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Tendulkar notches up 44th Test hundred

K.C. Vijaya Kumar

Host loses three wickets after good start as bad light curtails play

— Photo: AP

MASTER AT WORK: Sachin Tendulkar, with just the tail for company, scored an unbeaten century as India managed 243 in its first innings.

Chittagong: On a dull day when the umpires — Billy Bowden and Marais Erasmus — kept discussing the quirky ways of the sun and fog, Sachin Tendulkar reiterated his luminous energy in an unbeaten stint at the crease.

The maestro’s 44th Test century helped India stretch its first innings to 243 in 70.5 overs against Bangladesh in the first Test at the Zohur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium here on Monday.

Eventually as the second day drew to an early close due to bad light, Tendulkar’s effort was augmented by Zaheer Khan (two for 32) and Ishant Sharma’s efforts. The duo struck in tandem and in a span of 11 deliveries, reduced Bangladesh to 59 for three in 17 overs when the light-meter had the last word.

Brisk partnership

The Bangladesh first innings initially thrived on a brisk 53-run partnership between openers Tamim Iqbal (31, 45b, 6x4) and Imrul Kayes (23).

The openers swapped their roles of aggressor and defender on either side of lunch.

Tamim played his shots first, flicking deliveries homing into his legs and cutting with alacrity. After the break it was Kayes’s turn to swing his bat against the trio of Zaheer, Ishant and Sreesanth.

Strangely when a mix of consolidation and judicious shot-selection could have helped Bangladesh tighten its tenuous hold on the match, three wickets fell in quick succession.

The host’s top-order tumble helped India stay marginally ahead in a contest that has lost 339 minutes of play so far due to fickle light.

During the course of a long spell of nine overs, Zaheer appealed aloud when he trapped a shuffling Kayes on the move and Bowden was unmoved but in the same over, Zaheer again swung one in as Kayes shaped to whip to mid-wicket and this time the appeal was upheld.

Shahriar Nafees then walked in and just lasted three deliveries as his angled bat guided Ishant’s delivery straight to a smiling Laxman.

Body blow

The body blow was soon delivered when Tamim, who had suddenly slipped into an introspective mode, was beaten all ends up as Zaheer crashed one into the stumps.

A few seconds later, Bowden and Erasmus suspended play temporarily as the skies darkened and with the light ebbing away, the players never came out.

Earlier, as India resumed at 213 for eight after fog and the resultant poor visibility delayed the start again by 90 minutes, Tendulkar (105 not out, 166b, 11x4, 2x6) continued his vigil at a venue with good memories. He had scored 101 during India’s last visit here in 2007 and continuing in a similar vein, galloped towards the three-figure mark.

With Ishant at the other end and the possibility of an early closure to the innings looming large, Tendulkar protected his partner and played his shots and needed just 20 deliveries to move from 76 to 100.

Cat-and-mouse game

A cat-and-mouse game was played out briefly between Tendulkar and Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan (five for 62). When Tendulkar moved away to create room, the left-arm spinner fired one into the maestro’s legs.

Promptly, Tendulkar hoisted the next delivery for a six while Ishant became Shahadat Hossain’s fifth victim.

Watching Ishant trudge back and with his score on 93, Tendulkar swatted and punched Shahadat for successive fours to reach his hundred.

He then observed Sreesanth’s obduracy against Shakib and soon danced down against Shahadat, saw the bowler slip it in wide and short and yet went through with the loft over covers.

Last flourish

That proved to be Tendulkar’s last flourish as in the next over, Shakib dismissed Sreesanth.

Later in the day as the fog again descended on the ground, India’s latest bowling coach Eric Simons supervised Amit Mishra and Sreesanth’s stints at the nets. The leg-spinner and the seamer may have a larger role to play here on Tuesday if light permits.

SCOREBOARD

India - 1st innings: G. Gambhir c Mushfiqur b Shahadat 23 (44b, 3x4), V. Sehwag c Tamim b Shakib 52 (51b, 9x4), R. Dravid b Shahadat 4 (10b, 1x4), S. Tendulkar (not out) 105 (166b, 11x4, 2x6), V.V.S. Laxman st. Rahim b Shakib 7 (30b), Yuvraj c Rubel b Shakib 12 (31b, 1x6), D. Karthik c Raqibul b Shahadat 0 (3b), A. Mishra lbw b Shahadat 14 (41b, 1x4), Zaheer c Raqibul b Shakib 11 (18b, 2x4), Ishant c Mushfiqur b Shahadat 1 (24b), S. Sreesanth c Kayes b Shakib 1 (12b); Extras (b-1, lb-6, w-1, nb-5): 13; Total (in 70.5 overs): 243.

Fall of wickets: 1-79 (Sehwag), 2-79 (Gambhir), 3-85 (Dravid), 4-107 (Laxman), 5-149 (Yuvraj), 6-150 (Karthik), 7-182 (Mishra), 8-209 (Zaheer), 9-230 (Ishant).

Bangladesh bowling: Shafiul 9-1- 41-0, Shahadat 18-2-71-5, Rubel 10- 0-40-0, Shakib 29.5-10-62-5, Mahmudullah 3-0-17-0, Ashraful 1-0-5-0.

Bangladesh - 1st innings: T. Iqbal b Zaheer 31 (45b, 6x4), I. Kayes lbw b Zaheer 23 (46b, 5x4), S. Nafees c Laxman b Ishant 4 (3b, 1x4), Md. Ashraful (batting) 0 (5b), Raqibul (batting) 1 (3b); Total (for three wkts. in 17 overs): 59.

Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Imrul), 2-58 (Shahriar), 3-58 (Tamim). India bowling: Zaheer 9-1-32-2, Sreesanth 3-0-13-0, Ishant 5-1-14-1.

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