Dravid, Srinath set up victory platform

Most commonly, it's a menacing bowling performance that destroys the morale of a team. When a fast bowler runs through a side there's no time to recover. On Tuesday, at the Feroz Shah Kotla however, it was a masterly display of batting by Rahul Dravid that destroyed the Zimbabweans. A double hundred from an Indian blade is uncommon, and the level of mastery Dravid displayed over the bowling is even rarer. The unbeaten 200 Dravid notched up powered India to a strong position at the end of the fourth day's play of the first Test. India had scalped five Zimbabwean wickets for 119 runs when bad light stopped play.

If Dravid ruled with the bat, Javagal Srinath certainly was not far behind with the ball. Charging in to openers Grant Flower and Gavin Rennie, the Karnataka speedster had the ball whistling through to the 'keeper. He didn't need too long to settle down either. Removing Grant Flower off the very second ball of the day, Srinath was on fire. Flower's tale of woe was complete with that dismissal. Having bagged a pair in the match, he had to bear the ignominy of having the legality of his bowling action questioned.

Gavin Rennie did not give his opening partner time to take off his pads alone. Exactly four overs later, he too fell to Srinath, this time caught in the slips. Like his partner, he too failed to score. Alistair Campbell, Zimbabwe's saviour on many occasions was not up to the task on this Delhi winter day. Campbell (8) popped a catch to forward short leg off Srinath and Zimbabwe were in all manner of strife at 25/3.

Andy Flower was now left with Stuart Carlisle to do the damage control. He too looked shaky, edging a ball to Joshi at gully before he could get off the mark. Fortunately for the visitors, and to Srinath's dismay, Joshi put down the sharp chance. Keen to make up for the lapse, Joshi got into good rhythm as soon as he was handed the ball. Not much later, Stuart Carlisle had taken the bait. Prodding at a turner from the left arm spinner, Carlisle (32) gave Ganguly his second catch of the day in the slips.

The procession of batsmen headed for the pavilion did not end there. Guy Whittall, playing an irresponsible swipe, gave Murali Kartik his first wicket of the match. Sadagoppan Ramesh pouched an easy catch at cover point and things began to look very bleak for Zimbabwe at 109 for 5. Ten runs later, Venkataraghavan and Hampshire put a halt to Zimbabwe's misery... For the day at least. First innings centurion Andy Flower will not sleep well the night before the final day's play of this Test match. He has 41 to his name and only the tail for company. Zimbabwe currently lead by 83, but that will not be a cause of worry for the Indians. Srinath will pound in first thing in the morning and look to put a quick end to the Zimbabwe innings. Barring a heroic effort from Andy Flower and a partnership of the kind that occurred in the first innings, there is very little that can stop India from going one up in this two-Test series.

Earlier, Sachin Tendulkar was visibly miffed with himself. On a flat batting track, against a friendly Zimbabwean attack, he got himself out for just 122. Now you would say that 122 was a score to be happy about. The way Sachin Tendulkar was batting, that should have been just the beginning. Overnight 70 not out, Tendulkar wasted no time in bringing up his century. After flaying Brian Strang for three boundaries in the very first over of the day, Tendulkar pounced on anything loose. The Mumbai batting genius sometimes gets bogged down when in the nervous nineties. None of that today. Tendulkar brought up his 23rd hundred with ease. There was little to choose from the 15 boundaries that helped him get there. Each one was a shot of class.

Tendulkar's departure gave Sourav Ganguly a crack at the bowling. He became only the second batsman of the innings not to capitalise on a good batting wicket when he edged a ball from Henry Olonga through to wicketkeeper Andy Flower on 27.

The tall VVS Laxman walked out to the middle and confirmed that the pitch had nothing in it for the bowlers. Playing aggressively from the moment he got to the crease, Laxman toyed with the bowling. Using his feet to the spinners and the full face of the bat against the mediumpacers, Laxman helped himself to quick runs even as Dravid pushed hard for his double hundred. Laxman's effortless despatching of Grant Flower over long off was a treat to watch. Not far behind was the joy on Dravid's face as he brought up his double hundred. He didn't have much time to savour the moment though, as Ganguly waved his side off. At 458/4, India were ahead by 36 runs, but that was hardly the point. They were all set to go hard at Zimbabwe. And that was exactly what they did.