India v. Pakistan - 1st. Test

[Donny]

Pakistan was sent in and made 312.

Asim Kamal scored an excellent 91.

Balaji took 5/76.

[pies4ever]

Indian hero thanks Lillee
From correspondents in Mohali, India
March 9, 2005

INDIA paceman Laxmipathi Balaji has paid tribute to Australia great Dennis Lillie after claiming a maiden five-wicket haul in the First Test with Pakistan.

Balaji said tips from Lillee helped him a lot in his comeback match after nearly a year out of Test cricket because of to injury.

"It is always challenging to stage a comeback after injury but I worked really hard. I sought help from Australian great Dennis Lillee who advised me to change the bowling action a little bit.

"I am very happy my hard work has paid off with the first five-wicket haul. I think I can do better," said Balaji, 23, who finished with 5-76 to help his team dismiss Pakistan for 312 on the opening day of the match.

Balaji removed Taufeeq Umer (44) in his first spell before accounting for all rounder Abdul Razzaq in the second.

He then took three wickets with the new ball to better his previous best of 4-63, also against Pakistan at Rawalpindi last year.

He said his five-wicket performance against Pakistan was special.

"Yes, it's always challenging to play against Pakistan. If you do well against them, it's something very special," he said.

He said Pakistan's gutsy lower-order batting virtually ruined India's day after the host had seized the initiative in the first two sessions.

"Lower-order batsmen have been doing well these days, but we kept a tight line and knew the batsmen will make mistakes," he said.

Agence France-Presse

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,12489737-23212,00.html

[pies4ever]

Unlikely lad rescues Pakistan
From correspondents in Mohali
March 9, 2005

LITTLE-known Asim Kamal and Inzamam-ul-Haq have saved Pakistan from a batting embarrassment on day one of the first Test with India.

Pakistan was tottering at 2-30 and then 6-191 after being sent to bat on a seamer-friendly track, but left-handed Kamal (91) and skipper Inzamam (57) came to their team's rescue with responsible knocks.

Pakistan was all out for 312 in its first innings just before the scheduled close on the opening day.

Kamal, who scored 99 on his Test debut against South Africa at Lahore two years ago, missed out on a century again when he was bowled by seamer Laxmipathi Balaji.

Balaji, out of Test cricket for nearly a year due to injury, made an impressive comeback with 5-76, his maiden five-wicket haul in six Tests.

India had seized the initiative in the first two sessions when it grabbed six wickets on a lively pitch, with fast bowlers Irfan Pathan and Balaji claiming two scalps apiece.

Kamal then launched a vigorous counter-attack to restore Pakistan's fortunes, smashing 14 fours in his fifth half-century in seven Tests.

The 28-year-old rallied his team with two useful stands, adding 52 for the fifth wicket with his captain and 48 for the seventh with Kamran Akmal (15).

Kamal offered one difficult chance on 79 when he drove leg-spinner Anil Kumble, but Venkatsai Laxman failed to latch on to the ball in the cover region.

Barring this lapse, Kamal batted with confidence against both pace and spin to hold the innings together.

Kamal was not the only batsman to apply himself well on a grassy pitch which had both pace and movement as Inzamam was the first to keep India's pace-oriented attack at bay with his fluent 37th half-century.

India had to rely on veteran Kumble to end Inzamam's flourish, but failed to make short work of Pakistan's lower-order batting led by Kamal.

Kumble, the lone spinner in the side, trapped Inzamam leg-before and then accounted for Akmal to finish with 2-76.

Pakistan's early batting woes began against pace as Pathan and Balaji made the most of a seaming track to sustain their team's hopes of restricting the tourist to a modest total.

India skipper Sourav Ganguly's decision to put Pakistan in to bat produced the desired result as Pathan and Zaheer Khan shared the first two wickets to reduce the tourist to 2-30.

Balaji then removed well-set Taufeeq Umar (44), who inside-edged a delivery on to his stumps just before lunch.

Pakistan lost one more big wicket after the break when reliable Yousuf Youhana (6) fell to a soft dismissal, edging an away-going delivery from Pathan straight to wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik.

Playing its first Test series in India since 1999, Pakistan was off to a shaky start as Salman Butt and Younis Khan fell cheaply.

Pathan struck in his fourth over when he dismissed Butt (five), who was bowled off-stump playing across the line. Younis (nine) also did not last long, trapped leg-before by Zaheer with the one that nipped back.

Inzamam then steadied the innings with a 59-run stand for the third wicket with Umar.

Scoreboard
PAKISTAN FIRST INNINGS
SALMAN BUTT b Pathan 5
TAUFEEQ UMAR b Balaji 44
YOUNIS KHAN lbw b Zaheer 9
INZAMAM-UL-HAQ lbw b Kumble 57
YOUSUF YOUHANA c Karthik b Pathan 6
ASIM KAMAL b Balaji 91
AABDUL RAZZAQ c Karthik b Balaji 26
KAMRAN AKMAL c Dravid b Kumble 15
MOHAMMAD SAMI b Balaji 20
RANA NAVED-UL-HASAN lbw b Balaji 11
DANISH KANERIA not out 8
Sundries (11b, 5lb, 3nb, 1w) 20
Total 312
Fall: 11, 30, 89, 104, 156, 191, 239, 282, 303.
Bowling: Pathan 23-5-68-2, Zaheer 17-1-70-1, Balaji 20.4-5-76-5, Kumble 22-6-76-2, Ganguly 2-0-3-0, Sehwag 2-1-3-0.
Overs: 86.4
Stumps day one
Toss: India
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (RSA) and Darrell Hair (AUS)

Agence France-Presse

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,12488336-23212,00.html

[Donny]

Day 2 play delayed by rain.

[pies4ever]

Lucky Sehwag lifts India
From correspondents in Mohali, India
March 10, 2005

OPENER Virender Sehwag has hit a chancy, unbeaten 95 to lead India's strong response against Pakistan on a rain-hit second day of the First Test.

The Delhi opener, dropped on 15 and 82, punished Pakistan's inexperienced pace bowlers to be on the verge of his ninth Test hundred.

India was 1-184 in reply to Pakistan's first innings 312 all out when play was called off due to bad light, the final session having been played with the stadium lights on.

Rahul Dravid was 39 not out, having added 71 runs for the second wicket with Sehwag.

"I aim to bat throughout the day on Thursday," said Sehwag.

"A lot of times, you throw away the initiative by losing your wicket. I remember getting out for 195 in Melbourne (in 2003) which left my team struggling. I don't want a repeat of that.

"I batted no differently from the way I usually do.

"If we bat for another five-six sessions we will be able to exert pressure on Pakistan," he said.

"Bad weather had already snatched a possible win from us against Australia last year," he added, referring to India's Second Test with Adam Gilchrist's side at Madras, where the host was in a winning position before rain came on the final day.

Commenting on the dropped chances, he said: "Those were good balls but you get your chances in matches and it's up to you to capitalise on them. I did precisely that."

Sehwag said he does not believe that the Pakistani bowling is weak in the absence of express paceman Shoaib Akhtar, who did not make the tour due to a hamstring injury.

"They (Pakistan) have a good bowling attack, but they did not put the ball in right areas," he said.

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq conceded letting Sehwag off the hook has affected his team's chances of putting pressure on India.

"We should have held those catches and giving Sehwag two chances put paid to our good efforts," he said.

Play was delayed until one hour before tea due to a steady drizzle since morning.

Sehwag, 26, played a typically rapid knock to quickly snatch the initiative, guiding India to 0-67 in the 11 overs bowled before tea.

He attacked new ball bowlers Mohammad Sami and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan to complete a run-a-ball 50 and has so far hit 12 fours and a six in his 121-ball innings.

Sehwag shared in a 113-run opening partnership off just 109 balls with Delhi teammate Gautam Gambhir, who made 41.

Pakistan appears set to rue the big chance that got away.

Sehwag, who began with a flurry of fours against Rana, edged a short ball from Sami to the third slip, where Taufeeq Umar juggled and dropped an easy chance to the dismay of his teammates.

He was again dropped on 82, edging a drive against leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to slip fielder Younis Khan, who dropped a head high chance to his left.

It appeared to be a replay of last year's Multan Test, when Sehwag hit a match-winning 309 after he was dropped before reaching his century.

India went on to complete its maiden Test series victory in Pakistan, eventually winning 2-1.

Sehwag took those blemishes in his stride to light up the proceedings on a gloomy day.

He went after Sami following the early let-off, punching him past cover and flicking him to mid-wicket for fours before slashing Rana over third man for six.

The bowlers quickly lost their rhythm as Gambhir opened up at the other end, steering Sami to third man and then driving third seamer Abdul Razzaq through cover for fours.

Kaneria struck with his first delivery after tea by dismissing Gambhir who hit seven fours in his 46-ball effort.

Dravid quickly settled down, hitting both Razzaq and Kaneria for fluent drives past wide mid-on to raise hopes of a huge Indian total.

Scoreboard:
PAKISTAN FIRST INNINGS 312
INDIA FIRST INNINGS
G GAMBHIR c Rana b Kaneria 41
V SEHWAG not out 95
R DRAVID not out 39
Sundries (1b, 1lb, 7nb) 9
Total (for 1 wkt) 184
Fall: 1-113.
Bowling: Sami 8-1-55-0, Rana Naved 10-1-49-0, Razzaq 9-0-41-0, Kaneria 13-2-37-1.
Overs: 40
Bad light stopped play day two
Toss: India
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (RSA) and Darrell Hair (AUS)

Reuters

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,12498221-23210,00.html

[pies4ever]

Tendulkar Test agony
From correspondents in Mohali
March 11, 2005

SACHIN Tendulkar fell agonisingly short of a world record 35th century as India surged into a commanding position in the First Test with Pakistan overnight.

Tendulkar scored a painstaking 94 to help India post a massive 6-447 in reply to Pakistan's first innings total of 312 - a lead of 135 runs with four wickets in hand.

Nearly 30,000 spectators skipped a heartbeat when Tendulkar drove seamer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan to Asim Kamal, who held a brilliant low catch at gully to deny the master batsman a world mark.

The new ball did the trick as Rana struck with his fourth delivery, inducing a false stroke from Tendulkar who had been batting with extreme caution during his 202-ball knock containing 11 fours.

Venkatsai Laxman (33) and Irfan Pathan (one) were at the crease when bad light stopped play six overs before the scheduled close.

Tendulkar also fell 27 short of becoming only the fifth batsman to complete 10,000 Test runs after Australians Allan Border and Steve Waugh, compatriot Sunil Gavaskar and West Indian Brian Lara.

His effort failed to upstage opener Virender Sehwag, who hammered a robust 173 for his ninth Test hundred on a pitch getting better for batting with each session.

"We were waiting for the historic moment in the dressing room when he was so close to the world record," Sehwag said after Tendulkar's dismissal. "But all the players were disappointed when Tendulkar got out. He himself was very disappointed."

Of his own knock, Sehwag added: "I am both satisfied and disappointed with my innings. I should have scored more runs but it's part of the game and one ball can get you out.

"We are now in a good position and if we bat the entire morning session on Friday we can exert more pressure on Pakistan and win the Test." Tendulkar's knock was not as exciting as that of Sehwag because the master batsman rarely looked at his attacking best. He was sometimes so cautious that it appeared he had left his strokes in the dressing-room.

He survived a confident appeal for a bat-pad catch when on eight, scored just 28 in the two-hour afternoon session and was beaten on more than one occasion by leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

Tendulkar got the benefit of the doubt from South African umpire Rudi Koertzen after silly-point fielder Kamal had appealed along with teammates for a bat-pad catch off Kaneria, the best Pakistani bowler.

TV replays showed that Tendulkar was lucky to survive as the ball appeared to have hit the bat and pad on way to the fielder.

Pakistan, already short of a quality fast bowler, was also deserted by luck.

India skipper Sourav Ganguly was on 20 when Younis Khan "caught" him at lone slip off a Mohammad Sami no-ball and was then dropped off the very next delivery by Taufeeq Umar at gully.

India was indebted to Sehwag for posting a major score as the opener was involved in three big partnerships.

Sehwag put on 113 for the opening wicket with Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday, 103 for the next with Rahul Dravid (50) and 118 for the third with Tendulkar.

Kaneria was involved in a fascinating battle with Tendulkar, beating the batsman on a number of occasions and unlucky not to get the prize wicket.

The morning session belonged to Sehwag, who continued to dominate an inexperienced Pakistani attack with a wide range of strokes as he smashed two sixes and 19 fours in his 244-ball knock.

Sehwag, 95 overnight, was the lone batsman to be dismissed in the afternoon session as he pulled an Abdul Razzaq delivery from outside the off-stump to mid-on where Yousuf Youhana made no mistake.

Pakistan's lone success in the extended two-and-a-half-hour morning session came when it removed Dravid, who fell immediately after reaching his 36th Test half-century when he cut Sami straight to Kamal at point.

Scoreboard:
PAKISTAN FIRST INNINGS 312
INDIA FIRST INNINGS (overnight 1-184)
G GAMBHIR c Rana b Kaneria 41
V SEHWAG c Youhana b Razzaq 173
R DRAVID c Kamal b Sami 50
S TENDULKAR c Kamal b Rana 94
S GANGULY c Butt b Kaneria 21
V LAXMAN not out 33
D KARTHIK c Rana b Sami 6
I PATHAN not out 1
Sundries (1b, 5lb, 21nb, 1w) 28
Total (for 6 wkts) 447
Fall: 113, 216, 334, 381, 417, 444.
Bowling: Sami 31-6-103-2, Rana Naved 27-1-110-1, Razzaq 26-1-107-1, Kaneria 47-11-121-2.
Overs: 131
Stumps day two
Toss: India
Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (RSA) and Darrell Hair (AUS)
TV umpire: K. Hariharan (IND)
Match-referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

Agence France-Presse

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,12509556-23212,00.html

[pies4ever]

India v Pakistan, 1st Test, Mohali, 4th day
Indian pacers rock Pakistan
The Bulletin by Dileep Premachandran
March 11, 2005


Lunch Pakistan 312 and 52 for 3 (Inzamam 31*, Youhana 11*) trail India 516 (Sehwag 173, Tendulkar 94, Kaneria 6-150) by 152 runs


With Lakshmipathy Balaji delivering decisive blows with the new ball in hand, it was left to Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana to try and salvage something from the wreckage that was Pakistan's second innings. By lunch on the fourth day, they had taken the score to 52 for 3, with a riled Inzamam stroking some superb fours through the covers and down the ground.

Balaji, confidence boosted by that first five-for, had struck in his first over, with Taufeeq Umar sending back a loopy return catch. And when Younis Khan bizarrely shouldered arms in his next over, Pakistan were once again off to the dismal start that they have become accustomed to in recent times. Salman Butt's inability to keep his bat down added to their woes, and Balaji could well have caused more trouble had a couple of edges from Inzamam gone to hand.

Danish Kaneria had been Pakistan's morning star, restricting India to a first-innings lead of 204. VVS Laxman stroked his way to 58, and there was an entertaining 31-run cameo from Balaji, but Kaneria dominated proceedings, picking up all four wickets to fall in an engrossing 80-minute passage of play. Pathan had given India the ideal start with two well-timed pulls and a fluid cover-drive for four off Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, but his decision to give Kaneria's googly the charge was a poor one, resulting in a regulation stumping for Kamran Akmal (465 for 7).

Balaji, who arrived to a rousing reception, wasn't about to go quietly though, and after a streaky edge had got him going, he picked off 14 in a Kaneria over that included a cracking square-drive and the sort of cover-drive which would have left a top-order batsman mighty chuffed.

In next to no time, he had added 42 with Laxman, and it was left to Kaneria – who doesn't seem perturbed by anything – to induce an edge off a legbreak (507 for . Laxman, who had eased past 50, was next to depart, bowled while trying to smash a googly away, and when Zaheer patted a return catch back a few seconds after the drinks break, it was all over. Pakistan needed to survive at least four sessions to make a match of it, but regrettably the top order showed little inclination for a fight.

How they were out

India 1st innings


Pathan st Akmal b Kaneria 13 (465 for 7)
Charged a googly and played inside the line, stumped by yards.

Balaji c Akmal b Kaneria 31 (507 for
Edged a legbreak to the keeper.

Laxman b Kaneria 58 (516 for 9)
Bowled off the inside edge trying to cut a googly away.

Zaheer c&b Kaneria 0 (516 for 10)
Drove back a tossed-up delivery.

Pakistan 2nd innings


Taufeeq c&b Balaji 4 (6 for 1)
The ball looped off the pad and brushed the back of his bat on the way back to the bowler.

Younis b Balaji 1 (10 for 2)
Offered no shot to a ball that pitched just outside off stump and darted back in.

Salman c Karthik b Pathan 5 (10 for 3)
Caught behind after ducking a bouncer that didn't rise, with his bat pointing skyward like a TV antenna.

Dileep Premachandran is assistant editor of Cricinfo.

© Cricinfo

http://aus.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2005/MAR/202810_INDPAK2004-05_11MAR2005.html

[pies4ever]

India poised for the kill
From correspondents in Mohali
March 11, 2005

FAST bowler Laxmipathy Balaji and spinner Anil Kumble shared five wickets as India exposed Pakistan's batting limitations to move closer to winning the opening Test in Mohali today.

Pakistan had few in-form batsmen against a full-strength Indian attack as they reached 6-257 at stumps on the fourth day after trailing by 204 runs.

Skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq (86), Yousuf Youhana (6 and Asim Kamal (4 offered stiff resistance, but their efforts were still not good enough to steer their team to safety.

India look set to wrap up the match on the fifth and final day on Saturday for a 1-0 lead in the three-Test series as Pakistan are just 53 runs ahead with four wickets in hand.

All-rounder Abdul Razzaq was batting on 22 with Kamran Akmal (nine).

Balaji, out of Test cricket for nearly a year due to an abdomen injury, made an impressive comeback, finishing with 3-67 following his maiden five-wicket haul in the first innings.

Veteran leg-spinner Kumble claimed the prize wickets of Inzamam and Youhana just when it looked the Pakistani batsmen would pull their team out of trouble.

Kumble also came close to getting the wicket of Kamal, who was dropped on zero and two by Rahul Dravid at lone slip. Kamal then smashed Kumble for four successive fours before becoming Balaji's third victim.

India were earlier all out for 516 in their first innings in reply to Pakistan's 312.

Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria was the most impressive Pakistani bowler as he finished with 6-150, his morning spell reading 6.4-1-29-4.

Inzamam led from the front, following his solid 57 in the first innings with a fluent half-century in the second to help his team avoid the humiliation of an innings defeat. Pakistan were tottering at 10-3 in 4.1 overs at one stage.

Pakistan were in a spot after their top order crumbled for the second successive time in the match as three wickets fell early.

Pakistan's batting problems stemmed from their fragile top order, with Salman Butt, Taufeeq Umar and Younis Khan falling to reach double-figures.

Younis was bowled shouldering arms in Balaji's second over and Butt was caught behind ducking into an Irfan Pathan bouncer, the ball hitting the bottom of the bat on way to wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik.

Inzamam prevented an innings defeat by adding 139 for the fourth wicket with Youhana. He hit one six and 10 fours and looked set for a hundred.

The Pakistani captain had been looking dangerous when he was trapped leg-before by Kumble in the penultimate over before tea.

Kumble continued to keep pressure with his bounce and variations, dismissing Youhana after the break to make sure India did not have to chase a big target on the final day.

Youhana struck 12 fours in his 22nd Test half-century before running out of luck, the ball hitting the bat and then pad before rolling on to the stumps.

India added 69 to their overnight total of 6-447, with Venkatsai Laxman scoring 58 for his 21st Test half-century and Balaji a 36-ball 31.

Kaneria took all the four Indian wickets to fall in the morning to complete his ninth haul of five or more scalps in a Test innings.

PAKISTAN FIRST INNINGS 312
INDIA FIRST INNINGS
G GAMBHIR c Rana b Kaneria 41
V SEHWAG c Youhana b Razzaq 173
R DRAVID c Kamal b Sami 50
S TENDULKAR c Kamal b Rana 94
S GANGULY c Butt b Kaneria 21
V LAXMAN b Kaneria 58
D KARTHIK c Rana b Sami 6
I PATHAN st Akmal b Kaneria 13
L BALAJI c Akmal b Kaneria 31
A KUMBLE not out 1
Z KHAN c and b Kaneria 0
Sundries (1b, 5lb, 21nb, 1w) 28
Total 516
Fall: 113, 216, 334, 381, 417, 444, 465, 507, 516.
Bowling: Sami 36-6-120-2, Rana Naved 32-1-133-1, Razzaq 26-1-107-1, Kaneria 53.4-12-150-6.
Overs: 147.4

PAKISTAN 2ND INNINGS
Salman Butt c Karthik b Pathan 5
Taufeeq Umar c and b Balaji 4
Younis Khan b Balaji 1
Yousuf Youhana b Kumble 68
Inzamam-ul-Haq lbw b Kumble 86
Asim Kamal lbw b Balaji 48
Abdul Razzaq not out 22
Kamran Akmal not out 9
Sundries (2b, 10lb, 1nb, 1w) 14
Total (for six wickets) 257
Fall: 6, 10, 10, 149, 193, 243.
Bowling: Pathan 14-3-45-1, Balaji 17-3-67-3, Kumble 28-4-76-2, Zaheer 12-0-45-0, Tendulkar 3-0-12-0.
Overs: 74
Stumps, day four

Agence France-Presse

http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,12521389-23212,00.html