Transcript of the Commentary: India vs Pakistan,
2nd Test Delhi, February 4-8, 1999

India - 1st Innings - 1st hours play

Prem: Meanwhile, be interesting to see Saqlain bowl here -- he has the drifter, the arm ball and the one that goes the other way -- and on this track, pushing the pad into line is an absolute no-no, any strike on the pads could bring the LBW decision into play.

Prem: And that is drinks, folks, with India 34/0. Taking a breather here, be right back.

Prem: Mushie, and Laxman this time defending to line of off stump.

Prem: And again -- Mushie flighting, overdoing it, full length on middle and Laxman easily forward, covering the turn on that one, hard bottom-handed drive, through mid on, four more and India 34/0.

Prem: Mushie to continue, lovely flight on that one and Laxman forward, defending.

Prem: Younis appears to have figured this pitch out, he's running in nicely, bowling within himself, getting very close to the stumps and pitching around off, bringing the ball back in or straightening it after pitching -- best way to go on this track, looking for edges outside off, with the ball not rising, is so much wasted energy.

Prem: Younis, on off, Ramesh playing late, pushes to point, no run. 30/0 the score, and Ramesh distinctly lucky to be out there still.

Prem: Uh oh that could be close -- Akram on off bringing the ball back in off the seam, straightens the ball, gets Ramesh on the pads, hits him in line, huge appeal and Jayaprakash turns it down -- I think he got it wrong there, that appeal deserved the decision.

Prem: Younis continues and again, Ramesh having no problem on the slow track, coming onto the front foot very easily, drives, fielded at mid off.

Prem: Mushie overpitches and glorious on drive from Laxman, spotted the fuller length, easily forward and perfectly timed push, beats the mid on fielder, four more, India 30/0.

Prem: A slip, silly point and short square now for Mushie bowling to Laxman.

Prem: And here we go, first ball from Mushie, to Ramesh, outside off and turns in. There is turn there already, which is interesting. 25/0 INdia, and Ramesh drives, Inzy reluctant to bend at cover, plays football instead and they take the single.

Prem: Given what it is like out there now, can't help wondering what batting will be like on day five -- if this Test extends to day five, that is. Akram taking himself off, 5-2-4-0, and Mushtaq being brought on, and we are not even through with the first hour of play.

Prem: Two slips in place, standing I suspect a tad deeper than they could be on a track like this, where the bounce is low and there is no pace on the track, the edge may not quite carry. Interesting move though, from Akram, to push a very short cover up there for Laxman on strike to Younis, with the ball not coming on,the uppish drive is a possibility.

Prem: Correction, that was four byes, India 24/0.

Prem: Thus far, the best way to bowl here, with the new ball, would seem to be to get as close to the stumps as possible, keep it short of driving length and bang on the stumps -- there is no way a batsman can be hit on the pad and not be LBW. And here we go again -- one from Younis pitches three quarters, and keeps just above ankle height, goes to Moin Khan on the third bounce. Bye, and the score is 21/0.

Prem: Akram stretching for pace there, and ends up with a no ball, first of the day, INdia 20/0.

Prem: Akram continuing, and Laxman very watchful, to the line pitching off and going away. He's raising his bat a shade too high on the backlift here, though -- on a wicket where the ball is keeping low, that could be a problem, the ball scooting through onto pad or stump befroe he can bring it down.

Prem: Strokeplay looks rather iffy on this track with the ball not really coming on, batsmen are going to need lots of patience, Laxman showing some there, playing quietly, then pushing to wide mid on when Younis strays to leg stump and running the single.

Prem: Younis, outside off, fuller length and a flowing drive, a misfield in the cover lets Ramesh cross through for the single. 18/0.

Prem: Younis continues, bowling to Ramesh. Holding gets it right, in the commentary box, saying a pitch with such little bounce on day one, hour one, of a Test is not exactly good for Tests.

Prem: End of, how does one characterise this, an interesting over from Akram -- if the bounce is this low, pitching on the stumps on a fullish length could produce a spate of LBWs here.

Prem: And after that bounce, the next one actually rolled through at ankle height, beats Ramesh, beats Moin, bye and India 17/0.

Prem: That one, Akram really put a lot of back and shoulder into it and really made it jump -- Ramesh wasn't expecting it, ahs to take the top hand off at the last moment to ride the bounce, manages to keep it down.

Prem: Akram continues. Ramesh the man on strike, played out a maiden last time and here, he gets a ball that sits down on him, scooting through at just above halfway up the knee. Outside off and the batsman lets it go.

Prem: That was a beauty -- Waqar really put a lot into that one, bowled it flat out, pitched on off, three quarter length, came back a long way and took Laxman on the pad -- appeal, but negatived, the ball striking the pad a shade too high, the shorter length defeating the bowler on that occasion, but Waqar completes a good maiden here, INdia 16/0.

Prem: This really is interesting -- Laxman, too, easily onto the front foot to Younis, bowling on day one of a Test with a new ball. Barring the lack of bounce, this pitch seems to hold no real puzzles for batsmen at this point -- but I would be darned surprised if the spinners didnt go on to play a major role here.

Prem: Younis continues, with Laxman on strike.

Prem: Akram ends his over and India 16/0.

Prem: Ramesh on strike and coming forward to pretty much everything, looking very relaxed out there, just two slips in place now, indicating that neither quick is getting much out of the conditions thus far.

Prem: Ramesh in particular looks very easy out there... seems to be relishing the lack of bounce and real pace on this track, been coming easily forward to everything... Akram the bowler...

Prem: Younis, inswinger around off and Laxman forward, defending. There is a definite lack of bounce even this early in the game, the Indian openers enabled to come easily forward. 16/0

Prem: Nice flowing drive there from Laxman, Younis here struggling to adjust to the right and left combo and bowling all over the place, meanwhile, Akram appears unhappy with the ball, and umpire Jayaprakash now checking with Bucknor, who thinks there is no problem

Prem: Outside off again, and Ramesh just opens his bat face, guides it through the gap between slip and point, long chase for Malik and the dew on the field makes him slip as he fields just near the line, good running here gets three more. 16/0.

Prem: Younis continuing, a late away cutter outside off but Laxman covering the line and letting it go -- Younis thus far hasn't really slipped the leash, he seems to be bowling well within himself thus far. Down leg side, the flick off the pads to fine leg gets one more, INdia 13/0.

Prem: Again, early days here, but there doesnt seem to be much bounce on this track -- that ball was three-quarter length from Akram, but Ramesh easily onto the front foot and driving, great stop at cover stops the four.

Prem: These two, in the little time they've played together, appear to have a good understanding between wickets -- even in the first innings in Madras, they ran some good singles and Laxman's gentle push here has Ramesh racing down for the single, India 12/0.

Prem: 11/0 at the end of Younis' over, and Akram to continue with Laxman on strike, the two Indian openers need to weather the opening hour, let the damp be burnt away by the sun, the rest of the day should be better for batting.

Prem: And again -- up in the slot and Ramesh easing onto his front foot and timing a cover drive to perfection, the ball fair racing to the extra cover boundary, that had a silken touch to it. 11/0.

Prem: Glorious drive -- outside off, room for the left handed batsman as it slants away and a halfstep into line, Ramesh just pushing at it and blazing it square, for four. 7/0 and Ramesh on 5.

Prem: Waqar again going for the inswinging yorker, but drifting to leg and Laxman controlling a flick to backward square, gets one, 3/0.

Prem: Waqar Younis bowling over number two, with three slips in place, to Laxman. Over the wicket and first up, an inswinging yorker bang on target and the batsman has a scramble digging it out -- Younis didn't bowl that one at full pace, which helped Laxman cope.

Prem: Owww... that could have been dicey, Ramesh offering his pads to one around off, big appeal but the strike, and line, were outside the stumps. Steve Bucknor as neutral umpire makes for a distinct change from Steve Dunne -- and he is the kind of umpire who can keep that excessive appealing of the previous test in check.

Prem: Akram again drifting to leg a fraction, and Laxman this time working the single off his pads, through square leg, India 2/0.

Prem: Ball two drifts to leg and Ramesh fluently off his pads, helps it along to fine leg, gets the single and India is away. Laxman on strike and gets a lovely short ball, lifting and seaming in, the batsman weaving out of the way.

Prem: S Ramesh and VVS Laxman out there now to open -- and it is Akram with the ball, and the first hour is going to prove very difficult for batting.

Prem: Mohammad Azharuddin has won the toss and elected to bat, good choice, this isnt the kind of track you want to bat last on. Harbajan comes in for Joshi as the sole change, while Nadeem Khan makes room for Mushtaq Ahmed in the Pak lineup.

Prem: They are playing on the pitch that was dug up by the Sena activists prior to the start of this tour. No grass, damp patches which should make for interesting happenings when seamers operate early on... and it has every indication of being a turner...

Prem: Akram is reportedly nursing some slight injury, but said there was no way he would miss what he calls "the most important series of his life". Meanwhile, as of last evening, Tendulkar reported fit to play... told us his back was much better...

Prem: It's going to be a chill day again -- actually, the temperature is dropping, it was 9 around this time, yesterday, with a chill wind blowing. Today, it is down to 5, with a humidity level of 20 per cent... fingers are going to be cramping, for bowlers going for long spells... or even batsmen playing long innings...

Prem: Good morning folks... it is now 9.20 in the morning and about 30 minutes from now, we will be live with the first day of the second Test, between India and Pakistan, at the Firozeshah Kotla in New Delhi