The Hindu : Sport : Time for the bowlers to get back

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 30, 2006

Sport

Sport

Time for the bowlers to get back

S. Dinakar

— PHOTOS: PTI

TERRIFIC THREE: Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohd. Yousuf gave Irfan Pathan a place in the record books as the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the first over of a Test match.

Karachi: The final Allianz Test began with Irfan Pathan's brilliance, developed into a keen contest through Kamran Akmal's fighting ways, and promises to turn into an absolute thriller with the Pakistani pacemen striking hard in the late afternoon.

It was an extraordinary day's cricket at the National Stadium on Sunday and a remarkable contrast to the run feasts of the first two Tests. The failure of the Indians to close out the Pakistan innings, after the home side was reeling at 39 for six, could prove costly for the visitors on a surface where there is already evidence of variable bounce. As the ball became softer, the Indian attack lost its sting. Replying to Pakistan's 245, India was struggling at 74 for four in 16 gripping overs of action with the home pacemen having their tails up.

The Test holds intriguing possibilities. Karachi played true to its reputation. There invariably is considerable assistance for the pacemen here in the first and the last sessions due to the moisture content and the breeze from the sea. It is generally in the middle session that the batsmen call the shots.

Pathan swung the ball with great skill and precision to achieve a sensational hat-trick in the day's first over. He eventually finished with five for 61. The paceman bowled with rhythm and control on a pitch with a greenish tinge that offered bounce and movement.

It was a dramatic first over. Off Pathan's fourth ball, the left-handed Salman Butt, edging a delivery leaving him, was held splendidly at first slip by Rahul Dravid. Younis Khan was tentative against a sphere darting into him and the umpire upheld Pathan's appeal. Yousuf received an outstanding delivery which swung in and straightened after pitching.

Without its inspirational captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, who ultimately could not recover from a muscular strain of the back in time, and then losing a crucial toss, Pakistan found itself reduced to zero for three and 39 for six.

Spunky

The spunky Akmal once again put his hand up during a period of grave crisis for his team. The wicket-keeper batsman's outstanding 113 (148b, 18x4) defined courage under adversity. And there was considerable sting in the bottom order with Abdul Razzaq and Shoiab Akhtar contributing 45 each.

A combination of factors — the pitch easing out just a little, a drop in the intensity and discipline of the Indian attack, the ball losing its hardness, and some fine batting by the Pakistani lower order — meant that the host progressed to a respectable 245.

Akmal and Razzaq added 115 for the seventh wicket in 160 balls and then the wicket-keeper batsman and Akhtar put together 82 in 116 deliveries for the eighth wicket.

How costly the runs added by Akmal & Co. might prove for India can be gauged by the inroads the Pakistani pacemen made in the last session. Akhtar operated with pace and hostility and prised out Virender Sehwag with a peach of a delivery that seamed, bounced and left the right-hander. The impressive Mohammad Asif probed in the corridor, securing a fatal nick from Rahul Dravid; the Indian captain opened the innings with V.V.S. Laxman, since Sehwag, having spent time in the dressing room, needed to be on the field for ten minutes to enable him open with Dravid. He had been in the arena for seven minutes when the Pakistan innings concluded.

Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar showed glimpses of promise before falling. Asif delivered a peach of an off-cutter that streaked through the gap between Laxman's bat and pad. Tendulkar, struck on the helmet by a furiously fast bouncer from Akhtar, attempted to drive Abdul Razzaq without using his feet and saw his stumps disturbed.

Sourav Ganguly (9), who essayed a couple of elegant stokes on the leg-side, and Yuvraj Singh (7) were together at stumps. The first hour on Monday holds much significance for both teams.

Earlier, Pakistan was sent reeling by Pathan and Zaheer sharing the new ball; in a change of strategy, Rudra Pratap Singh bowled first change.

Pathan's effort confirmed that he has indeed rediscovered his inswing. It was a wonderful display simply because he landed the ball in the right area from the first over and shifted his line adeptly to the left and right-handers.

Zaheer hit the deck, got the ball to seam in, and both Faisal Iqbal and Shahid Afridi were dismissed misjudging the line. Imran Farhat, settling down well, gifted his wicket away when he flashed at R.P. Singh. Akmal, driving the ball forcefully on the off-side, and clipping and pulling well, and a determined Abdul Razzaq steadied the innings.

Akmal (on 81) might have been reprieved when Dhoni fumbled with an easy gathering after the Pakistani gave Kumble the charge, but his fourth Test century and second in the series was a high-quality effort.

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