BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe, 15 September 2005 — VVS Laxman swept to his eighth Test century for India against Zimbabwe yesterday to put his country fully in command with 325-3 at the close of play at Queens Sports Club.
Replying to Zimbabwe’s all out first innings total of 279, Laxman and Indian captain Saurav Ganguly survived two overs of the new ball for a lead of 46 runs with seven wickets in hand going into the third day.
Ganguly, conjuring up a high level of concentration, appears intent on making his own century here today. His highest score on this tour has been 46, made against a scratch Zimbabwe select at Mutare last week. After a patchy performance on the field Tuesday Laxman scored freely all around the wicket.
He struck 17 fours and used 186 balls in a top class and faultless innings, to achieve his eight Test century, five of which been made outside India. When Laxman reached 39 he passed a personal landmark of 4,000 runs in Test cricket. He also figured in a 130 runs partnership for the third wicket with Rahul Dravid, who scored 77, which was his 124th half century.
“I got off to a slow start because I felt I needed to build concentration,” Laxman said.
“After that it was a matter of treating carefully an attack that was not really up to the mark.
“Whatever the circumstances I was delighted to get another century and I want to add a lot of runs to that when we resume.” Dravid’s 77 runs gave a sound foundation to the Indian innings, adding weight to useful contributions early on by Virender Sehwag (44) and Gautam Gambhia with 46. Ganguly played a more subdued role with 23. The only successful Zimbabwe bowler was Blessing Mahwire, the taker of all three Indian wickets to fall. He ended with 3-67.
Zimbabwe started the day on 265 for seven down. They had hopes of exceeding 300 at least but came up against Irfan Pathan, who took all three remaining wickets, and were able to add only a further 14 runs. Tatenda Taibu was left stranded by failing colleagues on 71 not out. From that moment India could consider themselves in command with all their batsmen making a solid contribution.
During the day Australian umpire Daryl Harper was feeling dizzy and his place was taken by Zimbabwe’s Russell Tiffin.
Pakistan to Burst England’s
Ashes Bubble
In Karachi, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer believes his young team can tame Ashes winners England in three Tests and five one-day matches in November-December.
“England have beaten Australia but there is not an aura of invincibility about England yet and if we put up a disciplined effort we can burst their Ashes bubble,” Woolmer told AFP.
England captain Michael Vaughan has admitted there was still work to do before they can claim to be the top dogs in world cricket, starting with series victories in Pakistan and India.
England are also due to tour India for three Tests early next year.
“England have done well in Test cricket recently but they still need to create that aura of invincibility of the West Indies of 1970s and 80s and of recent Australia,” said Woolmer, who took over as Pakistan coach in June 2004.
Woolmer, part of England’s Ashes-winning team in 1975, said Pakistan can be a genuine threat to England.“I think it’s going to be a very hard fought series, and if England have done well recently, we have also been shaping up well and can pose a real challenge,” he said.
“The side which does well in all three departments will win the series and we have to be very disciplined against England who have quality bowlers and batsmen,” said Woolmer, under whom Pakistan have yet to win a Test series.
“I am pleased with the strength and fitness of my team. We have been training for a month now and this has made it possible for us to compete very, very severely,” said Woolmer.
When asked about his likely bowling tactics, a cagey Woolmer said: “It could be a battle of reverse swing, or it could be a battle of spin or a battle of batsmen. Who knows?” Woolmer said England’s bowlers, praised for their reverse swing in the Ashes, would find it hard to achieve that again with a different kind of ball.
