Zaheer fashions big India win

DHAKA, May 27: The rate at which wickets tumbled on Sunday, one could be forgiven for confusing cricket with ten-pin bowling. As many as 15 Bangladesh wickets fell on the decisive third day as India wrapped up a 1-0 series win by winning the second and final Test by a record margin - an innings and 239 runs. India's previous biggest victory margin had come against Australia at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata in 1997-98, when they had registered an innings-and-219-run win.
As India sealed their victory in under three days, it was the same old story for Bangladesh: It was their 40th loss in 46 Tests, of which Bangladesh have drawn five and won just one.
With wickets falling at regular intervals, it was difficult to accept that it was this Bangladesh team that had knocked India out of the World Cup. Agreed, this was the longer version of the game, but the bulk of their squad did comprise of World Cup 'Tigers', whose demeanour during the series was more like that of lambs headed for slaughter.
Scorecard
Match in pics
Right from reading the wicket wrong, choosing to field, bowling poorly and batting like novices, Bangladesh cricketers hardly covered themselves with glory with such a meek surrender. Harsh as it may sound, the Bangladesh Test team looked like it had only two quality cricketers — Mohammed Ashraful and Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
Both of them left a faint impression on the Indians even in the rout. The blistering counter-attack launched by Ashraful in the face of adversity did raise visions of some sort of a contest, but after spanking a 26-ball half-century with nine fours and two sixes, he scooped up a half-volley from Anil Kumble straight to Sachin Tendulkar at short midwicket. Mortaza more than made up for his failure with the ball with a typically pugnacious 70 off 78 deliveries that livened up the final session.
The Indians should be glad to return sporting victorious smiles, but after cricket manager Ravi Shastri finishes celebrating his birthday and the team's win on Sunday, he would perhaps find some time to do quick post-mortem.
Truth to tell, the batting flattered to deceive, while the fielding and bowling were well below par. Credit, though, should go to Man of the Match Zaheer Khan for leading the pace attack. He not only got the new ball to swing in both the innings, but also adjusted his line, length and direction beautifully. The early breakthroughs he provided in each innings made India's task of forcing victory much easier.
RP Singh bowled well in patches, while Ramesh Powar clearly outshone Kumble in the second essay. The selectors clearly hastened in pushing Ishant Sharma into the Test fold, for he is far from ready for the grind.
Resuming on 58 for five, Bangladesh lost their remaining wickets much before lunch for the addition of only 60 runs as Zaheer ended up with a five-wicket haul.
Following on 492 runs behind, Bangladesh lost opener Javed Omar before lunch — in fact, to the first ball of the second innings. Aiming to flick Zaheer down the leg side, Omar appeared to have missed the ball, but umpire Darryl Harper upheld India's appeal to condemn the batsman to a king pair.
Skipper Habibul Bashar, who has decided to give up the ODI captaincy, showed why he should give it all up by attempting a half-hearted pull off Zaheer that popped up nicely for Dravid.
It was 'easy come, easy go' thereafter, even though Ashraful, Rajin Saleh and Mortaza did their best to delay the inevitable. Sachin, who picked up the last two wickets, was named the Man of the Series for his back-to-back hundreds.