*Official* India in Pakistan Thread

[Adamc]

Exactly. Even the most elite cricket players find it tough catching Virender Sehwag's rockets, when he slashes there's very little you can do other than hope it sticks.

I only saw two of the drops (by Sami and Saqlain) but neither of them were from slashes or hard-hit shots. Both were on the way down when the fielder got to it, and Sami's was a simple catch.

 

[Jono]

Ahh, I see. Oh well their fault :P Laxman runs himself out and Yuvraj is in. This will be interesting now, COME ON YUVRAJ!!!!!

 

[Adamc]

If India are serious about winning this match, they should take the initiative and go for a 15-over bash after Tea, which should easily get them to 650-700, especially with Sachin and Yuvraj in. This should leave them another 15 overs to bowl at the Pakistani openers, and one or two wickets tonight would put the Pakistan batsmen under huge pressure over the next three days.
Alternatively, they could just declare now, though I doubt it will happen.

 

[Salamuddin]

Although a draw seems most likely...
you never know with Pakistan.

They could come out there and smash the Indian bowlers over the park and then roll them out for 100 odd with high speed and swing in the 2nd dig.
Equally, Kumble and company could run thru them.

I wait with bated breath.

 

[luckyeddie]

Ahh, I see. Oh well their fault :P Laxman runs himself out and Yuvraj is in. This will be interesting now, COME ON YUVRAJ!!!!!

It was an exceedingly silly runout (the old adage about not running on a misfield comes to mind) - Laxman looked as though he was trying to run in treacle.

<Inzy> Mmmmm, treacle

Not now, Inzy.

Incidentally, what is the highest number of runs scored by a test batsman between dismissals?

 

[Tony Blade]

How many times was he dropped?! I didnt see todays play. Cant blame anyone but ourslelves, atrocious fielding, just abysmal. Theres only so far the bowling and batting can take a team, for teams more or less equal in ability, fielding is what can be the deciding factor.
We might get a result, India scored quickly.

 

[luckyeddie]

Got it - 490. (Sobers)

Tendulkar so far - 241*, 60*, 165*

25 to go

 

[Salamuddin]

If India are serious about winning this match, they should take the initiative and go for a 15-over bash after Tea, which should easily get them to 650-700, especially with Sachin and Yuvraj in. This should leave them another 15 overs to bowl at the Pakistani openers, and one or two wickets tonight would put the Pakistan batsmen under huge pressure over the next three days.
Alternatively, they could just declare now, though I doubt it will happen.

That's correct Adam. If India want to have a shot at winning this match, they've gotta get Pakistan batting tonight and for their sake, would want to knock off 2-3 wickets.

 

[Gaijin-san]

I knew Sobers held the record. Didn't know the exact figure though.

 

[marc71178]

Although a draw seems most likely...
you never know with Pakistan.

They could come out there and smash the Indian bowlers over the park and then roll them out for 100 odd with high speed and swing in the 2nd dig.
Equally, Kumble and company could run thru them.

I wait with bated breath.

That is exactly why this series was too close to call before it started - the 2 sides are very even and either side could have a brilliant day or a shocker!

 

[Adamc]

Saqlain (1/196) on the verge of conceding his 2nd double-century in a Test innings. Poor guy. Bring back Danish I say! (or is he injured?)

 

[Craig]

Have you people realised Virender Sehwag didnt deserve his 309 because he was dropped which were some relatively easy catches (by Test standard) :P

 

[Jono]

Saqlain drops Sachin! Was it a tough chance?

 

[luckyeddie]

Saqlain drops Sachin! Was it a tough chance?

Yes, hard and low, but a caught and bowled chance is a chance - and Saqlain got into position very early.

 

[Salamuddin]

Saqlain drops Sachin! Was it a tough chance?

Indeed it was although I suppose at this stage of the game it doesn't really matter..everyone's just waiting for the declaration.

If India want some very quick runs, get out Tendulkar and bring on six hitter Balaji.
Balaji's da man.

 

[luckyeddie]

Congratulations to Sachin Tendulkar - now officially the hardest man to dismiss in test match history.....

by going to 190 he surpasses Sobers' 490 between dismissals. What a start to 2004.

 

[luckyeddie]

Have you people realised Virender Sehwag didnt deserve his 309 because he was dropped which were some relatively easy catches (by Test standard) :P

*cough*richard*cough*

 

[Gaijin-san]

158.1 Shoaib Akhtar to Tendulkar, FOUR, first Test fifty! short delivery on the middle and leg, pulled away to the mid wicket fence

Could have sworn he'd hit about 37 before...

 

[Salamuddin]

After the excitement of the oDI series, this pitch was not what the test series needed !!

I would have liked to have seen say India 5-280 at the end day 1 and the prospect of a tight game.

 

[Adamc]

get out Tendulkar

Seconded. :P Incidentally, Sehwag's 309 and Tendulkar's 194* make them only the 6th pair from the same team in Test match history to aggregate 500+ in the same innings of a Test match. The list is headed by Sobers/Hunte with an aggregate of 625 (365* and 260), others are Jayasuriya/Mahanama (565), Hutton/Leyland (551), Miandad/Nazar (511), and Ponsford/Bradman (510).

Yuvraj out, c&b Farhat.

Oh dear, Dravid declares with Sachin on 194*! Perhaps trying to keep the record for most double-centuries by an Indian to himself :P