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HT This Day: April 21, 2002 -- Sachin matches Bradman, but India slip up
India frittered away much of the advantage gained on the first day by losing the remaining six wickets for the addition of only 77 runs to be all out for 339 a few minutes after lunch in the second Test here on Saturday However, India also got two West Indian wickets by tea for 80 to stay in the match.
India frittered away much of the advantage gained on the first day by losing the remaining six wickets for the addition of only 77 runs to be all out for 339 a few minutes after lunch in the second Test here on Saturday However, India also got two West Indian wickets by tea for 80 to stay in the match.
India, who were 262 for four overnight with Sachin Tendulkar having scored his 29th century on Friday to equal the record of Don Bradman, could not handle the West Indian pacemen on the second morning and were all out for much less than they would have bargained for when the play began on Saturday.
The West Indians then went on to make some quick runs before they lost their first wicket at 50 and the second at the stroke of tea.
Tendulkar was out in the morning for 117 and India lost five more wickets to be 331 for eight at lunch.
They lost two wickets in the second over after lunch, when Marlon Black dismissed Javagal Srinath and Ashish Nehra in a space of four balls.
India’s plight would have been far worse had VVS Laxman and Srinath not added 41 runs for the ninth wicket. Laxman ran out of partners and remained unbeaten on 69.
On Friday, 28-year-old Tendulkar threw his head back, looked up at the skies and raised both his hands in celebration after reaching his 29th hundred.
This morning, he was struggling again.
Cameron Cuffy, who had him in all sorts of problems with the moving ball, finally got one to cut back and caught him plumb in front of the wicket.
Ajay Ratra appeared tense and nervous in his first Test innings and Cuffy had him caught behind with an out swinger.
Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan were had by Adam Sanford, leaving India in danger of falling short of even 300.
But Laxman, despite the ball moving a bit, batted extremely well and Srinath made a few capital blows to take India past the mark.
The wicket, like on the first day, was not only bounce-less but the ball was also keeping a bit low.
The Indian captain will have a lot on his mind at the moment, especially after yet another failure with the bat on Friday.
Souray Ganguly, under pressure to perform overseas, once again fell cheaply after having done the hard work of seeing off the medium pacers.
SCOREBOARD
INDIA - Ist innings
S Das lbw Dillon , 10
S Bangar c Murray b Sanford 9
R Dravid b Black 67
S Tendulkar lbw b Cuffy 117
S Ganguly c Dillon b Hooper 25
VVS Laxman not out 69
A Ratra c Murray b Cuffy 0
H Singh c Cuffy b Sanford 0
Z Khan b Sanford 5
Total 339
WEST INDIES-Ist Innings
C Gayle c Das b Srinath 13
S Williams c Das b Harbhalan 43
R Sarwan batting 13 Extras
(lb-5,nb-6)
Total (for two wkts at tea) 88
