2nd Test: India v England at Ahmedabad, 11-15 Dec 2001 CricInfo Live Report

2nd Test: India v England at Ahmedabad, 11-15 Dec 2001
Stephen Lamb

India 2nd innings: India start steadily, England held up, Test heads for draw, England dismiss openers, India secure draw,
Live Reports from previous days

INDIA BAT THROUGH TO DRAW SECOND TEST

Expectations of a gripping final day at Ahmedabad came to nothing as India batted their way to a tame draw, ensuring that they cannot lose the series. The two captains called a halt after India had reached 198 for 3 to preserve their 1-0 lead ahead of next week's final Test at Bangalore.

England resumed with spin at both ends after tea, with Dravid and Tendulkar intent primarily on survival. As India's safety grew more assured, a square cut boundary from Dravid was emulated by Tendulkar to provide some light relief. Every ball to Tendulkar met with a crescendo of expectation, and he made the most of the few pickings on offer.

Ashley Giles left the field after bowling 31 overs for 57 runs without reward, and the enforced bowling change meant a recall for Hoggard. As a draw became inevitable Foster took the opportunity to practice standing up to Hoggard, while Dawson continued to wheel away at the other end. He found a good one which turned on to Tendulkar, and the resulting edge into his pad presented Michael Vaughan with a straightforward catch at short leg. Tendulkar walked off without waiting for a decision.

England took the new ball in the 92nd over, by which time the result of the match was a foregone conclusion. Although Andrew Flintoff again did his best to rough up Sourav Ganguly, the Indian captain stayed with Dravid until the close.

TAME DRAW LOOMS DESPITE DOUBLE BREAKTHROUGH

India look certain to retain their 1-0 series lead as the second Test in Ahmedabad meanders towards a draw. A run out and a catch at silly point accounted for the home team's openers in the afternoon session, but with India 140 for 2 at tea it will take an extraordinary final session to deliver an England victory.

Dawson's return to the attack raised the tempo a fraction, with a Dasgupta boundary through extra cover, a close shout for lbw, and Dasgupta's 50, reached off 150 balls with five boundaries.

It took a run-out to break the deadlock, as Das called for a a risky second after glancing Dawson towards fine leg. An excellent throw from Giles was gathered safely by James Foster, who broke the wicket with Das marginally short of his ground.

The crowd's view of India's approach was illustrated by the cheering which greeted Das's dismissal for 58. They wanted Sachin Tendulkar but had to wait, as Rahul Dravid appeared in his customary position at number three.

A fine, sprawling stop from Hussain at extra cover denied Dravid as England's all-spin attack continued to keep India in check, and Dawson secured a second breakthrough when Dasgupta, on 60, pushed forward and was caught after a brief juggle by Mark Butcher at silly point off pad and bat.

India were 124 for two and Tendulkar's entrance brought the crowd's customary roar of excitement. The pace remained slack however, and Hussain recalled White in his constant quest for variety. Tendulkar unravelled a crunching square cut as Dawson dropped short, and Dravid clipped White through midwicket, but as tea approached there was little else to excite the crowd.

STALEMATE LOOMS AS OPENERS DIG IN

The second Test match at Ahmedabad appears destined for a tame draw as India's opening batsmen Shiv Sunder Das and Deep Dasgupta continue to frustrate the tourists, plainly intent on denying England the victory which would enable them to draw level in the series. After 50 overs India were 105 without loss.

Craig White was brought into the England attack for the first time straight after lunch, to bowl in harness with Giles. Dasgupta was deceived in the flight in Giles' first over after the break as the ball went between bat and pad for four byes.

The hundred came up in the 42nd over as Das nudged Giles around the corner behind square. The placid nature of the pitch was apparent when an attempted bouncer from White sailed harmlessly past Dasgupta's off stump at medium height.

Despite signs of frustration in the crowd, Das and Dasgupta refused to raise the tempo as England's frustration continued.

INDIAN OPENERS FRUSTRATE ENGLAND

England could not make any inroads into the Indian batting in the first session of the final day at Ahmedabad. Chasing an unlikely victory target of 374, Shiv Sunder Das and Deep Dasgupta had taken India to 92 without loss at lunch.

India eventually reached the 50 mark in the 25th over as Dasgupta took a single into the covers off Dawson, and Hussain continued to ring the changes in search of a breakthrough. Hoggard returned as Dawson switched ends, and the pace bowler again held a consistent off-stump line, beginning his spell with another maiden.

A perfectly-timed cover drive brought Dasgupta a boundary in Hoggard's next over, and Das reached his 1,000th run in Test cricket with four square cut off Dawson. The stroke was repeated with the same result in Dawson's next over. There was a strangled lbw appeal from Hoggard as Dasgupta edged into his pad, and there was scant justice for the Yorkshireman as Dasgupta squeezed the last ball of the over to the third man boundary. A rare legside delivery in Hoggard's next next over brought four more to fine leg.

With the Ahmedabad crowd in a ferment, Das gave India's supporters what they wanted from the last ball before lunch, pushing Giles for a single to reach an excellent half century.

STEADY START BY INDIA AS ENGLAND STRIVE FOR BREAKTHROUGH

England were still seeking their first wicket after 23 overs of India's second innings on the final day of the second Test at Ahmedabad. As India pursued an unlikely victory target of 374, a watchful start by Shiv Sunder Das and Deep Dasgupta had taken the home side to 47 without loss.

England opened with pace in the form of Matthew Hoggard, who began with two consecutive maidens, and Andrew Flintoff. The latter was dispatched for the first boundary of the morning as Dasgupta stroked a well pitched up delivery past mid-off.

Hoggard made way Ashley Giles in the seventh over of the morning and the response was aggressive, Das driving him for two and four (cover) and another four (long on) when he overpitched. Giles switched to over the wicket in his second over, a maiden resulting.

The spinners were soon operating in tandem when Richard Dawson replaced Flintoff, conceding just a single in his first over of the morning. Four fielders surrounded the bat for the off spinner, who immediately dropped in to a good off-stump line. But Dasgupta extracted full value from a rare short delivery, hammering it to the cover boundary.