May 26, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 09, 1428

DHAKA, May 25: Wasim Jaffer roared back to form with an unbeaten 138 as India made Bangladesh pay for their inexplicable decision to field in the second and final cricket Test here on Friday.

India, sent in to bat on a lifeless wicket, seized the opportunity to pile up 326 without loss by the close of the first day's play at Test cricket's newest venue, the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here.

Jaffer, who bagged a pair in the drawn first Test in Chittagong, justified the team management's decision to retain him in the side by slamming 17 boundaries in his fourth Test century.

The 29-year-old Mumbai opener put on 175 for the first wicket with Dinesh Karthik, who made 82 before retiring hurt with cramp in his left arm in the last over before tea.

Jaffer also fell victim to the energy-sapping heat and humidity and retired hurt with leg cramps midway through the final session of play.

Cramp seemed the only way batsmen would depart on the slow, barren wicket, but there was no respite for the hosts as Indian captain Rahul Dravid helped himself to 88 not out before stumps were drawn.

Sachin Tendulkar was the other batsman at the crease, on nine. Both Jaffer and Karthik can return to bat later in the innings, if required.

Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore, who ends his four-year tenure with them after this match, admitted the hosts had erred in choosing to field first.

“We misread the wicket,” said Whatmore. “We were taken in by the overcast conditions and believed the track will do a lot more and fetch us some quick wickets.

“It was not my decision alone to field first. It was a decision taken jointly by the captain, vice-captain, the selectors and me.

“But we also hope to bat well because the wicket is unlikely to change much so soon.”

Jaffer said he was relieved at getting a century.

“I was obviously under some pressure after Chittagong and was very determined to come good,” he said.

“It is great to know the team has so much faith in me and I could not let the boys down. I should be okay after a good night's sleep and will bat if needed.”

Bangladesh, who toiled in vain in the oppressive conditions, did not help their own cause by dropping both openers.

Karthik was on 11 when Saqibul Hasan spilled a chance at second slip off left-arm seamer Syed Rasel.

Jaffer was put down in the first over after lunch at 42 when he drove spinner Mohammad Rafique uppishly but the bowler failed to latch on to a waist-high return catch.

Karthik had moved to 74 when Australian umpire Daryl Harper turned down a loud shout for a catch by wicket-keeper Khaled Mashud as the batsman slashed at a wide ball from Mohammad Sharif.

Television replays confirmed the ball had come off the edge of the bat.

Karthik and Jaffer, who plodded to 67-0 in 26 overs before lunch, hit out in the afternoon session to add a further 108 runs in 26.5 overs by tea.

Karthik, who turns 22 on June 1, followed his 56 in the first innings of the opening Test with his fourth half-century.

Both sides picked three seamers on a wicket with very little bounce.

Scoreboard

INDIA (1st Innings):

K.D. Karthik retired hurt 82

Wasim Jaffer retired hurt 138

R. Dravid not out 88

S.R. Tendulkar not out 9

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-1, NB-4) 9

TOTAL (for no wkt, 90 overs) 326

TO BAT: S.C. Ganguly, M.S. Dhoni, R.R. Powar, Zaheer Khan, A. Kumble, R.P. Singh, I. Sharma.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 19.4-4-49-0 (1nb, 1w); Syed Rasel 13.4-0-64-0 (1nb); Mohammad Sharif 13.4-0-56-0 (1nb); Mohammad Rafique 22-2-85-0 (1nb); Saqibul Hasan 13-1-33-0; Mohammad Ashraful 8-0-35-0.

BANGLADESH: Javed Omar, Shahriar Nafees, Habibul Bashar, Rajin Saleh, Mohammad Ashraful, Saqibul Hasan, Khaled Mashud, Mashrafe Mortaza, Mohammad Rafique, Mohammad Sharif, Syed Rasel.

NOTE: Karthik retired hurt at 175-0 and Jaffer at 281-0; Mashrafe went off the field after bowling four balls of his 10th over and Rasel completed the over. Rasel also went off after two balls of his 14th over and Sharif completed the over.

UMPIRES: D.J. Harper (Australia) and B.R. Doctrove (West Indies).

TV UMPIRE: Nadir Shah (Bangladesh).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Mahanama (Sri Lanka).—AFP