3rd Test: India v England at Bangalore, 19-23 Dec 2001 CricInfo Live Report

3rd Test: India v England at Bangalore, 19-23 Dec 2001
Stephen Lamb

India 1st innings: Start delayed, England strike twice , England in control, Tendulkar dismissed, England tighten grip,
Live Reports from previous days

ENGLAND TURN SCREW AS SEHWAG DEPARTS

England made another breakthrough just before tea and a fourth rain delay on day three of the final Test at Bangalore, when Matthew Hoggard finally claimed the scalp of Virender Sehwag for 66. With Tendulkar also gone for 90, the Indian tail still stands between England and a substantial first innings lead. At tea India were 218 for 7, 118 runs behind.

Sehwag reached his first 50 against England by glancing White for a single. He then resumed hostilities with Giles, reverse sweeping and pulling two delightful boundaries. It was enough to persuade Nasser Hussain to take the new ball, which he gave to Flintoff and Hoggard after 81 overs.

An edged boundary from Sehwag prompted the posting of a third man, and to Hoggard's frustration Sehwag's charmed life continued when an inside edge flew between bat and stumps to the rope at fine leg. It was just deserts for Hoggard when another Sehwag edge finally went to hand, Foster taking the catch neatly, moving to his right.

INDIA ON THE RACK AFTER TENDULKAR DISMISSAL

Yet another rain delay held England up after India were reduced to 197 for 6 on day three at Bangalore. Ashley Giles eventually won his duel with Sachin Tendulkar, having the Indian maestro stumped for the first time in his Test career. Tendulkar had made 90 when he gave Giles the charge and Jamie Foster made no mistake behind the stumps.

After playing and missing at Hoggard immediately after the resumption, Sehwag took three from a firm push which was pulled in just short of the long-off boundary. Aggression was Sehwag's policy against Giles, and the crowd roared their approval as he went down the pitch to hit the Warwickshire left-armer over midwicket for four. Not to be outdone, Tendulkar emulated the stroke before sweeping Giles for another boundary in an over that eventually cost 12 runs.

Hoggard again bowled superbly, forcing Tendulkar to play and miss twice off consecutive balls, and a further air shot from Sehwag in the same over. Tendulkar's dismissal brought Anil Kumble in to join Sehwag with India still 163 runs behind.

Apparently unperturbed by Tendulkar's dismissal Sehwag continued to attack, smashing a short ball from Hoggard through midwicket and taking Giles for consecutive boundaries through midwicket and square leg.

With the new ball in Hussain's mind Hoggard was rested, making way for Craig White who was sweetly driven to the long-on boundary by Kumble. Sehwag again hit Giles over the top to move to 48, and the drinks interval led to frustration for England as rain and bad light forced another delay.

INDIA STRUGGLE AS ENGLAND MAKE DOUBLE BREAKTHROUGH

Rain delayed the re-start after lunch with England in control of the final Test at Bangalore. The tourists took the wickets of Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly as India progressed haltingly to 149 for five at the interval. Matthew Hoggard took both wickets in his first two overs of the day. Sachin Tendulkar shone like a beacon through the gloom, unbeaten on 77 at the interval.

Virender Sehwag appeared not in the least overawed by the situation as he made the most of anything loose from Hoggard, taking a boundary behind square as the Yorkshireman bowled a rare leg-side delivery, and then consecutive fours on the off-side, first to third man and then through cover as Hoggard overpitched.

Sehwag looked vulnerable outside his off stump, edging Hoggard narrowly short of second slip. At the other end Giles maintained his leg-stump line as Tendulkar played him with watchful caution, conscious of the huge responsibility now resting upon him.

HOGGARD STRIKES AS INDIA LOSE DRAVID AND GANGULY

Matthew Hoggard took two wickets in his first two overs as England kept the pressure on India after a delayed start on the third day at Bangalore. Rahul Dravid's largely unproductive innings came to an end when he was caught behind, and Sourav Ganguly was then caught at second slip without scoring. After 57 overs India were 127 for five, with Sachin Tendulkar unbeaten on 74.

Tendulkar brought up India's hundred with a single to leg from Flintoff's first ball of the day, and hooked Giles fiercely to the square leg boundary to give India the early initiative.

When Flintoff strayed even slightly from his off stump line, Tendulkar clipped him for another leg-side boundary, prompting the bowler to switch to round the wicket. He then struggled with his line, with too many wasted deliveries down the leg side. When Flintoff reverted to over the wicket, Tendulkar did well to keep out a straight ball which hardly got off the ground.

After five overs Flintoff made way for Hoggard, who went for five runs off his first two balls as Tendulkar cover drove, and then worked him away behind square leg. But it was Hoggard who broke through, with a perfectly directed delivery moving away just enough to induce a faint edge through to Foster. Dravid's three runs had taken all of 73 minutes and 61 balls to compile.

India were in deeper trouble in Hoggard's next over, when Ganguly's poor run continued as he edged another perfectly-directed delivery to Mark Butcher at second slip. Virender Sehwag was then fortunate to survive as Flintoff narrowly failed to scoop up an edge to third slip.

BAD LIGHT AND DRIZZLE DELAY START AT BANGALORE

The start of play was delayed by half an hour on the third day of the final Test between India and England.

To the frustration of the spectators, drizzle and poor light made it impossible for play to start on time, despite the early use of the floodlights at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Play eventually resumed with India looking to build on their overnight total of 99 for three in reply to England's 336.