Mohali Test, Day 3, Tea
Wednesday, December 5, 2001

One has got used to Sachin Tendulkar's mind being set on a hundred each time he walks out to bat, but the genius was denied that honour today. As the ball was getting older Matthew Hoggard was able to get the reverse swing going. The ball which got Tendulkar out looked like coming in as it left Hoggard's hand. Tendulkar saw it likewise and was playing for the inward movement, but the ball deviated just slightly on pitching to deceive him and induce the error. Tendulkar always keeps an eye on the shiny side of the ball, but the minimal away movement foxed him.

Sourav Ganguly's thought process was all too evident when offspinner Richard Dawson came into the attack. He wanted to take the bulk of the bowling from the spinner while showing reluctance to play the seamers. And it was that reluctance to play the seamers which saw him get out to Hoggard, playing an injudicious shot.

It was disappointing not to see England capitalise on the advantage of having got rid of two of the most dangerous batsmen in the game within the space of 10 minutes. Their failure to do so was due to their lack of ability and a little bit of tiredness that had crept into their game.

One feels sorry for Sanjay Bangar. The debutant, who touched the feet of Sunil Gavaskar before the start of the Mohali Test to seek the elder statesman's blessing in the traditional Indian custom, got just five overs to bowl before he suffered a hamstring injury. He looked very demoralised when I met him this morning, which is understandable as injuries like this can be very depressing. He came out to bat with very little conviction, but fortunately for him he wasn't tested much, which has helped him grow in confidence.

Steve Bucknor showed how a good umpire can stop a potentially nasty situation getting out of control. Andy Flintoff was generating some pace and intimidating Ganguly, who initially ignored the verbal attack but then preferred to exchange words with the bowler. Just when things were getting a bit heated, Bucknor walked in and asked the two players to take it easy. The message got through and both players behaved themselves.

Sanjay Manjrekar, mainstay of the Indian batting in the late '80s and early '90s, was talking to H Natarajan.

More from Manjrekar
England show heart
Inexperience costs England

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