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InDepth headlines national business sports cricket regional entertainment technology world travel autos health | Tough day for India at Harare 21.32 IST 16th June 2001 By Manish Kumar Led by their lower middle order, Zimbabwe put up a dogged resistance against India on the second day of the second test match at Harare on June 16. At close of play, Zimbabwe were 301/8 in their 1st Innings with Grant Flower (80) and Brian Murphy (19) at the crease, leading by 64 runs. Grant, who started playing his shots after the dismissal of his skipper Heath Streak, completed his half-century and is looking good for a century, provided the Zimbabwean tail stays with him. In the post-lunch session on the second day Saturday the hosts lost only one wicket and added 101 runs. Starting a chilly day at 31/3, Zimbabwe knew the enormity of the task ahead of them. With Andy Flower at the crease, India knew as well that this battle was far from won. Ashish Nehra, the star from last evening began patchily, bowling a few good balls interspersed with a few average efforts. In the company of opener Dion Ebrahim, Flower began the recovery process in earnest. Ebrahim had failed not only in both innings last week in Bulawayo but also for the CFX Academy XI in India's last tour game before the test series here but this morning looked a picture of confidence. The duo got off to a brisk start and in the first hour of play the duo added 40 runs to their overnight total. In the process, Andy Flower completed his 1000th test run against India in only his 13th innings against the visitors. The Indians had a few unsuccessful appeals for leg-before wicket but failed to make much of an impression on the partnership as it crossed the 50 run mark. The seamers had failed to make an impression and in the 20th over of the morning, Ganguly finally introduced the off-spin of Harbhajan Singh. Flower greeted him to the bowling crease by striking 14 runs including three fours off his first five balls but on the sixth, Harbhajan had him caught brilliantly by Das at forward short-leg for 45. India had removed Andy Flower for less than 50 for only the second time in 13 innings and by breaking the 87 run stand between him and Ebrahim, had finally found the breakthrough they were looking for. Harbhajan struck a double blow by trapping Dion Ebrahim plumb in front of the stumps with a crafty top-spinner in his third over. Ebrahim had played well in only his fourth test match for his highest test score of 49, which included six hits to the fence. Suddenly, at 110/5 the Indians had muscled their way into the driver's seat again in the test match. Grant Flower, who became only the third Zimbabwean after his brother Andy and Alistair Campbell to play 50 tests for his country now had the job to resurrect the innings in the company of Streak. In the post-lunch session, the Zimbabwe captain took up the challenge with some bold shots to push the scoring rate along. Streak had taken three crucial Indian wickets with the ball and now with willow as well he was putting in a captain’s performance. The partnership had reached 65 before India's "man with the golden arm" struck in the 60th over of the innings. Streak had dismissed Sachin Tendulkar off his thigh pad in India's innings and the little maestro returned the favor by having Streak drag a googly off his pad onto the stumps. The Zimbabwe skipper made 40 and when he became the sixth wicket to fall, his team still needed 62 runs to erase the first innings deficit. Ajit Agarkar who surprisingly came into the side in place of Zaheer Khan didn't really justify his selection with an insipid spell after tea, conceding 26 runs in his seven overs and making little impression on the home batsmen. Grant Flower who had played with extreme caution was joined by Andy Blignaut at the fall of Streak's wicket and the youngster immediately increased the tempo of the innings, striking three boundaries and a huge six of Tendulkar to start his innings. Buoyed by Blignaut's assault, Flower drove Srinath through covers for another boundary as tea approached and when the youngster bludgeoned his fourth boundary, the Indian lead was disappearing very quickly. At tea it stood at a mere 23. Blignaut was stumped by Sameer Dighe off Harbhajan after hitting a strokeful knock of 35 off 39 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes. Nehra got his fourth wicket when he clean bowled Travis Friend for 15. -With inputs from UNI |
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