered paceman Siddqiui for a four to third man before driving him to the cover fence and raised his 50, off 92 balls, with a single to third-man off Harbhajan before his dismissal sealed England’s fate.

It was a grand comeback for Kumble, who was sidelined for a year because of a shoulder injury which needed surgery and returned to the side only for the recent South African tour.

He finished with match figures of eight for 133 runs to be named the Man-of-the-Match.

A dejected Nasser Hussain said his team did not capitalise on their excellent start on the first day to be bowled out for 238.

England were coasting at 172 for two after being asked to bat first before collapsing, losing their last six wickets for just 14 runs.

“Actually on performance we should have been level on first innings,” he said.

India notched up 469 in their reply largely owing to three dropped catches and a missed stumping.

The England skipper said his players had to prepare themselves mentally if they are to perform well in the next two Tests.

“Mentally, actually. There is only so much work you can do in the nets. There are not many (Indian off-spinner) Harbhajans and Kumbles available there.”

“We have to use our heads a little bit more,” he added.

The second Test starts in the western city of Ahmedabad Dec 11.