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Monday, May 28, 2007
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Biggest ever Test win for India

Vijay Lokapally

Bangladesh has a long way to go in Tests

SMILES EVERYWHERE: The Indian team is a happy lot after clinching the Test series to complement the earlier ODI series win over Bangladesh. — Photo: AFP

DHAKA: Rummaging through the wreckage, it emerged that Bangladesh has a long way to go as a Test-playing nation. The self-triggered damage was sorely documented for the die-hard home fans at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium on a warm afternoon here on Sunday.

Still, it was a pleasant sight watching the fans cheer all day for every run scored without letting the impending loss bother them. Equally praiseworthy was their conduct as not a single missile was hurled from the stands.

Fifteen wickets crashed in a heap and that left the spectators struggling to comprehend the reasons for this rapid degeneration of a team that had attained glory at the recent World Cup.

But then this was Test cricket, so different from the brand that Bangladesh had been aiming to revel at. The innings and 239-run annihilation showed the imperative need for the team to indulge in a meaningful introspection. For the man who tried to teach them the nuances of Test cricket — Dav Whatmore — it was a sombre farewell.

Nice parting gift

From the Indian perspective, it was a nice parting gift for cricket manager Ravi Shastri on his birthday and his last day in his official capacity.

There were two strokes, so strikingly similar in execution and contrasting in culmination, that epitomised the difference between the past and future of Bangladesh cricket; an unwise attempt to pull by a desperate Habibul Bashar that landed in the hands of short mid-on and a daring imitation by Mohammad Ashraful that soared into the galleries. Incidentally both the innings were terminated as a result of misplaced aggression.

Bangladesh, resuming at 58 for five, not only failed to save the follow-on but also to redeem its reputation as a team that has been slow in improving. No lessons were learnt as batsmen continued succumbing to expansive strokes and the end of the contest came in a hurry.

At the heart of the decline lay an error by the otherwise safe Darryl Harper. The Australian umpire raised his finger to signal a dubious distinction for Javed Omer — a king `pair' — when the ball had avoided the edge of the Bangladesh opener's bat down the leg side. The team never recovered from the blow.

Moment of the day

Soon Dhoni was flinging himself again, this time to his right, to dismiss left-hander Shahriar Nafees. It was the moment of the day and was matched by a silken cover-drive off Anil Kumble by Ashraful during his blistering and entertaining performance.

Kumble distinguished himself by crossing the 550-wicket mark in Tests, taking 115 matches, 21 more than Sri Lankan wizard Muttiah Muralitharan, the fastest to reach the same target.

Bangladesh failed to apply itself when the challenge mounted and the top order came apart against some sensible bowling. Zaheer Khan and Rudra Pratap Singh made the batsmen play and things fell into place. Defiance rose in the shape of Ashraful, his batting generating a wave of joy in the stands.

Projected as the next leader, Ashraful was imperious and made no exceptions when caning the bowlers. When they pitched short, he swung with disdain, and when they erred in length, he drove classically, timing and balance so aesthetic. When he drove straight, he scattered the umpire and the non-striker. He left the field in a daze when he explored the gaps. It was, however, small consolation for the huge dent that Bangladesh suffered in its image.

Ashraful's record

During his knock, Ashraful sank a record that stood for 113 years. He took 27 minutes, one less than J.T. Brown for England against Australia at Melbourne in 1894-95, to reach a Test fifty that came off 26 balls. His 41-ball 67 (12 fours and two sixes) was classy but woefully inadequate in saving Bangladesh. It must also be remembered that Ashraful's aggression came at a time when India did not mind giving away runs.

Later, Mashrafe bin Mortaza slammed 70 off 68 balls (eight fours and three sixes) for the second half century of his career and the series. Mortaza's knock was the last flicker that was clearly the brightest before `Man of the Series' Sachin Tendulkar had the last laugh by drilling in the final nail.

The Test ended in India's biggest ever victory. The margin improved upon the previous high of an innings and 219 runs against Australia in Kolkata in 1997-98. With it, the curtains came down on the two-Test series after the rain-influenced draw in the first Test at Chittagong.

SCOREBOARD

India _ 1st innings: 610 for three decl.

Bangladesh _ 1st innings: J. Omar c Karthik b Zaheer 0, S. Nafees b Zaheer 2, H. Bashar c Dhoni b R.P. Singh 4, R. Saleh c Jaffer b Kumble 20, M. Ashraful lbw Zaheer 0, Saqibul lbw Zaheer 30, M. Sharif lbw Kumble 13, K. Mashud c Dhoni b Kumble 25, M. Mortaza c Kumble b Ishant 2, M. Rafique b Zaheer 12, S. Rasel (not out) 2; Extras (lb-2, nb-6) 8. Total (in 37.2 overs) 118.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-5, 3-7, 4-7, 5-40, 6-58, 7-85, 8-93, 9-110.

India bowling: Zaheer 10-1- 34-5, R.P. Singh 9-2-28-1, Kumble 9.2-3-32-3, Ishant 7-1-19-1, Powar 2-1-3-0.

Bangladesh _ 2nd innings: J. Omar c Dhoni b Zaheer 0, S. Nafees c Dhoni b R.P. Singh 4, H. Bashar c Dravid b Zaheer 5, R. Saleh c Ganguly b Powar 42, M. Ashraful c Tendulkar b Kumble 67, Saqibul c Dravid b Powar 15, K. Mashud c Tendulkar b Powar 8, M.B. Mortaza c Dhoni b Tendulkar 70, M. Sharif c & b Kumble 17, M. Rafique lbw b Tendulkar 11, S. Rasel (not out) 1; Extras (lb-1, w-3, nb-9) 13. Total: (in 57.3 overs) 253.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-10, 3- 10, 4-91, 5-135, 6-150, 7-154, 8- 208, 9-223.

India bowling: Zaheer 8-1- 54-2, R.P. Singh 6-1-28-1, Ishant 6-1-30-0, Kumble 15-1-72-2, Powar 16-4-33-3, Tendulkar 6.3-1-35-2.

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