The Indians wake up
The Indians woke up from the Mumbai terror attack induced stupor. After letting England take the upper hand for almost 31/2 days, the Indian bowlers particularly Zaheer and Ishanth came to the fore. They ripped apart the pretenders in the English middle order and in the process gladdened their fans heart.
If it was Zaheer and Ishath who nudged a slumbering India, then it was Sehwag, who on a lazy Sunday afternoon shook the country awake. In just 23 over’s, Sehwag put up a 117 runs partnership with Gambhir, slamming 11 fours and 4 sixes.
His innings altered the complexion of the match. Now India holds all the cards needing another 256 runs with 9 wickets remaining. If there is going to be a full days play tomorrow, this match is going to have a stirring climax.
If it was Zaheer and Ishath who nudged a slumbering India, then it was Sehwag, who on a lazy Sunday afternoon shook the country awake. In just 23 over’s, Sehwag put up a 117 runs partnership with Gambhir, slamming 11 fours and 4 sixes.
His innings altered the complexion of the match. Now India holds all the cards needing another 256 runs with 9 wickets remaining. If there is going to be a full days play tomorrow, this match is going to have a stirring climax.
The English batsmen prove their resilience
Image by shadphotos
Leading by 247 runs with seven wickets still in hand, the match is firmly in England’s grasp. They clearly cannot lose and this will embolden them to go for quick runs after playing out the morning session securely.
Dhoni will certainly instruct Zaheer and Ishanth to bowl wide of the off stump, not only to deny runs but also to frustrate the English batsmen. The ploy is to frustrate them so much that post lunch when the Indian pace combo pitch it up the run starved batsmen will go for the hits only to succumb to the reverse swing. Even if the ploy works and England batsmen collapse in a heap after lunch, India will still face the uphill task of chasing a record-breaking total.
As usual, the press and the blogs have been proclaiming the end of Dhoni’s (captaincy) honeymoon. Though he and his team looked a trifle flat after tea, a result of not getting wickets after lunch, there appears nothing palpably wrong; it is just that the over the last three days, the English batsmen have proved their resilience.
Coming to the day’s play the first objective is to terminate the 129-run stand between Strauss and Collingwood. If India lets them burgeon beyond the first half-hour, they have the mulishness to dampen both the Indian team and their fans spirit.
Cricket News Online Live.com
8 comments:
India should be able to hold them to a draw if Eng continue batting the way they r.
They have nearly sunk us now. The pitch is great to bat and a draw is possible. But we all know this Indian team.
Viru save India.
Q,
A win is a possibility.
Scorpi,
Viru saves India.
Match will be over by tea in favour of England
R,
I do not share your skepticism. :)
Ott,
The English may have been resiliant. But they dug their own grave.. two batsmen scoring 100 of 300 odd balls when u needed to score fast??
And then Sehwag has got us back.. We should win it from here.
Tri,
Their batsmen were slow, our bowlers and the defensive field setting had a hand in it.
Absolutely, the match is even-steven.Sehwag has manhandled the match in our favour.
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