http://http://sports.yahoo.com/m/sk/news/reuters/20020823/reu-india.html
Sachin Tendulkar hammered a majestic 185 not out and put on 249 runs with century-maker Saurav Ganguly as they demolished England’s attack in the gathering gloom of the third test.
The pair gorged themselves in a runs frenzy in the final session, refusing to accept the light in murky conditions as India raced to 584 for four by the close of the second day.
The final session was so spectacular that Rahul Dravid’s 148 earlier in the day and Tendulkar’s 30th test century to overtake Don Bradman’s career total were almost forgotten.
At the height of the carnage the left-handed Ganguly smashed left-arm spinner Ashley Giles for four, six, six, four off consecutive balls, 23 coming off that over, before he was finally bowled for 128 in the twilight by Alex Tudor.
With that, the umpires decided the conditions were unplayable and halted the violence. England had taken the new ball shortly before the end and conceded 91 off 10 overs.
The home side traipsed off at the close looking dejected and weary, having conceded 348 runs in the day for just two wickets and knowing they will face a marathon battle to save the game against India’s spinners.
Tendulkar, who hit three sixes and 18 fours, said: “I was prepared to stay on after Saurav’s dismissal but everyone was finding it hard to see, even the umpires. I wasn’t consulted.”
Skipper Ganguly – three sixes and 13 fours – added: “The light was bad but we had to carry on – the situation demanded it. We had to play our shots.”
India’s ‘Big Three’, in England captain Nasser Hussain’s words, had “come to the party” to save the second test at Trent Bridge, Tendulkar then making 92, Dravid 115 and Ganguly 99.
They returned to the festivities on Friday, only India will be pressing for victory this time to level the four-match series.
ADOPTED YORKSHIREMAN
Tendulkar, an adopted Yorkshireman after becoming the county’s first overseas signing a decade earlier, had been level with Australian Bradman in the all-time list of test century makers at the start of the day. Only India’s Sunil Gavaskar, with 34 test hundreds, has scored more.
The 29-year-old Tendulkar, though, has always argued that Bradman was beyond compare. “He’s not a normal person,” Tendulkar said. “You can only dream of scoring a hundred every three innings.”
History, however, will surely be more generous one day in mentioning the two in the same breath.
As Tendulkar walked off, his former Headingley fans rose to him as one. More can be expected on Saturday.
The touring side had resumed on 236 for two, Tendulkar on 18, after the first 55 minutes were lost to rain. They quickly upped the pace after a pedestrian first day.
Dravid, nicknamed “The Wall”, clipped Andrew Caddick’s first delivery, an inviting half-volley, through the leg side to the boundary for the opening runs.
‘LITTLE MASTER’
Tendulkar, “The Little Master”, responded in kind, smashing the subdued Matthew Hoggard through extra cover before turning the next ball off his leg stump to the boards.
England, castigated for bowling too short and wide by coach Duncan Fletcher on Thursday, were now overpitching.
There were few real chances. Tendulkar survived an early inside edge off Caddick which just missed his leg stump, then Dravid squeezed down on a Tudor delivery, the ball dribbling past his off stump.
Ganguly, “The Prince of Calcutta”, was dropped on 79 at first slip by Robert Key off a sitter as he attempted to cut Caddick.
For the most part, however, it was one-way traffic.
Immediately after lunch Dravid drove three boundaries in Tudor’s first over and things escalated from there.
Tendulkar reached three figures during the afternoon with an on-drive for four off Giles before punching the air.
SMART STUMPING
Dravid finally fell after seven hours when he was tempted to leave his crease by Giles. Dancing forward, he was smartly stumped by Alec Stewart after being beaten by the turn. He hit 23 fours in his 12th test century to make it 335 for three after a 150-run stand with Tendulkar.
The final session turned into a carnival, Tendulkar passing 150 with a leg-side four and six off consecutive balls from Caddick.
Earlier in his innings he had moved up to seventh in the all-time list of test run scorers, overtaking Englishman David Gower’s 8,231.
Giles, meanwhile, ended as bloodied as a spectator hit on the head by a Ganguly six. His 39 overs went for 134 runs.
