 Harbhajan takes five as India take big lead at Eden Gardens
3rd Dec 2007 22:03 IST
Agencies
The Indian second innings could have started with a jolt, but for Pakistan's stand-in skipper Younis Khan, who dropped an outside edge offered by Jaffer at second slip.
The Indians were yet to open their account at that stage and Akhtar, who seemed to have recovered from his indisposition and bowled at a fierce pace, was the victim.
Jaffer left behind the hiccup and began playing some delightful wristy shots. Two consecutive fours off pacer Tanvir early on and back-to-back boundaries off Sami in the 11th over deserve special mention.
The partnership ended when Dinesh Karthik (55b, 5x4), having spanked Kaneria twice consecutively over the covers to the ropes, paid the price for being too aggressive. He went for a sweep without getting into position and Misbah caught the miscued stroke at square leg.
Jaffer completed his 50 with a single to backward square leg off Kaneria, the milestone having come in 100 minutes off 70 balls, with seven boundaries.
However, Kaneria removed Jaffer a little later when the Mumbai right-hander missed a ball that turned in from outside the leg-stump and saw his citadel rattled.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was promoted to number three in the batting order, played with nudges and pushes, picking up only one four during his unfinished 53-ball stint.
Sourav Ganguly, sent to bat ahead of Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar got an early life when on eight as he went for an uppish drive off Kaneria and but Akhtar dropped the catch at mid-off.
When play ended, Ganguly was six short of 6,000 Test runs playing his 98th match.
After a 160-run first innings lead, the Indians were 141/2, with Dhoni (28) and Ganguly (24) in the middle when the match was stopped early due to bad light with four overs still to be bowled at the Eden Gardens.
With Pakistan having stretched their opening essay to 456 in reply to the hosts' mammoth total of 616/5 declared, the hosts now have an overall lead of 301 and would look for an early declaration on the final day tomorrow to put pressure on Pakistan and look for a series clinching 2-0 lead in the three-Test series. |
