The Hindu : Sport : Younis thwarts India’s victory bid

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Wednesday, Dec 05, 2007
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Younis thwarts India’s victory bid

S. Dinakar

Mohammad Yousuf plays second fiddle; Jaffer named Man-of-the-Match

— Photo: K.R. Deepak

AN INNINGS OF CHARACTER: Acting captain Younis Khan withstood the pressures of the final day to take Pakistan to safety.

Kolkata: Younis Khan is outspoken and has the ability to walk the talk. His 15th Test hundred made a statement about commitment. And Pakistan lived to fight another day.

The stand-in captain withstood the pressures of the final day after India had made the early breakthroughs. Set a target of 345, Pakistan ended on a creditable 214 for four.

India continues to lead 1-0 in the IndianOil series with the final Test beginning in Bangalore on December 8. The host, however, failed to close out the series when Pakistan was at its most vulnerable.

Distinct chance

India had a distinct sniff on Tuesday when Pakistan lost its fourth wicket for 78. Younis and senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf then dug in deep. The fifth wicket-pair added 136 unbeaten runs in 37 overs amidst appeals from the close-in fielders and din and noise from the crowd.

The pitch, even on the last day, was their ally. Appropriately, Wasim Jaffer, a batsman, was adjudged the Man-of-the-Match. Younis too would have been a contender. He now has centuries in successive Tests at the Eden Gardens. A blithe spirit, he brings character to the side.

Younis (107 not out, 182b, 14x4) was adept with his footwork, secure in defence and enterprising when the opportunity arose. Yousuf’s (44 not out, 110b, 6x4) front-foot play reflected his quality. He is a crafty batsman, old and wise.

Earlier, there were a couple of wickets for paceman Shoaib Akhtar as India stretched its lead to 344 before declaring 80 minutes ahead of lunch.

Innovative move

With Salman Butt unwell, Kamran Akmal walked out with Yasir Hameed. The innovative Anil Kumble opened the attack with Zaheer Khan.

There were successes for India. Hameed mistimed a drive back to an alert Zaheer before lunch and Kumble removed Akmal with a leg-spinner. The Indian captain prised out Butt too, with a ball turning into the left-hander from round the wicket.

The nature of the pitch, a slow turner at best, did not help the bowlers’ cause. The surface held firm on the final day. Predictably, there were a few roughs on a fifth-day wicket; this was countered by the batsmen’s defensive ways which included pad-play. The wicket is under the scanner.

Perhaps, the Indian think-tank erred by not employing the heavy roller before the host began its second innings. India led by 160 runs and there was little risk involved. The heavy rollers bind the pitch initially but can, potentially, break a surface in the last phase.

Kumble and Harbhajan have been more destructive on similar Eden Gardens wickets in the past but the spin duo was operating with the Kookaburra ball — it has a smaller seam — this time. The SG balls, with a more pronounced seam, grip the sub-continental surfaces better. Someone like Harbhajan had achieved more bounce with the SG ball in the past.

Dropped catches

The side also needs to hold its catches. India was still in with a chance when the ball bounced high from Yousuf’s bat and pad off Harbhajan. India had a short-leg and a silly point in place but, shockingly, neither fielder reacted.

Earlier, Dinesh Karthik put down a reflex catch at short-leg when Misbah-ul-Haq had not opened his account. Kumble, the bowler, was exasperated. Fortunately for India, Misbah was soon cleaned up by a mean Munaf off-cutter.

On wickets such as the one at the Eden Gardens, half chances have to be snaffled up. Despite the pitch, India lacked the killer instinct.

SCOREBOARD India — 1st innings: 616 for five decl.

Pakistan — 1st innings: 456.

India — 2nd innings: W. Jaffer b Kaneria 56, D. Karthik c Misbah b Kaneria 28, M.S. Dhoni b Akhtar 37, S. Ganguly b Akhtar 46, R. Dravid (not out) 8, Extras (lb-3, nb-6): 9; Total (for four wkts. decl. in 42.4 overs): 184.

Fall of wickets: 1-75 (Karthik), 2-95 (Jaffer), 3-166 (Dhoni), 4-184 (Ganguly).

Pakistan bowling: Akhtar 12.4-0-46-2, Tanvir 9-0-41-0, Sami 5-1-28-0, Kaneria 15-0-61-2, Butt 1-0-5-0.

Pakistan — 2nd innings: Y. Hameed c & b Zaheer 14, K. Akmal b Kumble 14, S. Butt lbw b Kumble 11, Younis (not out) 107, Misbah b Munaf 6, M. Yousuf (not out) 44, Extras (b-8, lb-6, nb-4): 18; Total (for four wkts. in 77 overs): 214.

Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Hameed), 2-37 (Akmal), 3-65 (Butt), 4-78 (Misbah).

India bowling: Zaheer 8-0-32-1, Kumble 25-4-73-2, Munaf 10-3-21-1, Harbhajan 31-5-67-0, Tendulkar 3-0-7-0.

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