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Day 1: Saqlain spins India into trouble

NEW DELHI, Feb 4: Saqlain Mushtaq remained an enigma for the Indians as the world's best finger spinner led Pakistan's recovery in the second and final cricket Test here at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground on Thursday.

After his match-winning 10-wicket haul at Chennai, Saqlain again captured five wickets for 94 runs from 34.5 overs as India slipped from 231 for four to 247 for eight at the draw of stumps on the first day after electing to bat first on an intriguing wicket. Had Pakistan held four catches, there might have been a different story to write than to tell.

Saqlain's victims included world's best batsman Sachin Tendulkar who was dismissed by him for the third time in this series. After it were Saqlain's mystery deliveries that foxed Tendulkar at Chennai, it was the floater here which trapped Tendulkar in front of the wickets while attempting to paddle the ball round.

Wrist spinner Mushtaq Ahmad picked up two wickets, including the prized scalp of top-scorer Mohammad Azharuddin. Wasim Akram accounted for opener Venkatsai Laxman to break an 88-run first wicket partnership to inch closer to Imran Khan's all-time Pakistan record of 362 wickets. Akram now has 360 wickets in 85 Tests.

The day's play was graced by Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who watched the first 15 minutes of play. He was also photographed with both the sides. Leader of Congress party, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, wife of slained former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, also made a brief appearance.

Vajpayee has been instrumental in having Pakistan's Test tour to materialize after 12 years when he promised state security for the players. He had even threatened to break his alliance with Shiv Sena who had earlier threatened to disrupt the tour.

But the Pakistan cricketers received a partisan crowd here after a supporting one at Chennai when they were booed. Anti-Pakistan slogans were chanted from one of the most expensive stands in which a ticket costed Indian Rs 6,000. Amongst the players, Inzamam-ul-Haq was the main target when the spectators called him 'alloo' (potato) after his infamous incident at Toronto two years ago when he had jumped into one of the stands and manhandled an Indian spectator who was taunting him with the same name..

Barring all the off the field activities, Pakistan remained sharp on the field though four dropped catches still left a black mark on their overall performance.

Opener Sadagopan Ramesh, who is playing in only his second Test and made an impressive 60, was dropped by Yousuf Youhana off Saqlain Mushtaq at silly-point when he was 24. Mohammad Azharuddin got a narrow escape at 29 when Mushtaq Ahmad failed to hold a regulation catch off his own bowling.

In addition to this, Shahid Afridi made a brave attempt at cover to catch Venkasai Laxman off Mushtaq Ahmad when he was 16 and Ijaz Ahmad missed a simple chance at the first slip when he dropped Anil Kumble off Saqlain. Nevertheless, these two lapses didn't prove expensive as Laxman was bowled by Wasim Akram for 35 while Kumble was dismissed by Saqlain five balls later.

However, the day once again belonged to the 22-year-old crafty Saqlain Mushtaq who is playing in his 19th Test. The Lahore-born spinner mixed his deliveries intelligently and though he was hit for 94 runs, not many batsmen played him with confidence.

Saurav Ganguly was by all means under pressure from Saqlain when he tried to disturb the Pakistani's concentration by playing some mental game. First he stepped down from the deck when Saqlain was about to bowl and on the following delivery, after pushing the ball at cover, ran directly into him at the non-striker's as the off-spinner tried to cover Shahid Afridi's throw.

After Akram had sent Laxman's off stump on a walk with an inswinger, Saqlain ended a resolute innings from Sadagopan Ramesh when the batsman tried to pull the Pakistani only to drag the ball onto his off stump. Ramesh, who scored 43 and 5 at Chennai, scored his 60 off 119 balls from 178 minutes of batting. His innings spiced seven boundaries.

Saqlain then picked up Rahul Dravid when the batsman was trapped right in front of the wickets off a floater. Dravid contributed 33 from 101 balls with four boundaries and remained a sleeping partner in a 69-run fourth wicket partnership with Azharuddin. The two had joined hands when Saqlain had picked Ramesh and Tendulkar in a space of nine balls to reduce India from 88 for no wicket to 122 for three.

After Mushtaq Ahmad picked up two wickets in quick succession, Saqlain turned out to unplayable for the tailenders as Anil Kumble gently pushed the ball into the hands of a waiting Yousuf Youhana at forward short leg. Javagal Srinath was left in no man's land to be adjudged leg before on the last but one ball of the day's play.

Mushtaq Ahmad, returning after missing the Chennai game, accounted for Saurav Ganguly when Steve Bucknor adjudged him leg before after having rejected a vicious appeal on an earlier delivery with the batsman playing an identical stroke.

But Mushtaq's best wicket was of Mohammad Azharuddin who was caught by surprise with the spin and the height the ball took on its way to Ijaz Ahmad at first slip after taking the shoulder of his bat. Nevertheless, Azharuddin played some delightful wristy shots to slam seven boundaries and a six in his 134-ball knock that came after 160 minutes of batting.

Azharuddin brought his 20 half century in 96 Tests with an exquisite cover drive off Mushtaq Ahmad after having hit him for a six on the final delivery before tea interval.

Earlier, both Pakistan and India made one change each to the squad that played at Chennai. Mushtaq Ahmad replaced Nadeem Khan while India brought in controversial off-spinner Harbhajan Singh for Sunil Joshi. However, Pakistan would have given a more decent look to the side that they included Azhar Mahmood for Waqar Younis. Looking at the wicket, it was expected that it would not assist the pacers and it proved the point that after 45 minutes when Wasim Akram removed both the slips and instead opted to defensive field. In this background, Azhar Mahmood might have been more useful because of his ability to bowl accurate quickies and great batting skills which would have given more depth to the batting.

Wasim Akram passed a fitness test shortly before the toss though he continued to struggle with the groin injury he had sustain in the final session of the match at Chennai. He missed four overs after the tea interval and again left the field when seven overs of the day were to be bowled. Sources in the Pakistan dressing room said Akram was also suffering from a shoulder injury.

Sachin Tendulkar was also a last-minute inclusion after question mark had been left over his participation because of a back muscle spasm he had sustained during a gallant innings of 133 that went in vain.

With India being 247 for eight, a result is very much on the cards. However, the behaviour of the wicket has left the pundits perplexed as runs were also scored and wickets also went down. It is to be seen how Pakistan respond as first innings lead in expected to play the decisive role.

Day 3: Pakistan face an uphill task

Akram becomes leading wicket-taker

NEW DELHI, Feb 6: Wasim Akram became Pakistan's leading wicket-taker but defeat was staring right in the face of his team in the second and final cricket Test against India at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground.

Akram overhauled Imran Khan's record of 362 wickets when he dismissed Mohammad Azharuddin and Nayan Mongia on successive balls to take his tally of wickets to 363. Akram, who was thwarted of a hat trick by Anil Kumble, achieved the landmark in 85 Tests as compared to his mentor who played in 88 Tests.

However, Akram's fiery third spell of 8-0-23-2 and marathon bowling by Saqlain Mushtaq (44 overs) failed to restrict India from reaching a colossal 324 for seven at the draw of stumps on the third day. The home team now enjoys an overall lead of 404 - a score which Pakistan has never achieved - with three wickets intact. Their highest winning score in the fourth innings is 315 against Australia at Karachi in 1994-95 while their best score at the Kotla is 286 about 29 years ago.

Pakistan had a remote chance in the Test when India slipped to 241 for seven after Ramesh Sadagoppan's majestic 96. But an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 103 between Saurav Ganguly and Javagal Srinath put the match well out of Pakistan's reach, barring the glorious uncertainties for which this game is known for.

Ganguly was batting on 58 while Srinath showed that he was by no means a rabbit with the bat when he reached 44. Ganguly's innings was laced with six boundaries and two sixes off 119 balls while Srinath struck five boundaries in his 122-minute knock during which he received 103 balls.

The body language of the Pakistanis told the sorry script of the present and the future. They had their chins and shoulders down after an agonizing day's play in which they dropped two crucial catches and umpires made a bagful of blunders. The expressions on the faces of the Pakistanis clearly showed that they have mentally accepted the fact that they have blown away an opportunity of returning with a series win, probably a 2-0 triumph.

Jamaican Steve Bucknor made an error of judgment when he declared Srinath not out though television replays confirmed that the ball had taken an inner edge of his bat before going into the hands of Yousuf Youhana off Saqlain Mushtaq. But local Asjit Jayaprakash crossed all limits and reached a stage when one started wondering if he was really making mistakes.

Not to belittle Sadagoppan Ramesh's brilliant 96, he should have been back in the dressing room when 35 after he was hit low on the left pad and plumb in front of the wickets off Waqar Younis. India were 74 for one at that stage.

Jayaprakash then rejected a confident lbw appeal against Sachin Tendulkar off Mushtaq Ahmad when the ball apparently looked hitting middle and leg. But that decision was quite understandable in the background of the backlashing he had received from the local media after his verdict against the champion batsman in the first innings. Tendulkar (29) was 24 then with India at 156 for two.

Jayaprakash really bugged the Pakistanis and Wasim Akram in particular when he turned a deaf ear to an lbw shout after Ganguly was beaten in the air and off the wicket to be left stranded in front of the wickets. Akram, who almost went down on his knee begging, was later seen arguing with the Indian umpire who indicated that the ball had first hit the bat before hitting the pad.

Pakistan may not be able to criticize the umpiring because of the strong International Cricket Council (ICC) restrictions, but they can certainly hold their fielders responsible for showing butter fingers.

Moin Khan dropped a regulation catch of Ganguly off Akram when the batsman was 20 and India 232 for seven. Moin Khan on Saturday showed that he wastes more of his energy in useless shouting than concentrating on his job by conceding 13 byes.

Shahid Afridi, three overs before stumps, failed to accept a return catch offered by Srinath when he was 37 and India 316 for seven.

Akram finished the day as Pakistan's most successful bowler with three for 38 while Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmad equally shared four wickets between them. Saqlain conceded 112 runs from 44 overs while Mushtaq gave away 86 runs from his 26 overs.

The positive side of the day's play was an innings of authority, power and confidence by Sadagoppan Ramesh. Ramesh was unlucky to miss his maiden Test century by four runs but left a great impression on the pundits of the game with his patience, timing, concentration and application. Without really moving his feet well, Ramesh handled the dangerous Pakistan bowlers with courage by striking 15 boundaries in a 227-ball innings spanning 30 minutes under five hours.

It was a sad end to his innings when he was caught in two minds and hit a full-toss back to Mushtaq Ahmad who this time made no mistake. Ramesh stayed at the wicket for 15 seconds before leaving the ground in tears.

Day 4: Kumble levels Laker's 43-year old record

India beat Pakistan by 212 runs

NEW DELHI, Feb 7: Anil Kumble equalled Jim Laker's 43-year-old record by capturing all the 10 wickets as India defeated Pakistan by 212 runs in the second and final cricket Test at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground on Sunday.

Kumble, like Laker, demolished the entire Pakistan innings from the pavilion end as the tourists were skittled out for 207 while chasing an daunting 420-run target. Laker had got his 10 wickets against Australia while bowling from Stratford End at Old Trafford in 1956.

Pakistan innings was terminated an hour after tea on the fourth day and that brought the curtain down on the series with both the sides winning one Test apiece. The visitors had earlier won the Chennai Test by 12 runs last week.

The victory also helped India end their 19-year and 16-match win drought against Pakistan. India's last triumph over Pakistan was in 1979 when they had won the six-Test series 2-0.

The two teams meet again in a five-day game at Calcutta from Feb 16 to 20. But that would be in connection with the inaugural Asian Test Championship.

Kumble exploited an unplayable wicket to the maximum to return with magnificent analysis of 26.3-9-74-10. He had match figures of 14 for 149 which earned him the Man-of-the-Match award.

Kumble spun the ball viciously and took advantage of his height to extract enough bounce from the track which always left the Pakistani batsmen wondering. Not that Pakistan stroke-makers played badly, they were dismissed on real beauties by the wrist spinner.

It was Kumble's post-lunch spell of 16-6-43-6 that virtually broke the back of the Pakistanis after Saeed Anwar and Shahid Afridi had provided the tourists a flying start of 101 in just 104 minutes. Kumble claimed all his six pre-tea wickets in 44 balls conceding 22 runs.

Pakistan never recovered from that shock and only a quick fire 37 by skipper Wasim Akram and a sedate 15 by Salim Malik helped their side cross the 200-mark.

Nevertheless, Anil Kumble is unfortunate that he will have to live the rest of his life with the fact that this Test was marred by some horrible umpiring by local man Ajit Jayaprakash. With whatever knowledge about the game Jayaprakash has shown, he actually even didn't deserve to stand in a club match but here he was supervising a crunch match between Pakistan and India with the series being played after 12 years and the home team trailing 0-1.

It was amazing on the part of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that they appointed Jayaprakash for this tight match despite having Venkataravghan available. The point to be emphasised here is that Jayaprakash spoiled what would have been a keenly contested match though Pakistan would still have lost the Test anyway because never in the history of Test cricket, 420 runs have been achieved in the fourth innings.

It was shocking to see Jayaprakash raise his finger one after another. After all, he was the same man who couldn't raise his finger on Saturday when he allowed Sadagoppan Ramesh, Sachin Tendulkar, Saurav Ganguly and Javagal Srinath to have second knocks despite the fact that the appeals against the four looked even closer as compared to the ones he gave out today.

It was not Pakistan but cricket which was disgraced at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground on Sunday. And the onus of this lies chiefly on the shoulders of the BCCI and then Jayaprakash.

Without belittling the record-equalling effort by Kumble, he was the same bowler who looked unimpressive and mediocre when Anwar and Afridi blasted him for 25 runs in five overs while bowling from Steve Bucknor's end as Pakistan raced to 90 for no loss at lunch.

One doesn't know what happened during the lunch break but when play resumed, Kumble was introduced from Jayaprakash's end. In the next 20 minutes, Pakistan had slumped to 115 for four with the umpire giving three absurd decisions.

Shahid Afridi, who was looking great, was declared caught behind and on the following ball Ijaz Ahmad was given lbw while stretched fully forward. While Afridi stood at the wicket for sometime for which he was warned later by the match referee, Ijaz was given out in shocking circumstances when the umpire kept on hesitating for three to four seconds as the Indians kept on shouting before he gave the marching orders.

Yousuf Youhana, who had come after Inzamam-ul-Haq was bowled, was again given lbw on the second ball when the red cherry hit him high on his front ball while playing forward.

Those decisions were enough to create doubts about the credibility of the umpire in the batsmen's minds as they battled to keep the ball away from their pads. That forced them to play away from the body and without coming into the line of the ball. But that tactic didn't work either as three batsmen were caught at silly-point and Moin Khan was caught in the first slip.

It would not be wrong to sum up the Test by saying that Pakistan didn't lose to India but to a hostile crowd, poor wicket and poor umpiring.

Pakistan's only achievement in the fourth day's play was the return to form of Saeed Anwar. Anwar, who had scores of 24, 7 and 1 in his previous three innings, struck a stylish 69 that comprised 12 delightful boundaries. His innings spanned 157 minutes during which he received 128 balls.

Shahid Afridi continued his dream run with the bat by contributing 41 off 64 balls. His innings was studded with seven hits to the fence.

Earlier, India resumed this morning at 324 for seven and were bowled out for 339 inside five overs. Saqlain Mushtaq, who last evening had figures of two for 112, picked up all three wickets to end the match with five for 122. He had match figures of 10 for 216.

At Chennai, Saqlain had match figures of 10 for 187 which gave him series figures of 20 wickets for 403 and Man-of-the-Series award.

Pakistan now travel to Cochin on early Tuesday morning where that play a three-dayer before appearing in the Asian Test Championship fixture at Calcutta.