Das, Dravid grind Zimbabwe bowlers on opening day

The Orange city provided an ideal batting strip for the Indians to take on Zimbabwe in the second and final Test. Shiv Sunder Das notched up his maiden century, Rahul Dravid neared his eighth hundred and India chalked up a comfortable 306/2 after electing to bat first. The Zimbabwean bowlers simply did not have the firepower to stop the Indians. Everything now depends on Zimbabwe. If they can get their act together with the bat, they just might be able to hold on for a draw.

When play began, Sadagoppan Ramesh and Shiv Sunder Das were very comfortable against the Zimbabwean bowlers. Driving through the off side with characteristic ease, Ramesh was soon scoring at a run a ball. Shiv Sunder Das at the other end was the ideal foil for Ramesh. Solid as a rock when it was needed, Das treated the bowling on merit. Being a short man proved to be a blessing, as he unveiled the cut shot every time the ball was short of a length.

Just when he looked good for a big score, Ramesh was involved in an unnecessary run out. Playing the ball to the mid on area, Ramesh underestimated Streak's throwing arm. A good strong throw found Ramesh short of his ground. Ramesh's 48 included seven hits to the fence.

If the Zimbabweans came to India fearing Sachin Tendulkar, they are going to leave with nightmares of Rahul Dravid. Cutting and driving with precision, Dravid found the gaps with ease and it was no surprise that he brought up his third consecutive score of fifty or over.

Das was in good nick all day, displaying why he is a natural choice for the opening slot. His shot selection was impeccable on the day, and his persistence bore fruit. After plodding on manfully for over three hours, Das came down the track to a well flighted delivery from Murphy and flicked magnificently. As the ball thudded into the advertising hoardings, Das held up his bat to acknowledge the crowd's cheers. The young opener from Orissa had found the fence on 17 occasions on the way to his century.

The wicket was so flat that the Zimbabwean bowlers could not pick a single wicket. Ramesh was run out and Das' wicket really belonged to umpire Arani Velayudham Jayaprakash. Brian Murphy did what he knows best and tossed up a big leg break, Das, trying to play his favourite shot, the cut, missed the ball altogether. Alright, so the ball was too close to the body to cut. But you can't give a batsmen out for that. The ball went past the bat, brushed the wicketkeeper's gloves and went through to Alistair Campbell at slip. After pouching the ball, the appeal that followed was neither spontaneous nor unanimous. In the eyes of the man in the middle however, 110 runs was all Das was destined to make. Although one has to concede that these things happen in the course of the game, Das' look of disbelief on being given out told its own story.

The youngster had played well for his 110 runs. Taking as much time as was required, Das waited for the right ball to hit. On nineteen occasions in his 252 minute essay he put the ball away. At 227 for two, India were still very well placed.

Amidst roars from the mediumsized Nagpur crowd, Sachin Tendulkar walked out to the middle. However, there were to be no real fireworks from Tendulkar. Although he showed bursts of aggressiveness, his innings of 49 was largely a sedate one. As the day's play was drawing to a close, Tendulkar opened his shoulders and played a trademark coverdrive. This brought the crowd back to life after a series of dull overs. Three balls later the umpires called stumps and that was that. Rahul Dravid on a patient 93, and Tendulkar on 49 were both irritatingly close to the century and half century marks respectively. Tomorrow, when India resume on 306 for two, both Dravid and Tendulkar will look to quickly cross those marks and get on with the scoring.