New Delhi, March 3 :
New Delhi, March 3:
ZIMBABWE 329, 146
INDIA 354, 36/3
Seventeen wickets tumbled on a dramatic fourth day of the second and final Test between India and Zimbabwe here at the Kotla. By the time stumps were drawn, the match was interestingly poised with India needing 86 runs and Zimbabwe seven wickets for victory.
The largest crowd of the match witnessed quality spin bowling, dubious umpiring decisions, attacking captaincy and some casual batting.
For the first time, the deadly duo of Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh scalped all ten wickets as Zimbabwe were dismissed for 146 after conceding a first-innings lead of 25. Harbhajan (six for 62) and Kumble (four for 58) bamboozled the Zimbabweans with sustained accuracy, variation and sharp turn. This was Harbhajan's seventh five-wicket Test haul.
Kumble has taken 38 wickets in four Tests at this venue - an all-time record, bettering Kapil Dev's tally of 32.
Sourav Ganguly's positive thinking and aggressive captaincy definitely helped the spinners reap rich rewards.
In the morning, Sourav's aim of gaining a lead of around 100 did not materialise. But despite the narrow lead India managed, he attacked the Zimbabwe batsmen straightaway.
The skipper brought on Harbhajan in the sixth over, replacing Zaheer Khan who was quite listless today. The ploy clicked as the off-spinner dismissed Trevor Gripper with the first ball of his second over. He then got rid of Alistair Campbell and Andy Flower in his fourth over.
The prolific Andy lasted just three balls, getting out bat-pad to a tentative forward prod. In the Delhi Test in November 2000, Andy had scored 183 and 70. This time, he returned scores of 92 and 0. Zimbabwe lost heart after Andy's soft dismissal.
After Harbhajan and Kumble's heroics, Indian openers Shiv Sundar Das and Deep Dasgupta went out in pursuit of a modest target. Though the pitch is offering help to spinners, it's not a minefield yet. However, India created a minor crisis for themselves by losing three wickets before close.
With Virender Sehwag recuperating in a local hospital after damaging his left shoulder attempting a catch at mid-on, India will be one batsman short tomorrow. Sachin Tendulkar is at the crease and a lot will depend on him.
Dasgupta got himself needlessly run out. He flicked Travis Friend to fine-leg and ambled for a single before responding to Das' call for a second. Heath Streak, coming in from the deep, picked the ball up and got it back swiftly to Tatenda Taibu who had the bails off in a flash.
With scores of just 19 and 1 in this Test, coupled with sub-standard keeping, Dasgupta's berth on the trip to the Caribbean is anything but certain.
Sourav (20) was plumb leg-before to a Grant Flower delivery which kept low. Ironically, Sourav got out twice today to left-arm spinners, whom he normally plays with disdain. In the first over of the day, he top-edged a sweep off Raymond Price to be caught at short-leg for 138.
A ball later, it was 36 for three. Nightwatchman Anil Kumble was a victim of a bat-pad catch at forward short-leg off Grant. It was a horrendous decision by Asoka D'Silva as TV replays showed Kumble's bat was nowhere near the ball. Tendulkar came out and averted the hattrick.
Seven of the Zimbabwe wickets fell at the Delhi Gate end, as both Harbhajan and Kumble exploited a spot. Kumble, in fact, got all his four wickets bowling into the rough at that end.
Luck smiled on India too. Zimbabwe skipper Stuart Carlisle, who was playing the spinners with ease and added 38 with Dion Ebrahim, was out to a freak dismissal.
As Carlisle drove uppishly, Harbhajan dived to his left, but the ball popped out of his left hand. Instead of falling groundwards, the ball got lodged in his clothes and Harbhajan claimed the catch after rolling over. Third umpire Narendra Menon of Indore declared Carlisle out.
The visitors got two dubious decisions. Opener Gripper was adjudged caught by Dravid at first slip, but the ball seemed to go off first bounce. The replays later showed the ball had not snicked Gripper's bat but had brushed his pads.
Ebrahim was also well forward to a Kumble delivery and was attempting a shot, but was declared leg-before. Both these decisions were given by D'Silva.
In the morning, Price and Streak took two wickets apiece to wrapped up India's second innings in just 15 overs for 35 runs. Kumble remained unbeaten on 34, inclusive of six fours - mostly crisp drives on either side of the wicket.