10,000-run Tendulkar, ton-up Dravid boost India by AFP

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Ground:	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Scorecard:	India v Pakistan
Player:	SR Tendulkar, RS Dravid, Abdul Razzaq
Event:	Pakistan in India 2004/05

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DateLine: 16th March 2005

 

Sachin Tendulkar became only the fifth batsman to complete 10,000 runs and Rahul Dravid scored an elegant 110 as India survived a late Abdul Razzaq blitz to post 344-6 on the first day of the second Test against Pakistan.

 

Dravid's 19th Test century and Tendulkar's 52 built on a blazing 113-ball 81 by Virender Sehwag to put the hosts on course for a big total on Wednesday.

 

Dravid added 122 for the third wicket with Tendulkar before falling in the day's last over, caught behind off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

 

India were strongly placed at 278-2 after winning the toss on a good batting pitch before losing three wickets in the space of 20 runs in the final session, with seamer Razzaq taking two off successive deliveries.

 

Tendulkar, who turns 32 next month, was given a standing ovation by some 35,000 spectators at the Eden Gardens when he turned Razzaq to long-leg for a single to join the elite 10,000-club.

 

Australian Allan Border heads the list with 11,174 runs, followed by compatriot Steve Waugh (10,927), India's Sunil Gavaskar (10,122), West Indian Brian Lara (10,094) and Tendulkar (10,025).

 

Tendulkar is one three-figure knock short of surpassing Gavaskar's world record of 34 Test centuries. He had missed out on the world mark in the drawn opening Test at Mohali, scoring 94.

 

This time, he fell shortly after completing his 40th Test half-century when he was caught behind off leg-spinner Shahid Afridi.

 

But there was no stopping Dravid, who looked in good form from the start as he drove and cut flawlessly and fluently to keep pressure on the Pakistani bowlers and fielders.

 

Even Tendulkar could not upstage Dravid, who gave the spectators plenty to cheer about with his rich stroke-play. He reached his century in the final session when he on-drove paceman Mohammad Sami for his 15th boundary.

 

Dravid was in the 90s when he lost skipper Sourav Ganguly and Venkatsai Laxman, both falling to Razzaq. The Indian captain was caught behind driving away from the body, while Laxman was trapped leg-before next ball.

 

Dinesh Karthik survived the hat-trick ball and went on to make 28 not out.

 

Razzaq's twin-strike came after Pakistan had struggled for wickets on a track which had neither bounce nor pace even on the first morning.

 

Even Kaneria, Pakistan's best bowler in the first Test at Mohali with six wickets, failed to keep constant pressure on the batsmen.

 

India feasted on the Pakistani attack in the first two sessions, with Sehwag showing the way with his aggressive knock containing 11 fours. He put on 80 for the opening wicket with Gautam Gambhir (29) and 76 for the second with Dravid.

 

Sehwag, who scored 173 in the previous Test, looked set for a second successive hundred before throwing away his wicket.

 

He attempted a big shot off Afridi, but top-edged it into the covers where skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq held a well-judged running catch.

 

Pakistan managed just one wicket in the morning session when Kaneria dismissed Gambhir. He was given out leg-before by West Indian umpire Steve Bucknor, standing in a record 100th Test.

(Article: Copyright © 2005 AFP)