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Day 1 @ The Oval, England v India, 3rd and Final Test (India leads the series 1-0)
LUNCH: India 1/117. (Karthik 50*)
Excellent start, excellent session. Karthik notched up his 6th Test fifty (and 3rd of the series), as India won another good toss and chose to bat. Jaffer got things going in the 4th over of the morning, and since then the Indians have scored more than 4 an over. The only English success came at 62, when Vaughan's strategic placement of Pietersen halfway between the inner-circle and boundary at a squarish-third man, enticed Jaffer to play straight into his hands after a brisk 35. (He had earlier hit an upper-cut six in the same area). The captain, Rahul Dravid, walked-in and began in rather brisk fashion himself. At one point he was even scoring more than a run-a-ball, but with lunch just around the corner, he pulled down the shutters and let his partner run the shop. The Oval has played true to its nature in recent times: a belter to bat on, and nothing less than 650 in under two days, will provide enough time for teams with these kinda bowling attacks to push for victory within five. India needs 350 from today's play, and without losing too many more wickets.
TEA: India 3/211. (Karthik 91, Dravid 55)
A disappointing last hour for India, as they lost Dravid and Karthik within the space of a couple overs. Only twenty-six runs were scored in the second hour, as England sensed an opportunity to claw their way back into the game. With SRT and Ganguly at the crease, I'd say it's even stevens. This partnership and the next one could make-or-break India's chances of forcing a win. Off to tea!
STUMPS: India 4/316. (Karthik 91, Dravid 55, SRT 48*)
Despite one unlucky umpiring decision against Karthik, and another shocker against Ganguly; India took the honours on the 1st day at The Oval. Two of the Fab Four are still at the crease. SRT and Laxman, who incidentally became the ninth Indian batsman to cross 5000 Test runs, will be expected to shepherd India into a winning position tomorrow. Today however, began with a flurry of runs and for half the day, the run rate was well above four an over. Then England pegged India back with a coupla wickets, and the runs dried up. SRT in particular gave the impression that he was going to be the last man standing, as he ground his way to 48* in just over three hours. Dravid will be pleased that his boys scored more than 300 runs, without losing too many wickets; but England will not feel too outdone, especially after it looked like they were in for a fruitless and tiring day's effort. Little was mentioned about the weather, which incredibly has produced yet another 24hrs without precipitation in the capital. Given India's seemingly solid position, it might as well not rain for at least another day or two. It also looks like India are more interested in batting long enough to avoid a loss, yet offer themselves just about enough time to theoretically force a result if the bowlers get stuck in. Given how brilliant the umpiring's been this series, we might just have a result, regardless of how well India and/or England play. But for now, dinner calls!
Excellent start, excellent session. Karthik notched up his 6th Test fifty (and 3rd of the series), as India won another good toss and chose to bat. Jaffer got things going in the 4th over of the morning, and since then the Indians have scored more than 4 an over. The only English success came at 62, when Vaughan's strategic placement of Pietersen halfway between the inner-circle and boundary at a squarish-third man, enticed Jaffer to play straight into his hands after a brisk 35. (He had earlier hit an upper-cut six in the same area). The captain, Rahul Dravid, walked-in and began in rather brisk fashion himself. At one point he was even scoring more than a run-a-ball, but with lunch just around the corner, he pulled down the shutters and let his partner run the shop. The Oval has played true to its nature in recent times: a belter to bat on, and nothing less than 650 in under two days, will provide enough time for teams with these kinda bowling attacks to push for victory within five. India needs 350 from today's play, and without losing too many more wickets.
TEA: India 3/211. (Karthik 91, Dravid 55)
A disappointing last hour for India, as they lost Dravid and Karthik within the space of a couple overs. Only twenty-six runs were scored in the second hour, as England sensed an opportunity to claw their way back into the game. With SRT and Ganguly at the crease, I'd say it's even stevens. This partnership and the next one could make-or-break India's chances of forcing a win. Off to tea!
STUMPS: India 4/316. (Karthik 91, Dravid 55, SRT 48*)
Despite one unlucky umpiring decision against Karthik, and another shocker against Ganguly; India took the honours on the 1st day at The Oval. Two of the Fab Four are still at the crease. SRT and Laxman, who incidentally became the ninth Indian batsman to cross 5000 Test runs, will be expected to shepherd India into a winning position tomorrow. Today however, began with a flurry of runs and for half the day, the run rate was well above four an over. Then England pegged India back with a coupla wickets, and the runs dried up. SRT in particular gave the impression that he was going to be the last man standing, as he ground his way to 48* in just over three hours. Dravid will be pleased that his boys scored more than 300 runs, without losing too many wickets; but England will not feel too outdone, especially after it looked like they were in for a fruitless and tiring day's effort. Little was mentioned about the weather, which incredibly has produced yet another 24hrs without precipitation in the capital. Given India's seemingly solid position, it might as well not rain for at least another day or two. It also looks like India are more interested in batting long enough to avoid a loss, yet offer themselves just about enough time to theoretically force a result if the bowlers get stuck in. Given how brilliant the umpiring's been this series, we might just have a result, regardless of how well India and/or England play. But for now, dinner calls!