da betsson： Most commonly, it’s a menacing bowling performance that destroys themorale of a team
Anand Vasu reporting from Feroz Shah Kotla21-Nov-2000Most commonly, it’s a menacing bowling performance that destroys themorale of a team. When a fast bowler runs through a side there’s notime to recover. On Tuesday, at the Feroz Shah Kotla however, it was amasterly display of batting by Rahul Dravid that destroyed theZimbabweans. A double hundred from an Indian blade is uncommon, andthe level of mastery Dravid displayed over the bowling is even rarer.The unbeaten 200 Dravid notched up powered India to a strong positionat the end of the fourth day’s play of the first Test. India hadscalped five Zimbabwean wickets for 119 runs when bad light stoppedplay.If Dravid ruled with the bat, Javagal Srinath certainly was not farbehind with the ball. Charging in to openers Grant Flower and GavinRennie, the Karnataka speedster had the ball whistling through to the’keeper. He didn’t need too long to settle down either. Removing GrantFlower off the very second ball of the day, Srinath was on fire.Flower’s tale of woe was complete with that dismissal. Having bagged apair in the match, he had to bear the ignominy of having the legalityof his bowling action questioned.Gavin Rennie did not give his opening partner time to take off hispads alone. Exactly four overs later, he too fell to Srinath, thistime caught in the slips. Like his partner, he too failed to score.Alistair Campbell, Zimbabwe’s saviour on many occasions was not up tothe task on this Delhi winter day. Campbell (8) popped a catch toforward short leg off Srinath and Zimbabwe were in all manner ofstrife at 25/3.Andy Flower was now left with Stuart Carlisle to do the damagecontrol. He too looked shaky, edging a ball to Joshi at gully beforehe could get off the mark. Fortunately for the visitors, and toSrinath’s dismay, Joshi put down the sharp chance. Keen to make up forthe lapse, Joshi got into good rhythm as soon as he was handed theball. Not much later, Stuart Carlisle had taken the bait. Prodding ata turner from the left arm spinner, Carlisle (32) gave Ganguly hissecond catch of the day in the slips.The procession of batsmen headed for the pavilion did not end there.Guy Whittall, playing an irresponsible swipe, gave Murali Kartik hisfirst wicket of the match. Sadagoppan Ramesh pouched an easy catch atcover point and things began to look very bleak for Zimbabwe at 109for 5. Ten runs later, Venkataraghavan and Hampshire put a halt toZimbabwe’s misery… For the day at least. First innings centurionAndy Flower will not sleep well the night before the final day’s playof this Test match. He has 41 to his name and only the tail forcompany. Zimbabwe currently lead by 83, but that will not be a causeof worry for the Indians. Srinath will pound in first thing in themorning and look to put a quick end to the Zimbabwe innings. Barring aheroic effort from Andy Flower and a partnership of the kind thatoccurred in the first innings, there is very little that can stopIndia from going one up in this two-Test series.Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar was visibly miffed with himself. On a flatbatting track, against a friendly Zimbabwean attack, he got himselfout for just 122. Now you would say that 122 was a score to be happyabout. The way Sachin Tendulkar was batting, that should have beenjust the beginning. Overnight 70 not out, Tendulkar wasted no time inbringing up his century. After flaying Brian Strang for threeboundaries in the very first over of the day, Tendulkar pounced onanything loose. The Mumbai batting genius sometimes gets bogged downwhen in the nervous nineties. None of that today. Tendulkar brought uphis 23rd hundred with ease. There was little to choose from the 15boundaries that helped him get there. Each one was a shot of class.Tendulkar’s departure gave Sourav Ganguly a crack at the bowling. Hebecame only the second batsman of the innings not to capitalise on agood batting wicket when he edged a ball from Henry Olonga through towicketkeeper Andy Flower on 27.The tall VVS Laxman walked out to the middle and confirmed that thepitch had nothing in it for the bowlers. Playing aggressively from themoment he got to the crease, Laxman toyed with the bowling. Using hisfeet to the spinners and the full face of the bat against themediumpacers, Laxman helped himself to quick runs even as Dravidpushed hard for his double hundred. Laxman’s effortless despatching ofGrant Flower over long off was a treat to watch. Not far behind wasthe joy on Dravid’s face as he brought up his double hundred. Hedidn’t have much time to savour the moment though, as Ganguly wavedhis side off. At 458/4, India were ahead by 36 runs, but that washardly the point. They were all set to go hard at Zimbabwe. And thatwas exactly what they did.