India in command on first day in second Test
Monday, 25 January 2010
Indian batsmen did not waste time to pounce on their bowler’s good job as they were comfortably placed at 69 for no loss in reply to Bangladesh's pathetic first innings total of 233 on the first day of the second test match at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in the city Sunday, reports BSS.
Things could have been worse thanks to rearguard action from number eight batsman Mahmudullah Riyad's superb 96 not out and the tail supported him to help Bangladesh total reach some respectability as Tigers in the first session were wobbling at 51 for five wickets.
To make the matter worse for the partisan crowd, master blaster Virender Sehwag with a blazing 41 off 40 deliveries studded with six punishing boundaries and in-form Gautam Gambhir, who scored five consecutive centuries in last five tests is now looked set for another world record as he was unbeaten on 26 runs with four delightful boundaries as India, who are already one-up in the two match series with 113 runs victory in Chittagong, were 69 for no loss in only 13 overs.
Bangladesh selector in a surprise move brought back Zunaed Siddiqui in place of Shahriar Nafees while regular skipper Mahender Singh Dhoni came back in place of Dinesh Kartick to take helm from Sehwag.
However, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss second time in a row and decided to bat first with the pitch showing every indication of a good batting track.
But to the dismay of Shakib and home supporters, both openers- Imrul Kayes (0) and Tamim Iqbal (0) were back in pavilions without troubling the scorers: they failed to open their accounts as Indian pacers extracted live from the overnight dew with Tigers seems to be in mood to give Indian fielders catching practice behind the stumps.
Imrul Kayes looked bundle of nerve, beaten time and again and to add salt to Bangladesh wound as umpire Billy Bowden was adjudged caught behind but the television replays showed that the ball had brushed the thigh pad.
Tamim Iqbal who had flirted with pacer Zaheer Khan in the Chittagong test could pay back anything as he was bowled off the pad to incoming Zaheer delivery for duck.
But after lunch when the score reached 106, Mushfiqur Rahim was trapped on the crease by Ishant Sharma for a valuable 30 with six boundaries. Shakib, also like Rahim having made a good start threw away their wickets, failing to convert into big innings. He chased a wide one from Zaheer into the hands of MS Dhoni for 34 with four boundaries.
In-form Mahamdullah, who top scored 69 runs in the first innings in Chittagong once rose on the occasion. First with Shahadat added 29 runs for the eighth wicket stand. He wheel supported by the last two wickets adding 78, with Shafiul Islam defying India for 39 balls and Rubel Hossain keeping out 25.
It was heart breaking when Mahmudullah was stranded on 96 not out as Harbhajan Singh bowled Rubel. As he walked off though, several Indian fielders ran up to shake his hand. It had been that kind of innings.
Earlier, Mahmudullah reached his half- century from 71 balls. Mahmud was unbeaten on 96 off 156 deliveries and he fully deserved the century for his brave knock with 13 eyecatching boundaries.
Indians batted with ease to show the Tigers there is no demon in the wicket and it looks like tomorrow, Indian batsmen should have feast with their willows as wicket promises of more runs.
Bangladesh 1st innings:
Tamim Iqbal b Khan 0
Imrul Kayes c Dhoni b Sharma 0
Junaid Siddique c Dhoni b Khan 7
Mohammad Ashraful st Dhoni b Ojha 39
Raqibul Hasan c Dravid b Sharma 4
Shakib Al Hasan c Dhoni b Khan 34
Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Sharma 30
Mahmudullah not out 96
Shahadat Hossain st Dhoni b Ojha 8
Shafiul Islam c Dravid b Sharma 9
Rubel Hossain b Harbhajan Singh 4
Extras: (lb 2) 2
Total: (all out; 73.5 overs) 233
India 1st innings:
G Gambhir not out 26
V Sehwag not out 41
Extras: (b 1, nb 1) 2
Total: (0 wickets 13 overs) 69
Things could have been worse thanks to rearguard action from number eight batsman Mahmudullah Riyad's superb 96 not out and the tail supported him to help Bangladesh total reach some respectability as Tigers in the first session were wobbling at 51 for five wickets.
To make the matter worse for the partisan crowd, master blaster Virender Sehwag with a blazing 41 off 40 deliveries studded with six punishing boundaries and in-form Gautam Gambhir, who scored five consecutive centuries in last five tests is now looked set for another world record as he was unbeaten on 26 runs with four delightful boundaries as India, who are already one-up in the two match series with 113 runs victory in Chittagong, were 69 for no loss in only 13 overs.
Bangladesh selector in a surprise move brought back Zunaed Siddiqui in place of Shahriar Nafees while regular skipper Mahender Singh Dhoni came back in place of Dinesh Kartick to take helm from Sehwag.
However, Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan won the toss second time in a row and decided to bat first with the pitch showing every indication of a good batting track.
But to the dismay of Shakib and home supporters, both openers- Imrul Kayes (0) and Tamim Iqbal (0) were back in pavilions without troubling the scorers: they failed to open their accounts as Indian pacers extracted live from the overnight dew with Tigers seems to be in mood to give Indian fielders catching practice behind the stumps.
Imrul Kayes looked bundle of nerve, beaten time and again and to add salt to Bangladesh wound as umpire Billy Bowden was adjudged caught behind but the television replays showed that the ball had brushed the thigh pad.
Tamim Iqbal who had flirted with pacer Zaheer Khan in the Chittagong test could pay back anything as he was bowled off the pad to incoming Zaheer delivery for duck.
But after lunch when the score reached 106, Mushfiqur Rahim was trapped on the crease by Ishant Sharma for a valuable 30 with six boundaries. Shakib, also like Rahim having made a good start threw away their wickets, failing to convert into big innings. He chased a wide one from Zaheer into the hands of MS Dhoni for 34 with four boundaries.
In-form Mahamdullah, who top scored 69 runs in the first innings in Chittagong once rose on the occasion. First with Shahadat added 29 runs for the eighth wicket stand. He wheel supported by the last two wickets adding 78, with Shafiul Islam defying India for 39 balls and Rubel Hossain keeping out 25.
It was heart breaking when Mahmudullah was stranded on 96 not out as Harbhajan Singh bowled Rubel. As he walked off though, several Indian fielders ran up to shake his hand. It had been that kind of innings.
Earlier, Mahmudullah reached his half- century from 71 balls. Mahmud was unbeaten on 96 off 156 deliveries and he fully deserved the century for his brave knock with 13 eyecatching boundaries.
Indians batted with ease to show the Tigers there is no demon in the wicket and it looks like tomorrow, Indian batsmen should have feast with their willows as wicket promises of more runs.
Bangladesh 1st innings:
Tamim Iqbal b Khan 0
Imrul Kayes c Dhoni b Sharma 0
Junaid Siddique c Dhoni b Khan 7
Mohammad Ashraful st Dhoni b Ojha 39
Raqibul Hasan c Dravid b Sharma 4
Shakib Al Hasan c Dhoni b Khan 34
Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Sharma 30
Mahmudullah not out 96
Shahadat Hossain st Dhoni b Ojha 8
Shafiul Islam c Dravid b Sharma 9
Rubel Hossain b Harbhajan Singh 4
Extras: (lb 2) 2
Total: (all out; 73.5 overs) 233
India 1st innings:
G Gambhir not out 26
V Sehwag not out 41
Extras: (b 1, nb 1) 2
Total: (0 wickets 13 overs) 69