Ashwin gets it, Tendulkar doesn't
While the West Indies celebrates the big wicket, the master batsman walks back dejectedly.
MUMBAI:
Sachin Tendulkar fell agonisingly short of an unprecedented 100th hundred while Ravichandran Ashwin hit a maiden century as the third Test between India and the West Indies headed for a draw.
Tendulkar scored a superb 94 and Ashwin a robust 103 in only his third Test before India were bowled out for 482 in their first-innings in reply to the West Indies' 590 on the penultimate day. The tourists were 81 for two in their second-innings at stumps for an overall lead of 189 with eight wickets in hand, with teenager Kraigg Brathwaite (34*) and Darren Bravo (27*) at the crease.
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who opened the attack, removed Adrian Barath (three) and Kirk Edwards (17).
Ashwin also became the third Indian after Vinoo Mankad and Polly Umrigar to grab five wickets in an innings and score a century in the same Test. He hit two sixes and 15 fours in his 118-ball knock. It was the first time in the history of Test cricket that 11 half-centuries or more were scored in the first innings of a match, with the West Indies making six and India five.
Rampaul, the villian
Earlier, Tendulkar looked set to complete a century of centuries as he had been timing the ball remarkably well before he attempted to drive paceman Ravi Rampaul on the up and was caught at second slip.
While the West Indies celebrated, the 'Little Master' walked back dejectedly and nearly 15,000 cheering spectators suddenly fell silent at the 32,000-capacity stadium.
"It was just the right ball at the right time," said Rampaul. "We had our plans to unsettle him a little bit and tried to attack him a little more. He nicked it and it was a good feeling. When I walked back to the boundary it wasn't all that nice. I got heckled in a way. That's how cricket goes and I know a lot of fans are down heartbroken, but we have our job to do such as he has his job to do."
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2011.
Sachin Tendulkar fell agonisingly short of an unprecedented 100th hundred while Ravichandran Ashwin hit a maiden century as the third Test between India and the West Indies headed for a draw.
Tendulkar scored a superb 94 and Ashwin a robust 103 in only his third Test before India were bowled out for 482 in their first-innings in reply to the West Indies' 590 on the penultimate day. The tourists were 81 for two in their second-innings at stumps for an overall lead of 189 with eight wickets in hand, with teenager Kraigg Brathwaite (34*) and Darren Bravo (27*) at the crease.
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who opened the attack, removed Adrian Barath (three) and Kirk Edwards (17).
Ashwin also became the third Indian after Vinoo Mankad and Polly Umrigar to grab five wickets in an innings and score a century in the same Test. He hit two sixes and 15 fours in his 118-ball knock. It was the first time in the history of Test cricket that 11 half-centuries or more were scored in the first innings of a match, with the West Indies making six and India five.
Rampaul, the villian
Earlier, Tendulkar looked set to complete a century of centuries as he had been timing the ball remarkably well before he attempted to drive paceman Ravi Rampaul on the up and was caught at second slip.
While the West Indies celebrated, the 'Little Master' walked back dejectedly and nearly 15,000 cheering spectators suddenly fell silent at the 32,000-capacity stadium.
"It was just the right ball at the right time," said Rampaul. "We had our plans to unsettle him a little bit and tried to attack him a little more. He nicked it and it was a good feeling. When I walked back to the boundary it wasn't all that nice. I got heckled in a way. That's how cricket goes and I know a lot of fans are down heartbroken, but we have our job to do such as he has his job to do."
Published in The Express Tribune, November 26th, 2011.