Sehwag, Dravid slam centuries to boost India
Sehwag, Dravid slam centuries to boost India
Reuters, Cochin, India
Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid struck fighting centuries as
India posted 281 for eight from their 50 overs in the first one-
day international against Pakistan on Saturday.
The two shared in a 201-run stand of the third wicket,
rescuing the hosts after they were reeling at four for two on a
flat wicket in hot, humid conditions.
Sehwag cracked nine fours and three towering sixes in his
explosive 95-ball 108 and Dravid had six hits to the fence in his
104 off 139 deliveries.
Pakistan, however, will still fancy its chances by restricting
India to less than 300 on a wicket offering no assistance to the
bowlers.
The visitors got off to a great start, Rana Naved having
Sachin Tendulkar (4) caught while hitting an awkward pull.
Saurav Ganguly, battling critics of his poor batting form, did
not do much to strengthen his case. The Indian captain was bowled
round his legs for a first ball duck as he shuffled across his
stumps to flick.
Ganguly had averaged 9.6 in the three test series, which ended
in a 1-1 draw on Sunday.
India could have been in deeper trouble with Sehwag leading a
charmed life at the crease.
The opener was dropped first-ball by Mohammad Hafeez at point
and then again on eight when wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal could not
hold on to an edge off Mohammad Sami.
Sehwag made Pakistan pay for those lapses, batting sedately
till he got to his 50 and then going after the bowling.
The 26-year-old pulled, cut and drove viciously, racing from
50 to his seventh one-day 100 in just 29 balls.
He was finally bowled by Abdul Razzaq while trying to heave
him across the line.
Wickets started to tumble once again after Sehwag's dismissal,
Yuvraj Singh (16), Mohammad Kaif (7) and Mahendra Dhoni (3)
falling to off-spinner Arshad Khan.
Dravid completed his 10th one-day century with a single to
square leg but did not last for too long after that, run out to a
direct hit by Sami while going for a quick single.
Arshad came back strongly from early punishment by Sehwag to
finish with four wickets for 33 from six overs.
In Georgetown, Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored his maiden double
century amid a flurry of records as a weakened West Indies
continued to dominate the first test against South Africa in
Georgetown on Friday.
When bad light ended play on the second day, South Africa were
two without loss in reply to West Indies first innings of 543 for
five declared.
Chanderpaul scored 203 not out off 370 balls with 23 fours,
eclipsing his best score of 140 made against India on the same
ground in 2002.
Earlier Wavell Hinds was finally dismissed for 213, the
highest score by a West Indian against South Africa, beating
Brian Lara's 202 in Johannesburg in 2003-04.
Hinds and Chanderpaul, who came together with West Indies on
106 for three, shared a 284-run fourth wicket partnership, a
record for any wicket against South Africa.
"You don't expect to be given runs by South Africa," said
Chanderpaul.
"It was up to us to go out there and do our jobs as batsmen."
The morning session was reduced to an hour's play because of
mopping up operations following overnight rain.