The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Laxman in his element

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Saturday, Jan 01, 2005

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Laxman in his element

By Our Sports Reporter

HYDERABAD, DEC. 31. V.V.S. Laxman served a reminder to the selectors by playing a captain's innings (135, 260 min, 186 balls, 18 x 4) and help Hyderabad clinch the first day's honours against Assam in the final league match of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group `B' at Gymkhana Grounds here today.

Put in to bat, it looked at one stage as though there would be another familiar batting failure. But, Laxman had a sobering influence first on Ambati Tirupati Rayudu (36, 60b, 6 x 4, 1 x 6) and then N.S. Arjun Yadav (54, 122b, 7 x 4, 1 x 6) to ensure that Hyderabad finished the day at a challenging score of 337 for eight.

Three reprieves

Laxman, himself was a beneficiary of three dropped chances on 10, 60 and another immediately after touching the three-figure mark. But his long stay at the crease was just what the doctor prescribed. Rayudu showed unusual patience to begin with before finally opening out with his typical flamboyant strokes — the one clearing long-on and then the inside-out cover drive to the fence — both off left-arm spinner Sukhvinder Singh stood out for sheer class and timing which saw Laxman walk down the track to applaud. Just when he looked set for a long due, big knock Rayudu perished flicking one from Arlen Konwar straight to forward short-leg.

At the other end, Laxman showed his class in stroke selection, initially taking time to adjust to the pitch which was on the slower side. But there was a stamp of authority everytime he launched into his trademark strokes on either side of the wicket. The way he cover-drove, square-cut and steered Mark Ignty for three consecutive boundaries to race to 91 from 79 was a treat to watch. It was Laxman's 21st Ranji century in his 43rd match, equalling M.V. Sridhar's feat in 78 matches and in the process also crossed 5000 runs — the only third batsman after M.L. Jaisimha and M.V. Sridhar to do so, according to Mr. Thomas Blessington, official scorer of Hyderabad Cricket Association.

Bad day for Zuffri

And surprisingly, for Assam the culprit of the day proved to be the captain and wicket-keeper Zakaria Zuffri who first floored a simple chance off Laxman then on 10 off Zaman and then again failed to latch on to a mistimed pull stroke when the batsman just reached his hundred. And, then Vishnuvardhan, dropped in the slips cordon before he crossed his double figures, unleashed a flurry of strokes all over the ground.

At one stage, it looked as if Assam would restrict the home team below 300 as the scoreline read 285 for seven. Then southpaw Vishnuvardhan threw caution to winds with his lusty blows. The grim faces of the helpless Assam fielders during the left-hander's onslaught resembled those of the Tsunami victims.

The scores:

Hyderabad — 1st innings: Daniel Manohar c Sukhwinder Singh b R. Satish 37, Anirudh Singh lbw Mark Ignty 0, D. Vinay Kumar c Z. Zuffri b M. Talukdar 3, V.V.S. Laxman c Jeson Lamare b Arlen Konwar 135, A.T. Rayudu c Gokul Sharma b Arlen Konwar 36, N.S. Arjun Yadav c Z. Zuffri b Arlen Konwar 54, I.S. Reddy c Z. Zuffri b Sukhwinder Singh 0, Ibrahim Khaleel (batting) 5, S. Vishnuvardhan c Sukhwinder Singh b R. Satish 50. Extras (6b, 5lb, 6w) 17. Total (for eight wkts. in 89.2 overs) 337.

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-35, 3-79, 4-144, 5-279, 6-284, 7-285, 8-337.

Assam bowling: Javed Zaman 18-5-62-0, Mark Ignty 20-3-97-1, Talukdar 13-4-42-1, R.Satish 5.2-0-15-2, Sukhwinder Singh 19-5-68-1, Arlen Konwar 14-2-42-3.

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