The Hindu : Laxman's knock, the saving grace for India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 01, 2003

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Laxman's knock, the saving grace for India

V.V.S. Laxman plays his trademark pull shot on the second day of the three-day tour match between India and Queensland in Brisbane on Sunday. — Photo: Darren England/Getty Images

Brisbane Nov. 30. V.V.S. Laxman's 74 was the only saving grace for the Indians who were restricted to 208 for nine declared in their first innings by the Queensland Academy of Sports on the second day of the three-day cricket match here on Sunday.

The touring Indians batted disastrously to finish their innings with a first innings deficit of 96 that was swelled further with the host having reached 79 for two in its second innings at stumps.

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly had said before the start of the game that it was difficult to achieve a result in a three-day game but the host intends to do exactly the same on the critical final day on Monday.

``We for sure are looking to press the issue,'' declared Lee Carsledine, the first innings centurion, who was unbeaten on 31 in the second essay at close.

Starting the day at 17 for three, the Indians suffered an immediate blow when Ganguly was dismissed for six in the team total of 26 for four.

Laxman then played an elegant knock of 74 runs from 150 balls in 217 minutes which included 10 fours and a six before a delivery from off-spinner Chris Simpson hurried on to him and bent back his off-stump.

He jumped from 50 to 74 in a mere 11 deliveries as he opened out in the afternoon after digging in his heels in the morning session.

Laxman shared a useful stand of 77 from 220 balls with Rahul Dravid, who looked neat in his 38 runs before tamely lobbing a catch at short midwicket off fast bowler Joe Dawes.

Laxman played marvellous drives through the offside and once even went down on his knees to smash off-spinner Simpson over midwicket fence for six but his dismissal came at the wrong time for the Indians.

He had built up a swift stand of 42 runs from 43 balls for the sixth wicket with Sadgopan Ramesh (21) before his dismissal cut short what appeared to be a certain century.

Ramesh once again wasted a very good start by dashing down the wicket for a non-existent single and failed to regain ground after being turned back too late by his partner Parthiv Patel.

Patel (19) too was extremely positive in his short stay hitting four fours before he cut straight to deep point off Steve Magoffin.

Ajit Agarkar, playing his first match on the tour, contributed a valuable 18 before being dismissed by Magoffin.

The home team lost an early wicket when Chris Simpson (5) departed leg before wicket to Irfan Pathan but then they made good use of the remaining overs.

The home team had powered to a score of 79 for two by close with Carsledine (31) and Daniel Payne (35) sharing a second wicket stand of 67 runs in 72 minutes.

Indians got something to cheer about at the fag end of the day when Payne fell leg before in the first over of part-time off-spinner Virender Sehwag.

The scores:

Queensland Academy of Sport — 1st innings: 304 for six declared

India — 1st innings: A. Chopra c Carseldine b Brant 0, V. Sehwag c Hartley b Dawes 6, D. Dasgupta lbw b Brant 0, V.V.S. Laxman b Simpson 74, S. Ganguly c Hartley b Dawes 6, R. Dravid c LeLoux b Dawes 38, S. Ramesh (run out) 21, P. Patel c LeLoux b Magoffin 19, A. Agarkar c Farrell b Magoffin 18, A. Kumble (not out) 8, I. Pathan (not out) 4; Extras (lb-11, w-1, nb-2) 14; Total (for nine wickets, declared) 208.

Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-7, 3-11, 4-26, 5-103, 6-145, 7-177, 8-192, 9-203.

Queensland Academy of Sport bowling: Dawes 17-4-36-3, Brant 13-4-39-2, Jurgensen 12-5-20-0, Magoffin 12-4-28-2, Simpson 15-2-54-1, LeLoux 4-0-20-0.

Queensland Academy of Sport — 2nd innings: D. Payne lbw b Sehwag 35, C. Simpson lbw b Pathan 5, L. Carseldine (batting) 31, A. Nye (batting) 2; Extras (b-4, nb-2) 6; Total (for two wickets) 79.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-73.

India bowling: Agarkar 5-0-13-0, Pathan 7-0-24-1, Balaji 5-0-28-0, Kumble 3-1-6-0, Sehwag 2-0-4-1. — PTI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport