The Hindu : Sport : Skies clear to set the stage for Kumble

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 12, 2006

Sport

Sport

Skies clear to set the stage for Kumble

S. Ram Mahesh

SCALING A LOFTY PEAK: Anil Kumble became the first Indian bowler to claim 500 Test wickets in Mohali on Saturday. The master leg-spinner from Bangalore achieved the feat on the third day of the second Test against England when he trapped Steve Harmis on leg-before for a first ball duck. Kumble, who claimed five wickets for 76 runs, is only the fifth owler in Test history to cross the 500-wicket mark. -- PHOTO: AP

Mohali: These things have a way of precipitating. When momentous occurrences are upon us, the fates conspire, the stars align. Accordingly on Saturday, the low-slung, leaden clouds of the previous day cleared to reveal behind tufts of white, blue enough for a full day's play.

Step forward Anil Kumble, master of wills and match-winner, the likes of which India has not seen; it will consider itself inordinately fortunate if it sees another any time soon.

For a little while now, this reticent man from Karnataka had stood at the doors of the 500-wicket club — that exclusive of clubs which doesn't issue membership forms easily.

Four-hundred-and-ninety to 499 straddled four Tests; 499 to 500 took but a minute.

Kumble's reaction on trapping Steve Harmison in front with one of those patent skidding top-spinners was typically understated.

He threw a punch — the barest of releases for the emotions pent up — before being engulfed by back-slapping, hair-tousling teammates.

He then held the ball up as last man Mudhsuden Panesar walked into a cloistral catching trap. The 35-year-old was on a hat-trick. Could he? The hat-trick delivery was spent, but a loopy googly had Panesar next ball, edging to Rahul Dravid at first slip.

Ever one to run through a side given the merest sniff, he finished the innings with his 32nd five-for.

Spectacular catch

HISTORY IN THE MAKING: Anil Kumble appeals successfully against Steve Harmison for his 500th wicket. -- PHOTO: AP

In response to England's 300, India finished with 149 for four at the end of day three after Ian Bell flung himself spectacularly at cover to intercept mid-flight and left-handed a Yuvraj aerial drive. Still the flicker of a result perhaps? Stranger things have happened.

England's bowlers made their extra vertical inches and additional muscle count as they extracted bounce to disconcert Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar. Wasim Jaffer looked set in stone before popping Panesar to short cover, done in by a touch of flight and the incremental iota of bounce.

Dravid swayed and dropped his hands with alacrity, which neither Sehwag or Tendulkar managed, to remain unbeaten on 60 (147b, 4x4).

A magnificent flat-batted cover drive that threaded the field stood out in the innings, which lacked none of his technical mastery and mental fortitude. Lending Dravid support is M.S. Dhoni who blitzed an impossible square drive and decided the fag end of the day is as good as any to play his strokes.

Costly drop

Earlier, the Indian captain — at first slip — shelled a Flintoff edge off Munaf in the day's second over. The English captain was on 31 then, his side on 205 for five. With nearly three days left at that stage, the wicket could have sparked something special. The nick flew low, but Dravid has in recent times taken some screamers, and inexplicably dropped ones not as demanding.

Kumble wheeled in from the start of play, probing, willing himself on to 500. He could have had Geraint Jones any number of times.

The wicketkeeper has had a harrowing time behind the stumps in the series so far — his spot in the side has been under debate for a while. His handiness with the bat has bailed him out in the past (that and the catch he took to glove the Ashes).

On Saturday, Jones struggled to pick Kumble's `bosie' — he was fed so many you'd reckon he'd spot one — but he hung on with Flintoff. The big-boned skipper smashed Kumble over a ducking Simon Taufel a couple of bounces into the sightscreen before turning his sights on debutant leg-spinner Piyush Chawla. The 17-year-old was spanked for two sixes — the first sailed straight courtesy an incredibly relaxed extension of arms; the second involved wrists and accordingly went over wide long-on.

Dravid took the new ball in the 90th over and Munaf struck almost immediately, twisting Flintoff's (70, 143b, 11x4, 2x6) bat handle in his gloves and eliciting a knock back. The fast-bowler parried the offering, spun around and caught the rebound. Plunkett was also accounted for by Munaf, who by now had worked up a good head of steam and mixed in a couple of nasty bouncers.

Then Jones, who crossed 1000 runs en route his sixth 50, played on to set Anil Kumble's stage.

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