Under a sky half-covered in light cloud and against a backdrop of theBvumba Mountains at the beautiful Mutare Sports Club ground, Indiabegan their six-week tour of Zimbabwe on Monday
John Ward28-May-2001Under a sky half-covered in light cloud and against a backdrop of theBvumba Mountains at the beautiful Mutare Sports Club ground, Indiabegan their six-week tour of Zimbabwe on Monday. The highlight of thefirst day of their match against Zimbabwe A was a brilliant century byRahul Dravid, which enabled them to declare at 336 for nine. They thentook one wicket for 33 runs in 16 overs by the close.The pitch contained some bounce but the ball did not appear to come onto the bat, while the outfield was uneven. However, for a recentlyrevived ground with new developments taking place all the time, it wascommendable. There was a keen Monday morning crowd of about 200,mostly parties of schoolchildren, and the number doubled during theafternoon.India made a steady start against the bowling of Bryan Strang andTravis Friend for half an hour before both openers fell in quicksuccession. Sadgopan Ramesh (13) chopped a lifter from Friend on tohis stumps, while Shiv Sunder Das (4) snicked Strang to wicket-keeperTaibu in the next over. India suddenly found themselves at 18 for two.Venkatsai Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar both settled in, content to waitfor the bad ball, but neither was to go on to play a major innings.Tendulkar, driving straight, hit a ball back at Mutendera’s midriff,which he juggled and finally grasped to send the little master on hisway for 11. Laxman continued to leave the off-side fielders standingwith his powerful stroke play, but then, when on 24, he played back toMutendera and was bowled through the gate. Overall Friend looked thebest of a good trio of bowlers, showing good pace and stamina after along layoff from the game.Saurav Ganguly (12) was next to go, brilliantly caught low down byFriend at second slip off Mutendera; at 71 for five after 26 overswith only Rahul Dravid of their top order remaining, India were inunexpected trouble. Wicket-keeper Samir Dighe, though, made animmediate positive impression at the crease, looking more comfortablethan some of his superiors, and the pair were still there at lunch.The afternoon session produced cricket as different as day from night.Dravid and Dighe batted superbly until after tea in a finepartnership, with Dravid’s share a glorious century. India appeared tohave decided at lunch to take the initiative, as Dravid, pulling anddriving with time to spare, took 16 runs off Friend’s first over afterthe break. The onslaught continued, with runs now coming at about sixan over. The batsmen used their feet to leg-spinner Brian Murphyand pulled fiercely at anything short, Dravid quite belying hisreputation as an accumulator with one dazzling stroke after another.No bowler was able to restrain the flow of languid, beautifully timedboundaries all round the wicket. With tea drawing near the scoring slowed,as Dravid approached his century with caution and Zimbabwe A resortedto defensive field placing.Dravid’s hundred finally came off 97 balls. It took a while to warm upagain after tea, and just as Dravid was getting into his stride againand taking Murphy apart, the leg-spinner lured him into an uppishdrive to mid-on and he departed for 137, scored off 135 balls, with 22fours and a six. India were now 296 for six, and the partnership withDighe had added 225.Murphy also claimed the wicket of Dighe, lbw for 87. Zaheer Khan (14)and Harbhajan Singh (19) hit freely before Ganguly declared with thescore 336 for nine. Mutendera took three for 69, Murphy three for 77and Friend two for 70.Zaheer Khan and Debashish Mohanty opened the bowling with some firebut an absence of line, and Gavin Rennie (1) was highly annoyed to begiven out caught by the keeper while chasing a ball from the latterwell down the leg side. Dion Ebrahim (25) and Hamilton Masakadza (6)played safe for the close.