The Hindu : Sport : An intriguing final day’s play on cards

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 04, 2007
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An intriguing final day’s play on cards

S. Dinakar

Despite signs of wear and tear, pitch remains a slow turner; getting wickets is still a hard job

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

SHARP ONE: Rahul Dravid at slips is all set to snap up this chance from Sohail Tanvir at the Eden Gardens on Monday.

Kolkata: The second Test could either end in a dreary draw or witness a tense finish. Eden Gardens awaits an intriguing final day.

India, 141 for two in its second innings, leads by 301. The host is likely to declare an hour after play commences on Tuesday, setting Pakistan a target of around 350.

Anil Kumble & Co. must have been encouraged by distinct puffs of dust when the groundstaff swept the pitch at the end of the day but this surface has refused to break up. Although there were some signs of wear and tear in the second half of Monday, the pitch remains a slow turner. Getting wickets is still a hard job here.

Determined support

Misbah-ul-Haq (161 not out, 351b, 13x4, 1x6) continued to baulk India. And there was some determined support for him from Mohammad Sami (38, 123b, 2x4, 1x6) as the two added 91 crucial runs for the seventh wicket in 260 balls. Pakistan avoided the follow-on, its first target.

Kumble’s captaincy eventually fetched India the breakthrough. The skipper tossed the ball to part-time off-spinner V.V.S. Laxman and Sami’s patience ran out. Harbhajan Singh and Kumble then cleaned up the tail.

Harbhajan bowled with flight and guile. He consumed Shoaib Akhtar with a doosra and clipped Danish Kaneria’s leg-bail with a sharp off-spinner. A five-for was just reward for the bowler.

Kumble’s plan of going round the wicket to the left-handed Sohail Tanvir with a slip in place worked.

Combining well

The in-form Jaffer and Dinesh Karthik, in need of runs, combined well after Pakistan had been dismissed for 456. Jaffer was elegance and timing while Karthik overcame a hesitant start to produce a couple of authentic strokes through the off-side.

In his quest for quick runs, Karthik perished to leg-spinner Danish Kaneria. So did Jaffer (56, 75b, 7x4), but not before displaying a full-range of strokes. M.S. Dhoni and Sourav Ganguly, both promoted, strove but quick runs were not easy in coming.

Kaneria bowled a defensive leg-stump line from round the wicket. Shoaib Akhtar operated with greater control and speed. The Pakistanis appeared a better unit on the field.

Misbah’s effort had lifted the Pakistani spirits. The dasher performed the role of a stonewaller and made the crucial switch mentally.

Misbah’s temperament

Misbah’s temperament was probed by roars from a boisterous crowd and the pressure brought about by a keen close-in cordon. He played the spinners with footwork and soft hands. On those occasions when he drove, he did so with a still head and a flourishing follow-through.

On his part, Sami was impressively straight-batted. He had a slice of luck early when Rahul Dravid could not nail a chest-high catch at slip — Kumble was the unlucky bowler — but soon cut out the risks.

The host required a paceman with the air-speed to shatter defences. Such a bowler has been lacking in the Indian attack, particularly on pitches without pace and bounce.

SCOREBOARD

India - 1st innings: 616 for decl.

Pakistan - 1st innings: S. Butt c Dravid b Harbhajan 42, Y. Hameed lbw b Kumble 21, Younis c Dhoni b Munaf 43, M. Yousuf b Harbhajan 6, Misbah (not out) 161, F. Iqbal lbw b Kumble 0, K. Akmal b Harbhajan 119, M. Sami c Jaffer b Laxman 38, S. Tanvir c Dravid b Kumble 0, S. Akhtar c Dravid b Harbhajan 0, D. Kaneria b Harbhajan 0, Extras (b-8, lb-7, nb-10, w-1): 26; Total (in 151.1 overs): 456.

Fall of wickets: 1-38 (Hameed), 2-77 (Butt), 3-85 (Yousuf), 4-134 (Younis), 5-150 (Iqbal), 6-357 (Akmal), 7-448 (Sami), 8-449 (Tanvir), 9-452 (Akhtar).

India bowling: Zaheer 25.2-8-69-0, Munaf 21-4-85-1, Harbhajan 45.5-9-122-5, Kumble 47-14-122-3, Tendulkar 7-1-32-0, Ganguly 4-1-9-0, Laxman 1-0-2-1.

India - 2nd innings: W. Jaffer b Kaneria 56, D. Karthik c Misbah b Kaneria 28, M.S. Dhoni (batting) 28, S. Ganguly (batting) 24, Extras (lb-2, nb-3): 5; Total (two wkts. in 36 overs): 141.

Fall of wickets: 1-75 (Karthik), 2-95 (Jaffer).

Pakistan bowling: Akhtar 9-0-24-0, Tanvir 9-0-41-0, Sami 5-1-28-0, Kaneria 12-0-41-2, Butt 1-0-5-0.

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