Zimbabwe tailenders keep innings going

The only other thing in abundance in the city of Nagpur besides oranges is a truckload of runs.

With an average first innings score of 450-plus, the Vidarbha Cricket Association ground promised a run-making orgy on a dry and hard pitch ideal for batting first, in the first Test between India and Zimbabwe.

The two-Test series provides yet another opportunity for the Indian batting giants to boost their batting averages against the minnows.

India dropped Virender Sehwag from the final eleven in an attempt to save some blushes of packing their side with seven specialist batsmen against the thin bowling attack of the Zimbabweans, and instead of opting for five specialist bowlers, the Indian think-tank included all-rounder Sanjay Bangar to strengthen their batting line-up besides having him bowl his gentle seamers.

Zimbabwe included Brighton Watambwa as the third seamer, with Ray Price the lone specialist spinner in the side along with part-time spinner Grant Flower.

Despite the lack of assistance from the Nagpur track for seamers both teams went in with three seamers, taking into account the overcast conditions that Nagpur had been experiencing since the past two days.

India, yet again, picked Deep Dasgupta to do duty behind the stumps, after having tried Ajay Ratra in the one-dayers against England.

Indian coach John Wright has repeatedly asked for Dasgupta to be retained in the side as an opening batsman and Ratra to don the gloves, but it seems that the selectors have completely missed the point. The coach was not even invited to the selection meeting to pick the Test team for the Zimbabwean series.

Zimbabwe skipper Stuart Carlisle won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket full of runs. Opener Trevor Gripper was in two minds as he played and then withdrew his bat at one from Zaheer Khan that deviated off the seam and Deep, who spilled a simple collect earlier in the over, caught it clean, diving to his right.

Zaheer, returning after consecutive ten-wicket hauls in the Ranji games, bowled with a lot of spunk, screeching of the wicket and moving the ball well, though he was given just five overs in the first session.

Alistair Campbell, making his comeback to the side after having missed the series against Sri Lanka, was more positive in his batting than skipper Carlisle, who played a more staid game though both had 12 scoring shots each at lunch.

In the 12th over, Kumble was brought on, and Carlisle punched one through covers to reach 1,000 runs in Test cricket as he seemed set for a huge score.

Sanjay Bangar was unlucky to have a leg-before appeal turned down in the 20th over of the day when Carlisle’s toe was struck by a delivery which then hit the bat and travelled to the third man fence with Zimbabwe on 50 for 1. Bangar looked rather impressive with his ability to hit the deck.

Post Lunch Session

Leaning into a glorious cover drive off Zaheer Khan, Alistair Campbell picked up from where he left off five months ago in Test cricket, when he scored two half centuries and a ton in the last four Tests against the West Indies and South Africa.

The lunch seemed to have rejuvenated the Carlisle-Campbell duo, who seized the initiative, scoring 56 runs in 12 overs after lunch. The Indian skipper persisted with Kumble despite the leggie failing to find his rhythm and line.

Campbell reached his 50 and Zimbabwe had 100-run partnership off 207 balls for the second wicket.

The two went about collecting runs with ease before Campbell drove at Kumble’s half-volley straight to VVS Laxman at short cover. He made 57 off 98 balls and placed Zimbabwe comfortably at 118/2.

Andy Flower, the man with an average of 140-plus against India -- including a double century and an average of 240-plus at the venue, came in, and Zaheer, having finally rediscovered his yorker, cleaned him up with an in-swinging yorker right in the blockhole.

Zimbabwe at 125 for 3 were immediately under pressure, having frittered away the cautious start in the first session.

Carlisle, playing with extreme caution, got to his well-deserved 50 (his seventh in Tests) off a four of Kumble.

Gavin Rennie, who walked in at the fall of Andy Flower’s wicket -- after a fine outing in the tour game, hung around for a while before Srinath dug one in short for him to fend it off to substitute fielder Sehwag in third slip.

Zimbabwe went into tea at 165 for 4, having scored 105 runs of 29 overs at 3.62 per over.

Post Tea Session

Carlisle had commented on arrival in India that the only way they could pressure on India was if they scored 450 in the first innings. All hopes of him reaching anywhere close to that were squashed when 'keeper Dasgupta missed one off Harbhajan and the batsmen decided to steal a quick single only for S S Das, fielding at short leg, to pick up and throw the ball to the bowler, Harbhajan, who made no mistake.

Carlisle walked back to the pavilion with his career-best score of 77 (204 balls) with Zimbabwe tottering at 175 for 7.

Grant Flower decided to attack the spinners and straight drove Kumble for a four. In the same over he charged Kumble, missed the ball, only to see 'keeper Dasgupta to miss the stumping chance.

Makes one really wonder if his batting is the only reason he dons the gloves; would be a great idea to have Dravid do the job for India.

A bad decision by umpire Venkatraghavan had Grant Flower on his way. Flower tried to sweep Kumble, the ball clearly hit his forearm and Dravid at first slip ran across the keeper and took a dolly, with Zimbabwe at 182 for 6.

19-year old Tatendu Taibu then played Kumble’s flipper off the back foot and holed out for 1 with the Zimbabwe innings sinking at 194 for 7.

Heath Streak then found an able ally in Travis Friend and the two of them scored 33 runs in 48 balls before the new-ball was taken in the 85th over.

Zaheer bowled a rank bad ball down the leg-side and instead of finding the fence, Streak struck it straight to square leg for S S Das to grab. Zimbabwe 227 for 8.

Ray Price, who was greeted with a beamer first up by Zaheer Khan, got together with Friend and added 21 runs of 30 balls for the ninth wicket.

54 runs were scored of the last 78 balls (13 overs) of the day by the Zimbabwean batsmen and an innings that should have folded up under 200 was allowed to reach 248, with two wickets still standing.

The score at the end of the day seemed to have gone India’s way but a closer look displays the lack of penetration in the Indian attack to wipe out the tail quickly enough.

Harbhajan was unlucky to have gone wicketless all day after having bowled well and looking more impressive than Kumble.

Ganguly’s handling of his bowlers left a lot to be desired. The skipper finally bowled Kumble and Harbhajan in tandem in the 76th over, relying more on his seam and spin attack formula. Sanjay Bangar, after bowling an impressive first spell of 7 overs for 11 runs, was given the ball for only one over for the rest of the day.

The Indian fielding, barring Deep Dasgupta and Sourav Ganguly, seemed to be pretty tight and alert.

India start the day tomorrow with a new ball, used for a mere five overs, and two tail-end batsmen to be dismissed

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