HARARE, 22 September 2005 — The ball dominated the bat on the second day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and India yesterday, the hosts reaching the close 166 runs adrift after struggling to 39 for four in their second innings.
India, who resumed on 195 for one, were all out for 366 before claiming four wickets in the final session to remain in control of the match. Fast bowler Heath Streak completed career-best figures of six for 73 as Zimbabwe unexpectedly ran through India’s batting lineup.
Gautam Gambhir added only two runs to his overnight 95 before being dismissed by Blessing Mahwhire and India struggled from then on.
Rahul Dravid labored to 98 off 237 balls, staying with Yuvraj Singh (25) for an hour-and-a-half before Zimbabwe broke through with the second new ball.
Captain Saurav Ganguly was out for only 16 but Irfan Pathan’s 32 ensured India had a first-innings lead in excess of 200.
Ganguly batted with little urgency for his 16 off 50 balls before he edged debutant Waddington Mwayenga to wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu, a dismissal that will increase the pressure on the left-hander who has been off form since last year.
Left-armers Pathan and Zaheer Khan then joined forces to destroy Zimbabwe’s top order, reducing the hosts to 21 for four.
Pathan once again found considerable swing and finished the day with two for 25 and match figures of nine for 84.
The pressure was once again too great for the Zimbabwe top order, who were bamboozled by the swing.
Terrence Duffin (10), Dion Ebrahim (3) and Taibu (1) all edged strokes outside off stump to be caught behind the wicket, while Brendan Taylor (4) was adjudged leg-before to Pathan to a short-pitched delivery that always looked to be going over the wicket.
Hamilton Masakadza, on 11, and Streak, on six, were able to take Zimbabwe through to the close without further loss.
Victory for India would give them their first series win outside the subcontinent for 19 years.
They won the first Test in Bulawayo by an innings and 90 runs.
