Tendulkar, Dravid slam tons to put India in commanding position
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
Two great Indian criketers Sachin Tendulkar (143) and Rahul Dravid (111) slammed scintillating centuries as India took a mammoth first innings 226 runs lead at the close on the second day of the second test match at Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) in the city Monday, reports BSS.
India were in commanding position at 459 for five wickets when the stumps were drawn for the day with Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni unbeaten on 22 while Rahul Dravid retired hurt on 111.
The highlight of the day was no doubt India's two world class batsmen Sachin and Dravid once again stamped their class with some breath-taking shots at SBNS. As the saying goes fortune favours the brave, both Sachin and Tendulkar should thank their lady luck as they both got reprieves due to the mistake by their rivals.
Bangladesh threatened to bounce back as both Indian openers departed in the morning session and Tendulkar and Dravid took their time to settle down though they scored 124 between lunch and tea without losing a wicket enabling their side a valuable 68 run lead. To the utter dismay of the home crowd Tigers did not help their cause by dropping Tendulkar twice, while Dravid too enjoyed his fair share of fortune.
Raqibul Hasan who so far batted poorly in Chittagong test and repeated his performance on day one with the bat once again turned out to be the culprit when he dropped the priced scalp of Tendulkar who miscued Rubel Hossain's delivery at the direction of gully. Raqibul floored the sitter with the master blaster Tendulkar batting on 27.
When he reached 50, Raqibul again came into the lime light for the wrong reason as his butter finger grassed a more difficult chance to his left at point off pacer Shahadat Hossain. Tendulkar celebrated the reprieves by smashing Tiger bowlers all part of the park and runs came in thick and fast as Indians slowly and surely took full control of the proceedings just before the tea break
Earlier in the day Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir brought up 100 for the first wicket stand threatening to tear the Tiger's bowling apart. But Shahadat was brave to bowled a short pitched delivery at Sehwag who was caught unaware and edge behind to Rahim for 56 off 53 minutes studded with eight boundaries with India on 103.
Gautam Gambhir on the other end added other feather to his cap when he reached his half-century for the 11th match in succession - equalling the record set by Sir Vivian Richards. He was eyeing to equal the world record held by Sir Don Bradman of scoring six centuries in six tests in a row. But Bangladesh pacer Shafiul Islam inspired by Shahadat also bowled a bouncer and Gambhir in a tame manner offered a dolly catch scoring 68 off 83 minutes with nine hits to the fence.
Tendulkar and Murali Vijay continued their merry making as runs flew on at their own sweet will. However Bangladesh skipper accounted for Vijay for 30 and Tendulkar 143 off 182 minutes laced with thirteen boundaries and one six.
Harbhajan Singh was caught behind for 13 off Shafiul's penultimate delivery of the day. Dhoni is still at the wicket with Yuvraj Singh to come and if needed Dravid will bat again, one wonders how hard remaining Indian batsmen will come down on Tiger bowlers who are looking ragged and toothless.
Bangladesh 1st innings:
Tamim Iqbal 0, Imrul Kayes 0, Junaid Siddique 7, M Ashraful 39, Raqibul Hasan 4, Shakib Al Hasan 34, Mushfiqur Rahim 30, Mahmudullah 96 not out, Shahadat Hossain 8, Shafiul Islam 9, Rubel Hossain 4
Extras: (lb 2) 2
Total: (all out; 73.5 overs) 233
India 1st innings:
G Gambhir c Mushfiqur Rahim b Shafiul Islam 68
V Sehwag c Mushfiqur Rahim b Shahadat Hossain 56
R Dravid retired hurt 111
SR Tendulkar c Imrul Kayes b Shakib Al Hasan 143
M Vijay c Mahmudullah b Shakib Al Hasan 30
MS Dhoni not out 22
Harbhajan Singh c Mushfiqur Rahim b Shafiul Islam 13
Yuvraj Singh not out 0
Extras: (b 1, lb 5, w 1, nb 9) 16
Total: (5 wickets; 102.5 overs) 459.
India were in commanding position at 459 for five wickets when the stumps were drawn for the day with Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni unbeaten on 22 while Rahul Dravid retired hurt on 111.
The highlight of the day was no doubt India's two world class batsmen Sachin and Dravid once again stamped their class with some breath-taking shots at SBNS. As the saying goes fortune favours the brave, both Sachin and Tendulkar should thank their lady luck as they both got reprieves due to the mistake by their rivals.
Bangladesh threatened to bounce back as both Indian openers departed in the morning session and Tendulkar and Dravid took their time to settle down though they scored 124 between lunch and tea without losing a wicket enabling their side a valuable 68 run lead. To the utter dismay of the home crowd Tigers did not help their cause by dropping Tendulkar twice, while Dravid too enjoyed his fair share of fortune.
Raqibul Hasan who so far batted poorly in Chittagong test and repeated his performance on day one with the bat once again turned out to be the culprit when he dropped the priced scalp of Tendulkar who miscued Rubel Hossain's delivery at the direction of gully. Raqibul floored the sitter with the master blaster Tendulkar batting on 27.
When he reached 50, Raqibul again came into the lime light for the wrong reason as his butter finger grassed a more difficult chance to his left at point off pacer Shahadat Hossain. Tendulkar celebrated the reprieves by smashing Tiger bowlers all part of the park and runs came in thick and fast as Indians slowly and surely took full control of the proceedings just before the tea break
Earlier in the day Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir brought up 100 for the first wicket stand threatening to tear the Tiger's bowling apart. But Shahadat was brave to bowled a short pitched delivery at Sehwag who was caught unaware and edge behind to Rahim for 56 off 53 minutes studded with eight boundaries with India on 103.
Gautam Gambhir on the other end added other feather to his cap when he reached his half-century for the 11th match in succession - equalling the record set by Sir Vivian Richards. He was eyeing to equal the world record held by Sir Don Bradman of scoring six centuries in six tests in a row. But Bangladesh pacer Shafiul Islam inspired by Shahadat also bowled a bouncer and Gambhir in a tame manner offered a dolly catch scoring 68 off 83 minutes with nine hits to the fence.
Tendulkar and Murali Vijay continued their merry making as runs flew on at their own sweet will. However Bangladesh skipper accounted for Vijay for 30 and Tendulkar 143 off 182 minutes laced with thirteen boundaries and one six.
Harbhajan Singh was caught behind for 13 off Shafiul's penultimate delivery of the day. Dhoni is still at the wicket with Yuvraj Singh to come and if needed Dravid will bat again, one wonders how hard remaining Indian batsmen will come down on Tiger bowlers who are looking ragged and toothless.
Bangladesh 1st innings:
Tamim Iqbal 0, Imrul Kayes 0, Junaid Siddique 7, M Ashraful 39, Raqibul Hasan 4, Shakib Al Hasan 34, Mushfiqur Rahim 30, Mahmudullah 96 not out, Shahadat Hossain 8, Shafiul Islam 9, Rubel Hossain 4
Extras: (lb 2) 2
Total: (all out; 73.5 overs) 233
India 1st innings:
G Gambhir c Mushfiqur Rahim b Shafiul Islam 68
V Sehwag c Mushfiqur Rahim b Shahadat Hossain 56
R Dravid retired hurt 111
SR Tendulkar c Imrul Kayes b Shakib Al Hasan 143
M Vijay c Mahmudullah b Shakib Al Hasan 30
MS Dhoni not out 22
Harbhajan Singh c Mushfiqur Rahim b Shafiul Islam 13
Yuvraj Singh not out 0
Extras: (b 1, lb 5, w 1, nb 9) 16
Total: (5 wickets; 102.5 overs) 459.