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Saturday, Jul 28, 2007
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India wrests control on Day One

S. Ram Mahesh

English batsmen find the going tough against some good bowling

— Photo: AFP

THE LONG WALK BACK: Andrew Strauss leaves the field after being caught by Sachin Tendulkar off Zaheer Khan.

Nottingham: India wrested control on a rain-shortened first day of the second Test here at Trent Bridge. England, had reached 169 for seven at close.

Zaheer Khan struck in the third over. Zaheer showed Andrew Strauss the ball that shaped away; he then welted the left-hander on the thigh with one that didn’t swing.

Having sown doubt, Zaheer reaped the wild drive. Strauss forced his hands at one that left him. Sachin Tendulkar, at first slip, cradled the edge to his midriff.

Zaheer recruited Tendulkar’s services again: this time Michael Vaughan, who had flipped the left-armer for four to square-leg, nibbled fatally to be caught low. The English captain had been suckered by Zaheer’s angle from around the wicket.

Then, R.P. Singh swung a delivery into Kevin Pietersen, defeated the giant’s stroke, and won a leg-before appeal to leave England at 47 for three. Rahul Dravid, who had decided to bowl under cloudy skies on a strip tinged green, couldn’t have been more pleased.

But, Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood attacked, adding 47 runs in 56 balls, and quickening England’s rate to nearly four an over before a late tea was taken.

Sreesanth had started with great care. So careful was he not to stray on to left-handed openers’ legs that he allowed Cook a half volley on off. But, he lost control after his opening spell: Cook’s exceptional skill in taking the delivery from middle stump and sending it to fine-leg wasn’t helping.

Ironically, Sreesanth had Cook in trouble with the ball swinging in. He implored Simon Taufel to adjudge in his favour. But, the opening bowler, in this spell, lacked the stifling consistency to truly bother Cook.

Arousing battle

Another arousing battle was unfolding at the other end. R.P. Singh, who had bounced Collingwood out in the first Test, tested him again.

Collingwood’s pull for four wasn’t balanced; even less convincing was the French cut that followed. But, the right-hander from Durham did what he does so well: he played the angle to jab R.P. Singh straight.

With Cook playing late beside his front pad in defence and shifting his balance magnificently in offence, England seemed to settle by tea.

But, after the break came a phase of strokelessness: 19 deliveries went by uncontested and when Sreesanth hit Collingwood’s middle stump off the inside edge with a full delivery, India had the upper hand.

Dravid’s position strengthened when Ganguly dismissed Cook again. His innocent medium pace had beaten Cook’s outside edge at Lord’s to trap him leg-before; here at Trent Bridge, Ganguly cut one back and beat Cook’s inside edge for the leg-before.

It was a big wicket — as big as R.P. Singh besting Pietersen — and by the time Anil Kumble had Matt Prior caught at slip, India had tightened its hold on a day that began bleakly despite fine weather.

The most galling thing for a fan on Friday morning was the lack of play in bright sunshine. The street cafes on Radcliffe road did roaring business. Their patio chairs under all-weather marquees were rarely empty.

In the middle, the super soppers were ceaseless, having worked through the night. Players of both sides limbered up before play started four hours late. Test cricket can ill afford such days, for television may force a disastrous solution on the game’s administration. Roofs have no place in Tests, where changing conditions add to cricket’s fascinating texture.

The One-Day and the Twenty20 versions are homogenous enough to be played under cover, but Test cricket must be protected from such a fate.

The solution is to improve drainage systems. The one at Lord’s was a marvel. London had two inches of rain on the third day. Yet, play started impossibly soon after the rain stopped. Test venues everywhere must follow suit.

SCOREBOARD

England: A. Strauss c Tendulkar b Zaheer 4, A. Cook lbw b Ganguly 43, M. Vaughan c Tendulkar b Zaheer 9, K. Pietersen lbw b R.P. Singh 13, P. Collingwood b Sreesanth 28, I. Bell lbw b Zaheer 31; M. Prior c Dravid b Kumble 11, C. Tremlett (batting) 16, R. Sidebottom (batting) 0; Extras (b-4, lb-7, nb-3): 14; Total (for seven wkts. in 55overs): 169.

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Strauss), 2-24 (Vaughan), 3-47 (Pietersen), 4-101 (Collingwood), 5-109 (Cook), 6-147 (Prior), 7-157 (Bell).

India bowling: Zaheer 16-4-50-3, Sreesanth 12-7-16-1, R.P. Singh 10-1-56-1, Ganguly 8-4-11-1, Kumble 7-0-16-1, Tendulkar 2-0-9-0.

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