Sunday, Apr 21, 2002
Sunday, Apr 21, 2002 |
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Cricket
By Vijay Lokapally
MODERN DAY DON: Sachin Tendulkar driving Adam Sanford to the fence en route to his 29th century on the first day of the second Test in Port of Spain on Friday. —
After restricting India to 339, the West Indies was 80 for two at tea on the second day of the second Test with Stuart Williams losing his wicket at the end of the session on Saturday. Williams had looked in cracking form as he belted the Indian attack with some aggressive approach. Two fierce pull shots off Zaheer Khan stood out as the opener took stock of the situation but Harbhajan struck at the right time, inducing an inside-edge which was taken at short leg. Earlier, Chris Gayle fell to a brilliant catch at short mid-off by Shiv Sundar Das as Srinath snared him with a late inswinger which squared up the batsman. The West Indian response to the challenge was positive and set up the stage for an interesting course ahead. In the morning, the Indians almost lost the initiative to build on the advantage earned from the splendid work of Tendulkar. Having shown the way on the first day, the master found the going tough and lasted mere 25 balls on Saturday before Cameron Cuffy trapped him in front, in the midst of a sustained spell. It was the wicket the West Indies had been striving for and it came in a soft fashion when Tendulkar failed to keep the ball from hitting his pads, after having survived an appeal the previous delivery. The dismissal of Tendulkar upset India's calculations to put up a big score even though V.V. S. Laxman produced a battling half century. It was not the best of his innings but effective given the circumstances. He spent a torrid time last evening but took over the mantle wonderfully on the second morning. His innings had glimpses of his sensational timing as he drove the ball on the up. Even as he worked the ball around, Laxman steadily lost partners. Ajay Ratra failed to score on his debut, Harbhajan Singh swung too early and Zaheer Khan played all over. It was left to Laxman to consolidate the position that Tendulkar created with his determined innings. The Indian innings met a rapid end when Javagal Srinath and Ashish Nehra forgot the basics of supporting the senior partner in the middle, leaving Laxman fuming at the other end. Tendulkar's 29th Test hundred made the occasion a very special one. "It feels great to have equaled Sir Don Bradman's number of centuries but no one can match Sir Don. I would say it's a nice feeling and I would like to dedicate this century to my father. He would have been very happy to see this,'' said an emotional Tendulkar. It was a moment to cherish when Tendulkar cut the ball and came sprinting back for his second run. It was his first century in the West Indies and it meant a lot to the team, which stood and applauded the feat. There was a disciplined method to the manner in which he had approached the task. Tendulkar began with a flurry before going into a shell when moving from 20 to 40. And then came a sudden burst as he knocked 20 off just 16 balls. He continued the pace for the next 20 runs but took time once he reached 80. The next 20 runs took him 45 balls but the caution was in keeping with the situation. The Indian batting was put to test by the West Indian bowlers but the presence of Tendulkar ensured that nothing untoward took place at his end. His partnership with Dravid was the highlight of the first day and their positive outlook once again rescued the team from a difficult spot. The trench was dug early by the inconsistent Shiv Sundar Das and Sanjay Bangar but Tendulkar and Dravid put on 124 precious runs in a partnership which showed the character of the Indian batting.It was not easy to bat out there and Tendulkar said it in as many words "cricket's never been easy. It was important for me and Rahul (Dravid) to hang around. I must say that Rahul batted extremely well.'' It was a compliment that put Dravid's effort in the perspective. The maturity of the batsman reflected in the manner in which he paced his innings and grew in confidence after having studied the situation. Dravid knew well what shots to play even as he matched Tendulkar's liking to get on with the game quite early. The partnership was a joy for those who value correct strokeplay.There were a few occasions when Dravid and Tendulkar groped for the ball or ended up with a mishit but there never was an occasion which saw them indulge in any complacency. "We kept telling each other to hang around and wait for the loose ball,'' said Tendulkar of the tactic that saw the two make the most of West Indies' decision to put them in."I feel happy that I've been able to score a century in the West Indies because I'd missed three centuries here. This time it was there in my mind to get the century. It was always a dream for me score a century in the West Indies,'' said Tendulkar. Among those who watched Sachin's effort here was Sunil Gavaskar. The pupil was quick to acknowledge "He (Gavaskar) is a great player and anyone would want to follow in his footsteps and score in a similar fashion.'' Tendulkar made his intentions known very well. "I've set goals for myself and will let you know after the fifth Test. It's nice to be able to maintain this consistency. I would like to do less talking and do more batting.'' Good news for Indian cricket indeed — Tendulkar wanting to talk only through his bat
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