All eyes on Tendulkar
MUMBAI: Not for nothing he earned the sobriquet 'The Wall.' The 38-year-old Rahul Dravid (82), also known for his flawless technical acumen, gave another exhibition of his legendary rock-solid doughtiness coupled with exquisite stroke-play to execute once again a composition that had all the finesse and character associated with the second top most run-ge'tter of the wo'''rld.
At close of play India were 281 for 3 in the third Test against West In'dies here on Th'''ursday.
As though to celebrate the Po'''lly Umrigar Award he was co'nferred on Wednesday, he first completed 13,000 runs in Test cricket and then re'''a'c'h'ed the 1000th run of the year, the only Test cricketer to do so this year.
On a day when batsmen co'nt'inued to make merry even th'ough the West Indies managed to get crucial breakthroughs, Dravid sto'le the limelight fr'o'm hometown favourite Sachin Te'''n'dulkar (67 batting), with some gr'''itty batting one usually associates with him.
He has been in such situations many a time and has always successfully laid a st'''rong foundation. On Thursday he too mustered all the co'''urage to defy the West Indi'an bowlers, but he was unlu'c'ky to succumb just 18 runs sh''ort of his century.
After Dravid departed the focus shifted on Tendulkar. He was the cynosure and will co'''ntinue to be so on Friday also. Looking confident and fo''cussed, the maestro inched closer to his long-awaited historic 100th century in intern'ational cricket. Tendulkar is 33 runs away from the cove'''t'''e'''d mark.
India need another 110 ru'ns to avoid the follow-on and tr'''ail by 309 runs.
In the morning, India took 19 deliveries to capture the re'''maining wicket of West Indies, who batted for 736 minutes overall. West Indies were all out for 590 in 184.1 overs. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin completed his second fi'''ve-wicket haul in his third Te''st by bowling out last man De'''v'endra Bishoo. Ashwin had t''a''ken six wickets in his ve''ry fi''rst match at Delhi.
Chasing a huge score, Vi''re'nder Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were off the blocks qu'ickly and put on 67 runs in 14.3 overs. But West Indies sk'ipper Darren Sammy had the measure of Sehwag (50-ball 37) for the third time in the series.
The visitors were fortunate to win an appeal against Ga''mbhir after he attempted a pu'll sh''ot off righ-handed pace bowler Ravi Ra''m'paul.
The left-hander was given the marching orders by ump'i're Bruce Oxenford.
But for Dravid it was business as usual. Dravid needed 21 runs to reach the 13,000 landmark. He did that with his 44th delivery when he co''ve'r drove Sammy. There was warm applause from the 20,000 crowd and his te''''ammates.
There was more to come from Dr''a''v'id. When on 48, he posted 1,000 ru'''ns in Test cricket this year. That set the tone. His bat bec'ame broader and stronger. His 62nd half-century came off 99 deliveries but his inn'ings was cut short by off-spinner Marlon Samuels.
As long as Dravid was there at the crease, Sachin Tendu'lkar, who walked in with a hu'ge roar from the crowd in expectation of his 100th ton, for a change had to take a back seat. The two have combined Te'st score of over 28,000 ru'ns, added 82 runs for the third wicket. Tendulkar batted with fe''licity.
But many a heart ski'pped in the crowd when Tendulkar was close to getting out. Wicketkeeper Carlton Bough dropped the catch off Bishoo. The batsman was on 58. In the previous over, VVS Laxman, who began with two marvellous on-drives, saw his top edge falling between cover and gully much to the frustrat'''ion of Sammy, who was surel'y the best bowler with his persistent off-line attack.
MUMBAI: Not for nothing he earned the sobriquet 'The Wall.' The 38-year-old Rahul Dravid (82), also known for his flawless technical acumen, gave another exhibition of his legendary rock-solid doughtiness coupled with exquisite stroke-play to execute once again a composition that had all the finesse and character associated with the second top most run-ge'tter of the wo'''rld.
At close of play India were 281 for 3 in the third Test against West In'dies here on Th'''ursday.
As though to celebrate the Po'''lly Umrigar Award he was co'nferred on Wednesday, he first completed 13,000 runs in Test cricket and then re'''a'c'h'ed the 1000th run of the year, the only Test cricketer to do so this year.
On a day when batsmen co'nt'inued to make merry even th'ough the West Indies managed to get crucial breakthroughs, Dravid sto'le the limelight fr'o'm hometown favourite Sachin Te'''n'dulkar (67 batting), with some gr'''itty batting one usually associates with him.
He has been in such situations many a time and has always successfully laid a st'''rong foundation. On Thursday he too mustered all the co'''urage to defy the West Indi'an bowlers, but he was unlu'c'ky to succumb just 18 runs sh''ort of his century.
After Dravid departed the focus shifted on Tendulkar. He was the cynosure and will co'''ntinue to be so on Friday also. Looking confident and fo''cussed, the maestro inched closer to his long-awaited historic 100th century in intern'ational cricket. Tendulkar is 33 runs away from the cove'''t'''e'''d mark.
India need another 110 ru'ns to avoid the follow-on and tr'''ail by 309 runs.
In the morning, India took 19 deliveries to capture the re'''maining wicket of West Indies, who batted for 736 minutes overall. West Indies were all out for 590 in 184.1 overs. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin completed his second fi'''ve-wicket haul in his third Te''st by bowling out last man De'''v'endra Bishoo. Ashwin had t''a''ken six wickets in his ve''ry fi''rst match at Delhi.
Chasing a huge score, Vi''re'nder Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were off the blocks qu'ickly and put on 67 runs in 14.3 overs. But West Indies sk'ipper Darren Sammy had the measure of Sehwag (50-ball 37) for the third time in the series.
The visitors were fortunate to win an appeal against Ga''mbhir after he attempted a pu'll sh''ot off righ-handed pace bowler Ravi Ra''m'paul.
The left-hander was given the marching orders by ump'i're Bruce Oxenford.
But for Dravid it was business as usual. Dravid needed 21 runs to reach the 13,000 landmark. He did that with his 44th delivery when he co''ve'r drove Sammy. There was warm applause from the 20,000 crowd and his te''''ammates.
There was more to come from Dr''a''v'id. When on 48, he posted 1,000 ru'''ns in Test cricket this year. That set the tone. His bat bec'ame broader and stronger. His 62nd half-century came off 99 deliveries but his inn'ings was cut short by off-spinner Marlon Samuels.
As long as Dravid was there at the crease, Sachin Tendu'lkar, who walked in with a hu'ge roar from the crowd in expectation of his 100th ton, for a change had to take a back seat. The two have combined Te'st score of over 28,000 ru'ns, added 82 runs for the third wicket. Tendulkar batted with fe''licity.
But many a heart ski'pped in the crowd when Tendulkar was close to getting out. Wicketkeeper Carlton Bough dropped the catch off Bishoo. The batsman was on 58. In the previous over, VVS Laxman, who began with two marvellous on-drives, saw his top edge falling between cover and gully much to the frustrat'''ion of Sammy, who was surel'y the best bowler with his persistent off-line attack.
News Posted: 25 November, 2011
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