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Sehwag shows what he is capable of

By G. Viswanath

Virender Sehwag cuts Dominic Cork to the fence on way to his century in the second Test against England at Trent Bridge on Thursday. — Photo: N. Sridharan

Trent Bridge Aug 8. When the umpires pulled out their light metres fifteen overs after tea, it became almost certain that the last ball had been bowled on the first day of the npower second Test with India's first innings score at 210 for four wickets in 66 overs, a modest total highlighted by Virender Sehwag's contribution that was more than half of the team total. The centre plot and the boundary ring was left under the care of the yellow-jacketed security guards before play for the day was abandoned at 6. 18 p.m.

It is an oft-repeated saying that a collection of two matched sides and sunshine guarantees good cricket in any part of England. The first Test at Lord's turned out to be a classic example of an excellent contest played over five days. The converse to the golden saying must be that a thick cloud, a partial pitch would rarely contribute towards bright cricket.

Nottingham was palpably overcast on Thursday, the gloomy atmosphere, lifted earlier in the day by the happy news of 17-year-old Parthiv Patel making his debut for India, but at the misfortune of the unlucky Ajay Ratra and as the day progressed, by a plucky and persistent century by Sehwag. It would have been a near miracle if the fielding side had bowled 90 overs in six hours uninterrupted by poor light or rain. Trent Bridge was saved of rain that was falling heavily in East Midlands, but the umpires were forced to suspend play on two occasions in the day.

Sehwag has been thrust to a new role of an opener in Test cricket, not because he has been very successful in the short version of the game, but because the captain and the coach believed that a player of Sehwag's value cannot be allowed to languish in the sidelines. They created a place for him at the top, as an experiment.

Sehwag has not let the team down. The way he stepped out and got out to Ashley Giles in the first innings of the first Test annoyed a few in the team, but they did not make a big noise about it saying that the youngster has special qualities and was learning. He has scored over 200 runs in three innings in the two Tests he has played as an opener, but these are early days yet for him to have established permanency.

Sehwag's four hours and 17 minutes occupation of the crease was a fine demonstration of monumental patience if one regards his natural inclination to score at run a ball or run a minute pattern.

Playing in just his seventh Test, he must be reckoned a beginner who is learning the ropes of Test cricket the hard way.

The good thing is that he has scored his second hundred, that has eluded and haunted many in the history of the game, after they had made their debut Test memorable by scoring a century. Sehwag made 105 against South Africa at Bloemfontien last November.

Sehwag reached the three-figure mark with three boundary shots of debutant Steve Harmison, not in the same over though, but in two overs after tea was taken when play was suspended because of poor light.

Overcast conditions and a pitch that showed a distinct bias to the seam bowlers did not promise dazzling cricket. England ought to have been disappointed that their five-man seam combination did not click to put pressure further than they could manage in conditions that were most favourable to the seamers. A superb opening spell by Matthew Hoggard had reduced India to 34 for two wickets by the 17th over and England appeared to have nullified the loss of toss.

Hoggard was a cut above the rest in the first session. He adhered to the principle of bowling straight and dragged Wasim Jaffer forward and edge the ball on to the stumps. Then, after Rahul Dravid had cut him for his second boundary, Hoggard invited the right-hander for a loose drive and pay the price.

England opted to leave out the only spinner in the side - left arm spinner Ashley Giles - and took the field with five seamers in Hoggard, Dominic Cork, Harmison, Flintoff and Craig White. Though Hussain appeared to be confused about the way the pitch would behave, he still decided to pack his bowling with seamers.

Though not as fluent in the time he spent, Tendulkar looked the part he is known to be in recent times, more inclined to be defensive and punishing balls when bowlers erred in line and length. But as has been his wont, he fell to shot that has spelt doom for him many times.

According to the Indian teams physiotherapist Andrew Leipus, Anil Kumbles calf muscle (left leg) needs `strengthening' and that the leg spinner would be fit to play the third Test at Headingley, Leeds from August 22. A swollen big toe of his left leg resulted in Ajay Ratra being forced to pull out of the team this morning. He hurt his toe while batting at nets on Wednesday.

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