It could have been due to the long hours spent moping,regretting and twiddling their thumbs on the opening day,but the real reason behind Indias improved show on Day Two came about thanks to the bowler who started the proceedings. While the watered-down display by the visitors on rain-curtailed Thursday would have triggered the change,Ishant Sharmas dream first over on Friday set the tone for the pre-lunch session. Day One had started with RP Singhs rather friendly and leisurely bowling,something that helped the England openers settle into their zones before commanding play. In stark contrast,Sharmas fiery first six balls that cost in-form Alastair Cook his wicket as poked towards the slips was soon followed by an intense battle between bat and ball,a feature that lasted all the way till lunch. For that brief period,The Oval witnessed high quality Test cricket. Eager fielders formed tight circles around the batsmen,even as bowlers attacked in tandem,plotting devious downfalls from either end. In a rare show of intensity,Indias tired legs didnt look so tired diving around and chasing the ball hard. It was a vicious cycle,as this ensured that the bowlers got enough support to tighten their noose. Fine contest with a past The feature duel of the morning was between Sharma and England captain Andrew Strauss. It was not only a fine contest,but one that has a past. On the opening day,Strauss had the peak of his helmet destroyed thanks to a Sharma snorter. But on Friday,Sharma had to wait for a while before he could have a go at Strauss. This was because each of the first dozen deliveries that the overnight opener faced were bowled by RP Singh. Although RP had a better start as compared to his show on the first day,the left-arm seamers military medium pace didnt force Strauss to shiver in fear. He is no doubt a nervous starter unable to middle quite a few of RPs deliveries but still the line wasnt probing or consistent enough to cost Strauss his wicket. But that changed when he faced Sharma. Strauss not only looked vulnerable right from the outset,but by using the short ball with venom,the young pacer started mirroring his guru and the England skippers long time nemesis Zaheer Khan. Strauss,like South African counterpart Graeme Smith,had been one of several left-handed openers who had repeatedly fallen to Zaheers guile. Before this series,MS Dhoni had exploited Strausss uncertainty outside the off-stump,only to regularly pouch him caught behind. At Lords,though,Zaheer change his plan to deceive his bunny. He bowled a surprise short ball that saw Strauss mistiming a pull shot. An ardent Zaheer pupil,Sharma adopted the same ploy. He continued to keep Strauss on the backfoot by bouncing him,curtailing any front foot play. Constantly on the watch for surprise bumpers,Strauss was reluctant to drive,ensuring he played and miss a few shots. The uncertainty that Sharma sowed in Strauss mind went on the help S Sreesanth,who came on from the other end. Still shaky,the left-hander finally edged one while trying to drive a ball way outside his off-stump. For that brief while,it looked like the real Team India had finally taken the field. Not eleven disillusioned men.
