Tendulkar, Dravid put Zimbabwe attack to sword

Nagpur, November 26: It is a happening rarely witnessed in Test cricket. A team scores a huge total of 600-plus runs within two days, and ...

Nagpur, November 26: It is a happening rarely witnessed in Test cricket. A team scores a huge total of 600-plus runs within two days, and then gets to bowl to the opponents on the second day itself. India achieved this exceptional feat in the ongoing second Test against Zimbabwe, thanks to a run-hungry Sachin Tendulkar, who slammed his second Test double after a gap of eight Tests.

Though Tendulkar 201 n.o. contributed one third of India8217;s mammoth 609-6 declared on a track which would make any bowling attack look mediocre, and Rahul Dravid 162 continued his excellent batting record against the Zimbabweans, the Indian slip cordon squandered a brilliant opportunity to put the tourists under further pressure in the latter stages of the day.

Zimbabwe8217;s new opening pair of Guy Whittal and Gavin Rennie was gaining confidence ball by ball on the placid pitch despite some energetic bowling from Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan. India got some much-needed respite when Rennie 19 called for a near-impossible single after playing to mid-off and was run out on a left-handed direct hit from Ajit Agarkar.

On the very next ball a chance went abegging. Facing his first ball from Zaheer, Stuart Carlisle edged through to the slips, but S Ramesh, who was manning the third slot, dropped the ball as if it came straight from the furnace.

The Africans 59-1 needed to score 410 to avoid a follow-on, with Guy Whittal on 34 and Stuart Carlisle 4 when play was called off four overs short due to bad light.

Earlier, India treated the Zimbabwe attack like it comprised novices bowling at the nets. Sachin 49 overnight hurried to surpass the fifty mark with a single in the first over of the day. And then runs began pouring in from Sachin8217;s brutal blade. Meanwhile, Dravid, who was stranded at 99 at close on Friday, flicked Heath Streak to the mid-wicket boundary to celebrate his hundred, coming immediately after a match-winning double ton at Delhi.

Grant Flower sporting a glowing pate, was sent over the long on fence by Dravid. There was no stopping Tendulkar who hammered Brian Murphy for two consecutive fours. He reached his 24th ton with a single to midwicket. His hundred came in 155 balls with 15 boundaries.

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Dravid could have been resting in the dressing much earlier, but for a dropped catch off a Murphy turner by midwicket fielder Guy Whithall.

After Dravid8217;s failure of reaching the consecutive doble, India8217;s run-rate slowed down as Saurav Ganguly failed to exploit the chance, though he hit a towering six. Pinch-hitter Agarkar8217;s promotion also failed to achieve the magic 600 score before tea. Sunil Joshi8217;s 18-ball knock added to the delight of the Sunday crowd, which was waiting impatiently for Tendulkar8217;s double century, for they knew that it would force Indian skipper to declare the innings.

INDIA first innigns

S Das c Campbell b Murphy 175b, 252mts, 19215;4 110

S Ramesh run out 65b, 98mts, 7215;4 48

R Dravid c A Flower b H Streak 301b, 402mts, 20215;4, 1215;6 162

S Tendulkar Not Out 281b, 392mts, 27215;4 201

S Ganguly c Streak b Flower 64b, 86mts, 2215;4, 1215;6 30

A Agarkar c Streak b Murphy 27b, 25mts, 1215;4 12

S Joshi c Murpy b G Flower 18b, 23mts, 4215;4 27

V Dahiya Not Out 5b, 4mts 02

Extras:

17 lb 11, nb 2, W 4

Fall of wickets: 1-72, 2-227, 3-476, 4-535, 5-564, 6-601