Stephen Lamb
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2nd Test: India v England at Ahmedabad, 11-15 Dec 2001 Stephen Lamb |
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India 1st innings:
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Virender Sehwag announced himself immediately after tea with a wristy legside flick off a straight ball from Hoggard which fairly flew to the midwicket boundary. But there was an air of anti-climax after Tendulkar's departure as Hoggard and Flintoff stuck well to their task, keeping Laxman and Sehwag on a reasonably tight leash.
Laxman eventually brought the crowd back to life with a pull through midwicket, and Sehwag then emulated Tendulkar by hitting Dawson back over his head for six. A finely timed off-drive off White took Sehwag to 20, but White did for him in the same over, winning an lbw decision from umpire Jayaprakash as Sehwag was hit just above the knee-roll playing from the crease.
Dawson then injured his spinning finger in bizarre circumstances as he dived across to field his own bowling. The non-striker, Anil Kumble, was regaining his ground after backing up when he accidentally trod on Dawson's hand. Dawson continued after running repairs. A full toss from White gifted Laxman his 50 as he dispatched it through long-off.
Tendulkar moved into the nineties with an angled flick to the fine leg boundary off White. The hundred partnership came up off 175 balls, with Laxman contributing just 23.
England slowed the tempo as Tendulkar approached his century, but he hoisted his team's 200 (off 84 overs) with a single flicked behind square off White. Hussain took the new ball in the 85th, but to Hoggard's dismay his first delivery bounced twice before reaching the keeper. To a rapturous reception, Tendulkar then swung Hoggard away behind square leg to reach his 27th Test hundred. His second 50 had taken just 55 balls.
It took a rare blemish from Tendulkar to dismiss him as drove Hoggard without quite getting on top of the delivery. To England's evident delight Hussain held on to the catch at the second attempt at mid-on. A disappointed Tendulkar had to head for the pavilion after playing a gem of an innings.
In pleasantly cool conditions and in front of the largest crowd of the game so far at the Motera Stadium, India's hero got under way with an uppish flick through midwicket off Hoggard which just reached the rope. After a succession of singles Tendulkar completed a patient 50 by cutting Hoggard to the boundary backward of point. It was already a vital contribution, but the landmark signalled a change of tempo.
The little master brought the crowd to life in Giles' next over with a deftly swept boundary to fine leg. When Giles went round the wicket, Laxman drove him with impeccable timing through extra cover and the Warwickshire left-armer had gone for nine in an over.
Tendulkar's class shone through as he worked two Hoggard deliveries outside the off stump for boundaries between mid-on and midwicket. Hoggard's rueful smile was respectful as well as phlegmatic. It was the last over of his spell, but Dawson's re-introduction met with the sternest of receptions as Tendulkar drove him imperiously over the long-on boundary.
As Tendulkar twinkled Laxman was primarily supportive, although he punished Craig White with an off-driven boundary. At the drinks interval India were 187 for 4, just six runs short of the century partnership for the fifth wicket.
Ganguly's arrival sparked a double bowling change as Hoggard and Ashley Giles made way for Flintoff and Richard Dawson. Flintoff secured the second breakthrough of the morning when the Indian captain edged a ball that was slanting across him to the safe hands of substitute fielder Martyn Ball at first slip. Ball was fielding for Michael Vaughan, who has an upset stomach.
With the departure of the left-hander Nasser Hussain immediately brought Giles back, and VVS Laxman relieved some of the pressure on India as Flintoff strayed down the leg side. The resulting four through midwicket brought up India's hundred. It was a rare opportunity as England's bowlers maintained a tight line, and Tendulkar, of all people, was forced on to the defensive, dealing mainly in ones and twos on the legside.
Boundaries were few and far between, although Laxman managed one to third man off Flintoff. Tendulkar greeted the return of Dawson with boundaries in consecutive overs, one driven exquisitely through extra cover, and the other cut behind square as the bowler dropped marginally short. Craig White suffered too as Tendulkar took four legside runs behind square.
Although England had the better of the morning, the Test is still fascinatingly poised, with India 281 runs behind.
An expectant Ahmedabad crowd got an early taste of Tendulkar as Richard Dawson was swept to the midwicket boundary in the first over of the morning. At the other end Matthew Hoggard kept mainly to a good off-stump line, inducing the occasional false stroke from Tendulkar, although the batsman cashed in when Hoggard strayed marginally to leg.
Dawson made way for Giles after just one over, and the Warwickshire man also gave little away as India chipped away at England's first innings 407. There was reward for the accurate Hoggard when Dravid was caught behind by James Foster, playing an indeterminate stroke outside the off stump to leave India on 86 for 3.
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Date-stamped : 14 Dec2001 - 06:23