Pakistan bounce back after Dravid’s superb century
By Imran Naeem Ahmad
KOLKATA, March 16: Pakistan bounced back in the second Test at the Eden Gardens with late strikes on a day Sachin Tendulkar entered the elite 10,000-run club and Rahul Dravid crafted a classy century. Abdul Razzaq inflicted two successive blows in the 77th over capturing the wicket of local hero Saurav Ganguly and VVS Laxman while at the fag end, Danish Kaneria took the prized scalp of Dravid for 110 as India closed the day at 344 for six. Standing 27 runs short, Tendulkar got to the 10,000 milestone with a fine leg glance off Razzaq to equal the mark at the start of the last session and also crossed it becoming only the fifth batsman in history to join the prestigious group.
His 122-run partnership with Dravid for the third wicket was one of the significant features of the innings after openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Ghambir had put India on way to a big total with a stand of 80.
Kaneria shouldered most of the bowling burden but was not impressive and conceded 116 runs in his 26.1 overs to claim two wickets. Razzaq and Shahid Afridi, on for Salman Butt, shared four scalps as the tourists were able to change India’s position of dominance to their advantage on a pitch offering no help to the bowlers.
The real Indian star of the day was Dravid who scored his 19th Test century before an estimated 50,000 fans who had turned up to watch the batting heroics of the home team on the first day of the match.
Firing on all cylinders, Dravid reached the 100-mark in the 78th over in what was a classic batting display in which he smashed 15 fours. He fell in the last over, going forward to play Kaneria and was caught behind by Kamran Akmal.
Tendulkar, also bidding to score a world record 35th Test hundred, flashed at a delivery pitched outside the off stump when on 52 and Kamran, hero of the first Test last week, did the needful.
Playing in his 122nd Test match Tendulkar faced 18 balls before getting off the mark with a sizzling cover drive off Afridi. He appeared quite cautious early on, but treated any loose deliveries that came his way in trademark fashion.
Tendulkar now joins a band of cricketers that has Allan Border, Steve Waugh, Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara but would have to wait some more to surpass compatriot Gavaskar’s record of most Test hundreds.
Ganguly, the Prince of Kolkata, disappointed his hometown fans and after blasting three quick boundaries, gave an edge to Kamran and then Laxman was trapped in front by another Razzaq beauty for a duck.
Although Pakistan got the scalp of the dangerous Sehwag for 81, they could achieve only limited success in the second session as Dravid and Tendulkar stood strong. Afridi however showed the usefulness of playing a fifth bowler with a good spell after lunch.
Sehwag, whose masterly 173 was one of the highlights of the first Test appeared to be cruising along but was tempted to loft Afridi and Inzamamul Haq, fielding in the covers, took a difficult catch shortly after the interval. The Pakistan captain however had to leave the field shortly afterwards because of dizziness and did not return.
The hard-hitting Sehwag was completely at ease against the attack and sent 11 hits to the boundary, facing 114 balls but by then he had taken India past the 150 mark. With Dravid he was involved in a second wicket partnership that yielded 76 runs.
By tea India had hit up 225 for two with Tendulkar on 25 and Dravid, who was 70 at the break, having collected his 37th Test fifty in 99 balls. He survived a leg before appeal when on 51. Earlier, Sehwag’s 9th half century was up in only 67 balls.
With the Pakistan attack struggling as it did in Mohali last week, not even pacer Muhammad Khalil, on for an injured Rana Navedul Hasan, could make much of an impression. Kaneria, who had bowled brilliantly in the first Test conceded 51 runs in his 11 overs before lunch.
But he did break the opening partnership, winning an lbw verdict against Ghambir for 29 in the 18th over as the opener attempted to sweep as teams lunched with India on 126 for one.
While Pakistan made two changes, India went for only one, leaving out pacer Zaheer Khan and playing off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Scoreboard
INDIA (1st Innings):
V. Sehwag c Inzamam b Afridi 81
G. Gambhir lbw b Kaneria` 29
R. Dravid c Kamran b Kaneria 110
S.R. Tendulkar c Kamran b Afridi 52
S.C. Ganguly c Kamran b Razzaq 12
V.V.S. Laxman lbw b Razzaq 0
K.D.D. Karthik not out 28
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-11, W-6, NB-13) 32
TOTAL (for six wkts, 89.1 overs) 344
FALL OF WKTS: 1-80, 2-156, 3-278, 4-298, 5-298, 6-344.
TO BAT: Irfan Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, A. Kumble, L. Balaji.
BOWLING (to-date): Mohammad Sami 18-3-61-0 (7nb); Mohammad Khalil 11-3-39-0 (1nb, 1w); Danish Kaneria 26.1-1-116-2 (1nb); Abdul Razzaq 16-1-53-2 (4nb); Shahid Afridi 18-0-62-2 (5w).
PAKISTAN: Taufiq Umar, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Inzamamul Haq, Yousuf Youhana, Asim Kamal, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Sami, Mohammad Khalil, Danish Kaneria.
UMPIRES: S.A. Bucknor (West Indies) and D.B. Hair (Australia).
