Harbhajan claims five as
England post 515
Faisal Shariff
Barring the bee that found its way into skipper Sourav Ganguly's trousers, forcing him to dash to the dressing room, or the stubborn pigeon that stayed on the field all day, it was lacklustre cricket by both sides.
India, chasing a mammoth England total of 515, ended the day on 66 for 1, having lost Virender Sehwag cheaply.
The Indian bowlers, despite a better bowling performance on day 2, failed to bowl out the English batsmen early, allowing the tail to wag for too long.
The stage seems set for Sachin Tendulkar to make a mark in his 100th Test. He could not have asked for a better wicket to bat on for his milestone Test. Winning this game for India now seems beyond them.
Morning session
Michael Vaughan was dismissed for the second time in the series in the 190s, thus joining an elite band of cricketing greats including Everton Weekes, Ian Chappell and Mohammad Azharuddin, who were all dismissed twice just short of the coveted figure.
A rejuvenated performance by the Indian seamers -- barring Ajit Agarkar -- saw the Englishmen lose three wickets in the morning before going to lunch at 393 for 5, having scored 57 runs in the 26 overs bowled in the session.
"This wicket isn't going to become your standard Oval dustbowl, so there's no way this game is safe yet. We need another good day tomorrow before we can think along those lines," said England skipper Nasser Hussain, after his batsmen piled up a monumental 336 runs on the first day of the decider at The Oval.
With a surfeit of runs in the wicket and Michael Vaughan looking good for a triple ton, Hussain had hoped to score in excess of 550 and shut the Indians out of the match.
Vaughan drove Agarkar to the cover fence in the first over of the morning, as India seemed destined for another day of leather hunting.
Five runs short of his double century, Vaughan was drawn forward by an angled delivery from Zaheer Khan which took his edge and flew into the keeper's gloves. Less than a month ago, Vaughan had missed his double ton at Trent Bridge three runs short of the mark. (349-3)
His inspirational 279-ball 195 was studded with 29 boundaries at a staggering strike rate of 70.
Hussain cracked a four off the second ball he played, confirming the true nature of the wicket as Agarkar proved to be expensive as usual.
Ganguly replaced Agarkar with Sanjay Bangar from the pavilion end and he struck, trapping Crawley bang in front of the wicket with one that pitched just outside off and jagged a shade back in. Umpire David Orchard took a few anxious moments before showing the finger, and Crawley; the centurion at Lord's, was dismissed for 26. England had lost their second wicket of the morning, adding only 31 runs.
The Indian seamers -- barring Agarkar -- had ironed out their indisciplined line and length with a fine demonstration in the first hour of the morning which saw the Englishmen score 35 runs in 14 overs.
A brief shower saw the players walking off the pitch and then returning to their fielding positions as the rain stopped.
Bangar, getting noticeable swing, worried Hussain with the away swingers and finally forced him to heave at one of them. The thick edge flew to Laxman, at second slip, who held onto the ball on his second attempt. Laxman went off the field for medical attention to his finger, which he injured in the process.
Hussain had scratched around for 43 balls, making 10 runs as England were five down for 372.
Even as the famous old gas-holder that adorns The Oval skyline boasted Stewart’s dream of winning the coveted Ashes back, the veteran batsman edged Bangar to second slip fielder Virendra Sehwag, who grassed the low chance.
Dominic Cork joined Stewart as India hoped to get through the long English tail and get a bat on the wicket.
Ganguly finally bowled Kumble and Harbhajan together for the last two overs of the session and the ploy seemed to work, but a confident LBW appeal against Stewart by Kumble was turned down.
England went to lunch at 393 for 5, having scored 57 runs in the 26 overs bowled in the morning.
Post Lunch session
India won the second session even as their chances of winning the Test dissolved considerably.
England went into tea at 483 for 8, with Ashley Giles and Andy Caddick offering stubborn resistance and wilting the Indian morale.
The second session belonged to Harbhajan Singh. And though India have, in all probability, closed the door on a win, their bowling performance in the second session was the best bowled in this Test.
Stewart turned Zaheer to fine leg for four and brought up the 50-run partnership with Cork. Ganguly reintroduced Harbhajan into the attack and the wily offie fooled Stewart with a top-spinner that took a faint edge and settled into the Ratra's gloves. He was dismissed for 23, having added 62 with Cork, as England were reduced to 434 for 6.
Tudor, baffled by the guile of Harbhajan, misread the top-spinner and edged the ball to first slip fielder Dravid. (446-7)
Cork, meanwhile, swung lustily at the Indian bowlers, finding the fence with alarming ease. He cover drove and swept the bowlers all around the park. He reached his fifty off 99 balls as India were unable to wrap up the tail quickly.
Cork was finally dismissed, trapped in front by a full toss from Harbhajan for 52, off 112 deliveries -- his highest score for five years. His 142-minute stay at the wicket had helped England cross the 475-run mark. (477-8)
Hussain had stated that there was something for the spinners in the wicket, especially the hole from Zaheer's boot, which he reckoned Vaughan might be able to exploit. Kumble though failed to get any purchase from the wicket and was at best economical.
But Harbhajan picked all the three wickets that fell in the session as England managed to score 90 runs.
Post Tea session
Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh bagged the last two England wickets to end the innings at 515.
Kumble got one to turn away and take Giles’s edge to Dravid at first slip. Giles made a gritty 31, which came from 72 deliveries. (514-9)
A run later, Harbhajan completed his first five-for in England, trapping Hoggard with a fullish delivery that raped him on the pads bang in front of the wicket. The England innings folded for 515, having added 179 runs on the second day.
Indian innings:
Virender Sehwag, who was hit in the ribs by Caddick while fielding at short leg, walked out to bat with Sanjay Bangar.
After stroking a superb drive through extra cover for four, he swished at Caddick and offered a thick edge to Dominic Cork at first slip. Sehwag failed to learn from his dismissal in the Headingley Test, where he was dismissed in the same manner -- flashing his bat at a delivery outside off without getting his foot to the pitch of the ball.
India had lost their first wicket for 18, still trailing by 497 runs. Rahul Dravid, the second leading run-scorer behind Vaughan, walked out to middle in a world he knows too well. He got his first boundary, flicking Hoggard square of the wicket, and then drove off the back-foot through the covers for four more. On a wicket that had its bias clearly leaning towards the batsmen, he thrived on the bowling, playing his strokes with a newfound freedom that threw caution into the Thames.
With a temperament that deserves a patent, he gradually stitched together a nice partnership with Bangar, who stonewalled at the other end.
Hussain swapped his bowlers around but failed to get another breakthrough.
With the wicket offering no help to the bowlers, it seems almost certain that India should draw the game with the depth and form of their batsmen.
Dravid stroked his way to a fluid 57-ball 31. Bangar abetted him with a dreary but invaluable 17 off 70 deliveries.
The 48-run partnership by the pair saw India end the day at 66 for 1, still behind by 449 runs.
The perfect field for Harbhajan
