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

India - 1st Innings - 3rd hours play

Prem: Azharuddin the new man in.

Prem: A fortuitous dismissal there. Saqlain, from wide of the crease, angles one across Sachin, pitching a full length on leg stump. Sachin attempts to sweep, misses, is hit on the outside of the front pad -- and Jayaprakash upholds the appeal, rather quickly given that that held a huge element of doubt. 122/3.

Prem: Waqar seems to have eschewed any thought of using the leg cutter at Dravid -- no slips now, a short cover and short midwicket in place up close, and concentrating on bowling on a very tight line wicket to wicket. Dravid spots the slower one, waits for it, guides it behind point, single. Next ball, similar line but Sachin leaning a long way forward, covers the line with the face of the bat, last minute, rolls his wrists and sends the ball racing through square leg for four. Next ball, reverse swing, Sachin again riding it and working one down to fine leg, 122/2 the score at the end of the over.

Prem: Both Sachin and Dravid working singles out on the on side, ending the over with India on 115/2. The openers have given the side a decent platform, it would be now up to these two, with Azahr and Ganguly to follow, to put up the kind of total that can put some pressure on the Pakistan side which has to bat last on this dodgy track.

Prem: Interesting, Saqlain, who got Tendulkar both times in Madras, going round the wicket to Tendulkar, looking for any rough patch I guess, slip and silly point, plus a short square, in place. 113/2 and Tendulkar defensive.

Prem: Correction, that is 113/2 and a standing ovation -- call it uproar -- as Tendulkar walks out to the middle.

Prem: That however was a needless dismissal, after getting two off the first ball and a lovely late-cut four off the second ball of a Saqlain over, Ramesh gets a drifting delivery around leg, goes for a heave over the leg side field, playing all over the line to a ball too full for that shot and loses leg stump. 119/2 the score and Ramesh gone for 60 off 119 deliveries.

Prem: That however was a needless dismissal, after getting two off the first ball and a lovely late-cut four off the second ball of a Saqlain over, Ramesh gets a drifting delivery around leg, goes for a heave over the leg side field, playing all over the line to a ball too full for that shot and loses leg stump. 119/2 the score and Ramesh gone for 60 off 119 deliveries.

Prem: Saqlain continues and Ramesh rather risky on that on drive, but gets two anyway. Next ball is superbly played -- rocking onto his back foot, letting the ball pitch off, then spin away, and late cutting, four down to a very fine backward point and India 113/1.

Prem: Dravid seems slightly unsure of which way the ball is going, from both Akram and now Younis. The way he is batting, I suspect he is worried more about the bounce or lack of it, and given that both bowlers have been moving the ball around, the possibility of the LBW seems to be worrying him, he keeps squaring up and playing with bat in front of body. 107/1 the score at the end of the over.

Prem: Interesting field here, a slip, and a very short midwicket, the reason why obvious as Younis pitches off and middle, Dravid flicks, and finds the on side fielder with the shot. NO run.

Prem: Now what was that about? Saqlain, outside off, turning away, just beats the edge, huge appeal, Saqlain in fact apealing twice but Jayaprakash unmoved, and rightly so, no touch on that one though Ramesh was beaten on that. YOunis again, to Dravid.

Prem: Saqlain to Ramesh, making the left hander feel for that one, pitching off and turning it rapidly away. With the Pak bowlers tightening their length and line, run making very difficult thus far in the post lunch session.

Prem: Amazing to think that between these two, they have taken 637 Test wickets, Akram and Younis.

Prem: Very steady over, here, from Younis, but not bowling at his top pace and Dravid playing him easily off the front foot, India 107/1.

Prem: Younis in this first over swining the ball in, but he seems to be bowling within himself here, bowling close to the stumps, pitching in line of off, all his deliveries thus far have come in off the seam, no sign yet of the one going away -- Dravid defending.

Prem: Akram taking himself off and bringing back Younis, he had a seven over spell with the new ball, now back with the older one and he, like Akram, a master of reverse swing as the ball goes older.

Prem: Ramesh batting 54, Drvaid batting 6, India 107/1 and it is Dravid on strike.

Prem: That was a flowing, stylish on drive -- Saqlain pitching off, Ramesh covering the turn away from him very well, leaning onto his front foot, drives elegantly, long chase and Younis stops it on the line, but his foot is on the line and four given, India 107/1.

Prem: Saqlain continues, and Dravid on strike, again coming well forward to play the off spinner at the pitch. Crowd a bit restive, they seem to be under the impression that this is a one day game, lots of cat-calling going on out there, SM meanwhile bowling with a slip, silly point and short square in place. Dravid gets one off his pads square on the on, 103/1 India.

Prem: India's 100 coming up in the 37th over, with a single to Dravid square through point off Akram, and a leg bye to Ramesh off the last ball has India 101/1.

Prem: Akram now going round the wicket, to Dravid, swings wide of the crease and angles one in very sharply onto off, Dravid coming down on it. Next ball, pitches off and seams it away, Dravid had to play at that, the previous ball having come in with the arm, this time it goes away and Dravid pushes at it, lucky not to edge.

Prem: Ramesh, one short of his first Test 50, drives Saqlain to mid on, the fielder there is quick, Dravid looking for the single but Ramesh declines -- looks very relaxed and laid back at the crease, Ramesh, not just here, that was his attitude in Madras as well. Saqlain tempting him outside off, Ramesh still checking his pushes, not being lured by the very obvious temptation Saqlain, going round the wicket, is holding out to him. Now the off drive, just to the right ofthe fielder at mid off, and running with the shot gets him to the half century, a standing ovation greeting the effort, INdia 98/1.

Prem: Ramesh again easing onto the front foot, a checked drive getting him the single through extra cover, India 97/1 to end the over.

Prem: Ouch, that one kept ankle height outside off, Dravid having to play at it as it pitched middle and off and slanted away, misses the edge though given the lack of bounce, the edge would not ahve carried anyway. Next ball, open bat face guiding it past point and a single, India 96/1.

Prem: Ramesh batting 47, on strike to Akram and as in the morning, going forward in pre-determined fashion to counter Akram's swing and seam, the fact that there is no bounce on this track helping that type of batting. guides one to point and moves to 48, India 95/1.

Prem: Dravid on strike to Saqlain and, having gotten out LBW in the first innings to Saqlain's arm ball, here he is putting bat in front of pad, leaning well forward. A 56.17 average for Dravidi in Tests, on drives here but finds Akram at mid on

Prem: A no ball this time, and one more to the Indian total, 93/1. Akram here has been using the old ball beautifully, a master at the art of getting the older ball to move both ways off the seam, adding to the problems with late reverse swing through the air. Draviid defends, India 93/1 at the end of the over.

Prem: Akram continuing and Dravid very watchful -- he had all kinds of problems againsst the Pak skipper in the seccond innings in Chennai, before Akram took him out with a dream delivery, Dravid here noticeably onto the front foot and covering the line of the ball befroe letting them through.

Prem: Both Dravid and Ramesh working singles, the former off his pads as Saqlain drifts down to leg, and India 93/1 at the end of the Saqlain over.

Prem: 91/1 and Saqlain continues, he has a slip, silly point and short square in place for Dravid, who is on the back foot, defending to the first ball....

Prem: Ummm, I dont think Dravid had any clue where that one was going, Akram pitching off and taking it away, Dravid playing for it to go straight, tries to take the bat out of line, gets an involuntary edge ot third man, single. Next ball, an attempted yorker that Ramesh reads and flicks off his pads, two more, 92/1 India.

Prem: Saqlain continues, keeping his line very tight here, noticeably not tweaking the ball as much now, seems to be trying to bowl close to the stumps and keep it on line of the stumps, I would suspect he is trying for the LBW to his delivery that straightens with the arm. Laxman plays out the over, 88/1 India.

Prem: And there goes wicket number one, Akram striking in his very first over after the break. Brings one back in smartly off the seam, Laxman an eternity too late in bringing his bat down, goes through the gap between bat and pad as he tries to play to leg, and back goes middle stump, Laxman gone for 35.

Prem: Akram bowling the second over of the afternoon. With the ball now 28 overs old, there should be scope for some reverse swing for the pace ace, bowling with just one slip in place, however, at this point. Ramesh on strike, Akram over the wicket.

Prem: Ramesh pushing the last ball against the turn, out square on the on side, gets the single to retain strike and India 87/0.

Prem: Very nice line here from Saqlain, floating it in on a middle and off line to the left hander just short of driving length, turning it away from the left hander.

Prem: All set to play and it is Saqlain with the first over of the afternoon session. Ramesh on strike and defensive to line of off.

Prem: And here we go, play resuming post lunch with Ramesh on 42 and Laxman on 35 coming out to resume their innings.

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