India v South Africa, 2nd Test, Kolkata, 3rd day

Laxman and Dhoni swell lead past 250

The Bulletin by Sidharth Monga

February 16, 2010

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Tea India 548 for 6 (Laxman 97*, Dhoni 85*) lead South Africa 296 by 252 runs
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How they were out
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	MS Dhoni and VVS Laxman took India's lead to 252 © AFP
Related Links Players/Officials: MS Dhoni | VVS Laxman Matches: India v South Africa at Kolkata Series/Tournaments: South Africa tour of India Teams: India | South Africa

VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni saw off the tricky period with the second new ball, and proceeded to nearly bat South Africa out of the Test. At any rate, with India leading by 252 and with five wickets in hand, South Africa would need a huge batting effort to make something out of this match. They didn't help themselves by continuing dropping catches: Laxman added 49 after his reprieve, Dhoni 62 after his, and nightwatchman Amit Mishra 23. They were not easy catches, but South Africa usually take eight out of 10 such.

The crucial period of play was just after Mishra had got out for an entertaining cameo, full of edges, plays and misses, and also cracking shots. The lead had reached 88, but with the second new ball Dale Steyn had found his swing back. Morne Morkel was his usual aggressive self, and had Mishra's wicket in his bag. Laxman was caught in a shell, wasn't struggling but was content to let Mishra take the ascendancy. South Africa could sense a comeback, and were giving it their best, with their best bowlers bowling in tandem.

But Laxman handled the fast bowlers well. He left well outside off, didn't let the bouncer barrage or a spell of no runs for 37 deliveries rattle him. The closest South Africa came to getting a wicket then was an inside edge that flew to the left of the keeper. Once Morkel went off - he had mild fever - runs were easier to come by, the storm had been weathered, and it was time to accumulate.

Dhoni saw Paul Harris, who could have had Mishra in the second over of the day but for the drop by Jacques Kallis at slip, and got a four and a six in his first two overs back. India's plan was clear then: Laxman was to be the solid anchorman, and the others were to score quickly around him. In the last over before lunch, Dhoni pushed forward at Harris, the ball spun and the edge flew to the left of slip. Kallis had by then taken a special overhead catch to remove Mishra, but this one didn't stick - the third such instance off Harris' bowling in a session and one delivery. Dhoni was 23 then.

In the first over after lunch, Laxman cut Wayne Parnell for four to enter his 40s, and steered him past gully for another four in his next over. A similar shot went uppishly towards JP Duminy at point the next ball. The ball fell slightly in front of him, but those are the catches South Africans take without even making them look tough.

After that, Laxman and Dhoni, untested, unquestioned, sauntered towards their centuries. If both of them were to get there, it would be Laxman's fourth in nine Eden Gardens Tests, and it will only be the second instance of four Indian batsmen would have scored centuries in the same innings.

Sidharth Monga is a staff writer at Cricinfo

India v South Africa, 2nd Test, Kolkata

I've been asked to prepare a turner - Kolkata curator

The curator at Eden Gardens, Prabir Mukherjee, has said that he received phone calls from a BCCI official instructing him to prepare a "turning track" for the second Test between India and South Africa beginning in Kolkata on February 14. However, the Indian board's chief administrative officer, Ratnakar Shetty, said he was not "aware of any such request".

India go into the second Test in danger of losing their No. 1 ranking after they were thrashed by an innings and six runs in Nagpur. That pitch had plenty of turn but the Indian spinners were ineffective, while Dale Steyn and the other South African fast bowlers rattled the batsmen with conventional and reverse swing.

"I got a call from one of the BCCI officials requesting me to prepare a turning track as per the wish of the team management," Mukherjee told the Telegraph. "However, I have clearly told him that I want an official communication, like an email, stating what should be the nature of the wicket. Also, I don't know how we can change the nature of the strip overnight."

Mukherjee said he was told to prepare a surface that would suit the "Indian brand of cricket" but said he would not risk "a repeat of the Feroz Shah Kotla pitch fiasco", where an India-Sri Lanka ODI had to be abandoned in December because the surface was deemed dangerous to play on.

"Test cricket is meant to be played on good wickets. Can anyone please define what exactly a turner is?" Mukherjee told the Indian Express. "If you want the ball to turn square from day one, why do you need a curator? The Eden Gardens wicket will have even bounce and decent carry. Spinners will come into play as the match meanders along."

When South Africa toured India last in 2008, they went into the final Test in Kanpur with a 1-0 lead and were beaten on a pitch that had variable bounce and turned sharply from the first day. The Test ended inside three days and the ICC asked the BCCI for an explanation after the match referee criticised the pitch in his report.