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.