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Saturday, March 19, 2005

Cricket: 2nd Test. 4th Day. India set Pakistan 422 to Win.

AFP Photo Rahul Dravid's Century
Rahul Dravid Scores a Century in both Innings.
Rahul Dravid scored a century in both innings of a test for the 2nd time in his career and Dinesh Karthik gave good support as India took the match away from Pakistan on the 4th afternoon of the 2nd test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Rahul Dravid had earlier scored a century in both innings (190 and 103 n.o.) of a test during the 1998/99 season versus New Zealand in Hamilton, NZ.

Rahul Dravid scored 110 runs in the first innings and then true to his nickname, played like a Wall in the second innings scoring 135 runs to hold the innings together and give India enough runs on board to push for a win tomorrow.

Ganguly fails again-nothing new!
Saurav Ganguly was out trying to pull a short one from Sami and ended up miscuing the shot and Sami ran toward mid-wicket to take a caught-and-bowled chance. One fails to recollect the last time Saurav Ganguly had played an innings of substance when India needed it the most.

Laxman retires hurt
VVS Laxman retired hurt soon after; hit on the head by a rising delivery from Sami. In came Dinesh Karthik and all of a sudden it looked like Pakistan were in with a real chance of ending the India innings under 250.

Dinesh Karthik's gutsy batting.
Dinesh Karthik arrived at the crease with the score on 161/4. He played the best-innings of his short test career. Karthik kept the scoreboard moving and gave good support to Rahul Dravid. They shared a 167 runs partnership that gave India a lead of more than 300.

Two quick wickets before tea
Rahul Dravid and Dinesh Karthik fell in quick succession. Rahul Dravid was out for 135 runs (283 balls 15 fours) and Dinesh Karthik missed his maiden test century by seven runs (93 runs 140 balls 13 fours) when he was bowled by Danish Kaneria.

421 runs ahead
Laxman was stumped by Kamran Akmal of Danish Kaneria; Harbhajan didn't last long and went for a duck, and so did Balaji; both taken by Razzaq. Irfan hit two sixes off Kaneria and is unbeaten of 38 with Kumble the last man in.

Brief Scores: 2nd Test, 4th Day. At 03:57 p.m. IST
India...1st Innings...407 all out
Pakistan...1st Innings...393 all out
India...2nd Innings...407 for 9 declared
Pakistan...2nd Innings...18 for no loss (17 overs remaining)

I will write more on Rahul Dravid's batting and the shots that he played and on Dinesh Karthik's gutsy, fighting innings of 93 after watching the highlights of the day's play.

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posted by Chirayu @ 3:59:00 PM