Fifth Day: Historic Game Meanders to a Draw

Historic game meanders to a draw From R. Mohan for the Indian Cricket Academy, the day dawned batsmen walked. Umpire Karl Liebenbergs index their own volition. This is a rare phenomenon these bright enough to provide a prompt start. So erratic finger did not go up on both occasions but the two days when the norm is to await the verdict even if DURBAN, Nov. 17. is the weather pattern over the area, such a contrast leaders of South African batting who are the only dismissal is clear. A Test match is a test of cricket skills, more so was no surprise. ones with Test centuries to their names — Andrew The spirit is intact. It could, however, be expected when there is a fiercely competitive element to it as What was amazing was that two South African Hudson and Kepler Wessels — left the crease of to be so when there was nothing at stake in the in oscillating team positions vis a vis a result, be it match. Both batsmen fell to catches by Kiran More in trying to win or to avoid defeat and achieve a off Srinath which meant that fortune was at last fa- draw This seemingly desultory game can be seen vouring him. He has never been among the wickets heading in different directions until one of four re- despite looking the most penetrative of India's three sults is attained. Test cricket still remains most excit- seamers. ing from the connoisseur's point of view but when a While Hudson, batting soundly enough for his half draw becomes too obvious too early it's no more a century (229 mins, 171 balls, five fours and a six) Test match in its real sense got only a tickle to an intended cover drive, The Durban Test that began on such a high note Wessels who carries lightly the responsibility of in taking two national teams in one historic step anchoring his team's batting got much more than a across the threshold of time into the game's history tickle. He kicked his leg in the air in disgust at chas- ended in an anti-climax of the worst kind In the ing one from Srinath. Curiously, Liebenberg remain- modern age when everything is said to be going ed unmoved by the kind of high-decibel appeals faster except as some may say the racehorses, five that More is inclined to make days may seem an enormous timeframe in which to find entertainment in a positive result or see a result These mistakes were not seen as the usual fifth emerge from out of entertainment There was nei- day home umpiring kind The pressure was off the ther a positive result nor entertainment in this seri- umpire since the batsmen walked. Imagine the fuss ous Test that meandered to a draw any touring team would have made in the same situ- Ruling the prospect of a fuller conclusion, promis- ation had the circumstances been a little different ed often enough as wickets fell on the first two days and a result been hanging in the balance while a change was valiantly brought about on the Cook reveals his class: Earlier, there had been a third by India's reputed late order batsmen which cameo innings from Jimmy Cook A touch player included the debutant Praveen Amre (voted man of who seems to have drifted into a new era snowed the match' by adjudicator Clive Lloyd), was the some rare glimpses of class as he made an attract- weather over this eastern city of South Africa which ive 43. There were five boundary hits in his innings. went foul for just one day. That was, however, suffi- In all of them he caressed the ball to the rope, a Azharuddin pleads with the spectators to be patient as the ball is being replaced by umpires cient to reduce the last day of the Test to a mean- square drive off the front foot against Prabhakar be- Bucknor and Leibenberg after it went out of shape. Tendulkar is at right. — Fax photos: V V. ingless crawl to the draw. There is nothing worse ing a particularly exquisite shot Krishnan than a fourth day washout when the first two innings A debut at his age was not a rarity since South have been completed and the teams have finished Africa has just come back from the wilderness and much so, there was a genuine note of regret in them within 23 runs of each other hence needed its best players like Cook who had that the fourth day was to be washed out because The Test did remain true to the spirit of the led it in some rebel series. What made his appear- they fancied their chances of creating a big upset. "Friendship Series" as the teams went through the ance such a human drama was the trouble he took Spinners fail to impress: By the time stumps were motion today at Kingsmead with South Africa, given to make his first runs Kapil's outswingere kept drawn in the Test some fears too may have sur- first strike, enjoying the privilege of taking another passing his bat. He once acknowledged a late faced The spinners were not so effective as they look at the Indian bowling that had troubled it so on outswinger that missed the edge by the coat of believed they could have been. But the pitch was the opening day. But then the wicket which had the polymer they put on bats these days to make them almost as docile as on the third day, having deterio- livelines of a sprightly teenager in the first part of gleam He applauded the bowler's exhibition of craft rated none for spending so much time sweating un- this match had lost much of its energy by the third and craftiness. der the covers as rain lashed the city. Kumble, day. A 22-year enforced holiday from true Test Not even a pull shot seemed to rip the green with thought of as a trump card, was surprised to seek cricket had dulled the technology of pitch prepara- power when it came from Cook's bat His defence Cook hesitantly drive one back low to him He did tion. may be shaky but there is a rare quality of the touch not dominate the end game, save when More miss- There could be a different story at the Wanderers player to the tall opener who has just about kept his ed a difficult stumping chance as Rhodes jumped with its reputation for very fast pitches with true place in the team for the second Test The home out. and that is likely to cause some concern May- pace and bounce in them. The second Test lies selectors expanded their squad to 13 with fast be, he will be better off on the faster pitches in the more than a week away. Meanwhile, the home team bowler Craig Mathews and Durban 12th man rest of the series. The only embarrassment for the had a further opportunity to play the Indian seamers Hansie Cronje in it. host association which went out of the way to make who, understandably, had little enthusiasm for the The Indians will be leaving Durban, with its dis- the event special may have been the last day's col- job once the sheen went. tinct Bombay looks around the Marine Parade lection which would not have covered the cost of a In contrast to the depressing scene of a rainy day which is a sort of Marine Drive, with mixed feelings. new ball after seven overs in the second South Afri- on which there was entertainment only in the cricket They were pleased to have been here but unhappy can innings. But the Kookaburras just about pre- personality Raj Singh Dungarpurs analysis of Wicket-keeper Kiran More and Sachin Tendulkar follow the flight of the ball as Wessels pulls to see their batting in trouble on the second day. By served their reputation with only one ball being events while he briefed the press on the blueprint one from Kumble to long-leg. The non-striker is Hudson. the next day the mood had changed altogether So changed in the match..

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