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

India - 1st Innings - 4th hours play

Prem: That is tea, we will be back in 15 minutes with the final session.

Prem: Mushie to Azhar, ball pitches off, turns further away and Azhar actually using the wrists to try and work from outside off, against the turn, to leg. Next ball, fuller length and Azhar pushes his pad at it, long way forward and that was turning away. Next ball, bad length, short and Azhar rocks back, gets under it and pulls it over midwicket for six to end the sesion with India 169/3.

Prem: Lovely line, on off turning drastically away from the right hander, Dravid covering the line and letting it go, batting 21, Azhar batting 23, guiding this one down through gully, one more to DRavid, 22.

Prem: Interesting, Akram taking himslef off and brings Mushie on for the first time after lunch, bowling here to Rahul Dravid.

Prem: End of the over, it is 162/3 and looks like there could be one more over before tea.

Prem: Afridi now bowling a fuller length and not giving as much width outside off, Azhar defends.

Prem: Afridi came on for the last over before lunch, now he is back for what could be the last over before tea. Dravid on strike, drives off the back foot, single to cover and next ball, short outside off and Azhar blazes it, bad ball and it gets the treatment, uses the width to slam that past point, four more, Azhar noticeably middling the ball better in the last couple of overs, India 162/3.

Prem: That was slanted outside off and Azhar reaching forward, letting it come on and driving through cover, splits the gap, four more, India 157/3. Next ball, same line, fractionally shorter length, Azhar reaches for it, beaten by away movement off the seam and lucky not to touch. End of the over with India 157/3.

Prem: Akram, like in Chennai, having a bit of a problem with his front foot, noballing twice in this over and India now 153/3, Dravid glancing one for a single to give the strike back to Azhar.

Prem: Again, middle and leg, not the right line for a batsman good off his pads, Azhar works it round, fine leg up now but he gets the single to end the over. 149/3 the score

Prem: Again, middle and leg, not the right line for a batsman good off his pads, Azhar works it round, fine leg up now but he gets the single to end the over. 149/3 the score

Prem: Again, middle and leg, not the right line for a batsman good off his pads, Azhar works it round, fine leg up now but he gets the single to end the over. 149/3 the score

Prem: First signs of tiredness from Saqlain, he's been drifting in this over, pitches middle and leg here and Azhar leaning into the ball, lettingit turn, glances him fine for four more, India 148/3 and Azhar now onto 13.

Prem: Next ball is off and middle and Dravid ondriving, running with the shot to get the single, goes to 20 and India 144/3.

Prem: Saqlain to continue, Mushie not used after the lunch break, with Saqlain bowling unchanged at one end, Akram taking over from Younis at the other in the previous over. Saqlain trying the arm ball, the one that goes through straight, gets his line wrong, pitches outside off, Dravid quickly otno the back foot and cover drives, beats the field down to the fence for four, India 143/3 and Dravid onto 19.

Prem: Akram, and this one is on middle and leg keeping low, Azhar flicking but failing to beat square leg, no run. There is movement off the seam, the flick didnt quite take the middle of the bat on that one.

Prem: Akram bowling three quarters, bringing the ball back in, Azahr playing half cock forward from the top of the crease. Good line here from the Pak skipper. 139/3.

Prem: Younis going off and Akram bringing himself back on -- using pace at one end and spin at the other since the break and it has paid off, Younis bowled a six over spell before getting his rest here. Akram first up produces a slower ball on off and Azhar jabs down on it at the last moment.

Prem: Next ball, middle turning to leg and Azhar helps it along off his pads, one more, 139/3. I would think Azhar in particular would benefit from a more positive approach, unlike Dravid he is not used to defending for long stretches of time, and was looking to have played himself into a bit of a hole there before that four off Saqlain eased the p5ressure. Dravid on strike now with three round the bat. 139/3 the score.

Prem: Error in length from Saqlain there, overpitching a flighted one on off and Azhar onto the front foot, riding the turn and on driving, full flourish of the bat, beats mid on for four, 138/3 the score.

Prem: That was very well read, the ball starting outside off, swinging in late to pitch middle stump, Dravid was quickly forward, leaning into that shot. Saqlain to continue, Dravid batting 15 and Azhar batting 4.

Prem: Younis this time drifting to leg, Azhar flicks, great stop by Youhanna at orthodox square leg but one more to the batsman, 130/3 the score and this time, to an attem tped yorker that ends up overpitched on middle, a flowing on drive, almost a straight drive, gets Dravid the four, ends the over on 134/3.

Prem: Quick single there as Dravid plays gently to the left of point, Azhar coming across smartly, India 129/3.

Prem: A similar pattern here to the one at Chennai, with a good start spoilt by quick wickets just when India seemed poised to push towards a big total. Younis into his 6th over of his post lunch spell here, Dravid on strike and forward, playing to cover, no run.

Prem: Azhar not looking too comfortable against Saqlain here -- almost managed to guide one that kicked up off a length into the gloves of Moin Khan, lucky to find the ball go straight down off the edge, then cramped on an attempted flick and rapped on the pads, India 128/3 at the end of the over.

Prem: Sorry about that, folks, picking up play with India 128/3, Azahr on strike to the bowling of Saqlain with a slip and short squqre in place,a nd playing defensively.

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