Sunday, Oct 12, 2003
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Cricket
By G. Viswanath
Indians celebrate the dismissal of New Zealand opener Mark Richardson who was caught by Akash Chopra off Anil Kumble, on the fourth day of the first Test match at Ahmedabad on Saturday. — Photo: Vivek Bendre
India 500 for five decl. & 209 for six decl. New Zealand 340 & 48 for one
What is more, Mark Richardson and Lou Vincent were facing the situation with calm assurance later in the afternoon when legspinner Anil Kumble struck the first blow dismissing Richardson with a delivery that gained height. The ball travelled from the top of the bat to Akash Chopra at the nearest catching position on the on side. The left-hander's dismissal has brought immense pressure on New Zealand which would find chasing the big fourth innings score a tall order. The penultimate day's play threw up many challenges for India. First, it had to keep the overnight pair in Daniel Vettori and Paul Wiseman in check. Having defied for more than one and half-hours on Friday evening Vettori had shown he is no rabbit with the bat. His partner, Wiseman had contributed with stubborn resistance and the two seemed to be keen for a battle. India's captain Sourav Ganguly weighed his options in order to get the best and quick results in the morning and reposed faith on his specialist spinners. But Vettori and Wiseman achieved the first target of 301 playing carefully for three quarters of an hour. Finally, Zaheer Khan removed the offspinner from the scene. The ninth-wicket partnership yielded 67 runs off 160 balls. Yet, India managed to get a sizeable lead of 160 when Dravid snapped up a flier at slip and brought to an end a plucky show by Vettori exactly half an hour before lunch. Once again Fleming employed his limited resources tactically. Daryl Tuffey bowled a spell of nine overs and conceded just two runs an over. Jacom Oram bowled six, gave away 17 and picked up the wicket of Virender Sehwag. In short when the Black Caps seamers operated with the new ball, runs came in a trickle. Their fielders threw themselves near the ropes and saved fours. Time was running out and the onus was passed on to Dravid and Laxman with Sachin Tendulkar going cheaply. Dravid has mastered the New Zealand bowling and was at ease dealing with them again. The arrival of Laxman lightened his burden. The session between lunch and tea produced 112 runs in 28 overs and Laxman contributed 44 runs in a spectacular manner, always looking to play shots to the boundary and beyond it. Charging down the pitch he met the ball at its pitch and sent it racing between the gaps and beating fieldsmen on the fence. The spinners took a solid beating, leaving perhaps for the first time in the match, Fleming frustrated and take the tide of events as it were happening. India's vice-captain was the batsman in form. He took charge at the fall of Sehwag and swung into action, ondriving, pulling and was inclined to improvise shots. After playing a great shot wide of mid-of off Vettori, he fell to Wiseman driving uppishly to cover. Nonetheless it was a terrific effort from him. Ganguly was all aggression lifting two sixes off Wiseman and Vettori and the moment he was bowled by the offspinner he declared with enough runs on the board for his bowlers to attack and exploit the last day pitch. SCOREBOARD
Fall of wickets: 1-11 (Richardson), 2-16 (Vincent), 3-16 (Fleming), 4-108 (Styris), 5-199 (McMillan), 6-223 (Astle),7-227 (Oram), 8-265 (Hart), 9-332 (Wiseman).
Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Sehwag), 2-97 (Chopra), 3-118 (Tendulkar), 4-166 (Dravid), 5-177 (Laxman), 6-209 (Ganguly).
Fall of wicket: 1-44 (Richardson).
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