IN ELITE CLUB: Alastair Cook, who came up with a beautifully conceived century on debut, celebrates on reaching the coveted mark. — Photo: S. Subramanium

Nagpur: In the end, it was a case of whether England wanted to win or preferred to not lose. Unless India's batsmen make a spectacular mess of it on the final day, the first Test seems destined for a draw thanks to England's hesitancy to reach out and grab glory. Though ahead by 367, the men from the Old Blighty may well rue over chilled bitter some months later what could have been.

The visiting team had its moments. Alastair Cook proved beyond doubt he was more than just fodder for cheesy headlines. The 21-year-old from Essex conceived a beautifully weighted innings (104 batting, 243b, 12x4), batting like the veteran he isn't and becoming the 15th Englishman to score a century on debut. After 60 in the first innings, he showed one man's distress, almost perversely, is another man's delight.

With 70 runs splitting the teams in the first innings, England was in a position to make the play, not something it is familiar with in India. England had at its disposal, apart from the lead, the following: nearly two days; a wicket that was beginning to resemble a cheap hotel bed, raising "poofs o' doost" — as Boycott would describe it — every once in a while; the element of surprise, with few expecting them to have done this well.

Openers settle down

The Englishmen also have, in Andrew Strauss and Cook, two old-school openers who in two innings together have passed 50 — the hard-run ones, twos, and threes preferred to the early flays. Pathan's early swing was countered with precise footwork, and though Sreesanth forced Strauss to squirt low, once past slip and another through gully, the pair was well ensconced. There was the odd pretty stroke, a consequence of two left-handers occupying the crease.

Dravid introduced Kumble after six overs, Harbhajan after 11, and the only untoward happening was when a molly-grubber beat Dhoni. Runs came in a trickle and England went to lunch 147 ahead. The stroke of the day for the skill it demanded was when Cook countered a low Kumble slider that turned into him with a punch through the covers.

The track, curiously, was a demanding mistress for batsman and bowler alike — slow and low, it neither encouraged quick runs nor afforded zip. The occasional ball climbed, but little else brought the bowlers joy.

Pathan strikes

Post lunch torpor had set in when Pathan struck twice in two balls causing the jukebox over the PA to squawk to life. Neither ball swung prodigiously or jagged off the seam; the first to the left-handed Strauss shaped away, the second to Bell went with the angle. The line and length of both deliveries though were beyond reproach as the batsmen fenced fatally. Dhoni took the first low, rolling over and stayed on his feet for the second.

Kevin Pietersen can refrain from the dramatic like chairmen can from long boardroom addresses. So a wide, floaty hat-trick ball that others would not so much as sniffed at was for the 25-year-old a chance to flirt. That out of the way, he proceeded to turn on a display that was as brutal as it was engaging. Anything on the toes was summarily dismissed with a twist of wrists, anything pitched up had his long levers getting to it on the full and clunking it straight.

Getting it wrong

On 36, he popped one back to Kumble and stayed. The umpires referred it to I. Sivaram to check for a bump-ball. Despite conclusive proof to the contrary, he was give not out. Another time, he mistimed a sweep and Sreesanth running backwards and sideways simultaneously shelled it — three other catches were put down as India's fielding frayed at the edges.

Pietersen (87, 110b, 14x4, 1x6) pulled the slog sweep out of the bag and was beginning to take control when Kumble snaffled him. After he left, England managed just 76 in 20.3 overs — not flash, considering 14 came in one from an irregular bowler, and certainly not signs of a team doing its utmost to win.

Earlier, India's innings ended even as the Barmy Army, presumably nursing hangovers, unfurled its banners. Jaffer had spoken the previous evening — a trifle optimistically — of the last pair nibbling at both the lead and match time. Five minutes was all it took. Hoggard swung the seventh ball of the day in a shade; struck in front, inside edge preceding rap on pad, Sreesanth hopped out of line and the Yorkshireman had six.

Yes, dusty decisions happen ("cop it on the chin and move on old chap"), yes, it isn't easy with the heat, the turn and the late swing. But, four — Flintoff, Harmison (not given), Dravid, Laxman — this match have turned it, and tinged it irrevocably. As the tentacles of the technology-in-umpiring debate lengthened came the referred Pietersen caught-and-bowled shocker.

SCOREBOARD

England — 1st innings: 393

India — 1st innings: W. Jaffer c Flintoff b Hoggard 81, V. Sehwag c Pietersen b Hoggard 2, R. Dravid lbw b Hoggard 40, S. Tendulkar lbw b Panesar 16, V.V.S. Laxman lbw b Hoggard 0, M. Kaif b Panesar 91, M.S. Dhoni c Jones b Flintoff 5, I. Pathan c Flintoff b Hoggard 2, A. Kumble c Cook b Harmison 58, H. Singh (not out) 0, S. Sreesanth lbw b Hoggard 1; Extras (b-17, lb-3, nb-2, w-5) 27. Total (in 136.5 overs) 323.

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-140, 3-149, 4-149, 5-176, 6-183, 7-190, 8-318, 9-322.

England bowling: Hoggard 30.5-13-57-6, Harmison 27-5-75-1, Flintoff 29-10-68-1, Panesar 42-19-73-2, Blackwell 7-0-28-0, Bell 1-0-2-0.

England — 2nd innings: A. Strauss c Dhoni b Pathan 46, A. Cook (batting) 104, I. Bell c Dhoni b Pathan 1, K. Pietersen c Dravid b Kumble 87, P. Collingwood (batting) 36; Extras (b-12, lb-7, nb-2, w-2) 23. Total (for three wickets, in 87 overs) 297.

Fall of wickets: 1-95, 2-97, 3-221.

India bowling: Pathan 14-2-48-2, Sreesanth 10-2-36-0, Kumble 32-8-101-1, Harbhajan 30-6-79-0, Sehwag 1-0-14-0.

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