England's bowlers deserve better than that after their collective excellence on a fifth-day pitch that might have looked placid in other hands. The way they dismissed Sachin Tendulkar, especially, merited words that did not have any negative connotations.
England’s bowling and ground-fielding (they shelled a couple of catches) was of the same calibre as in the Ashes series. It was the same intensity that England produced for sessions – even whole days – last winter as they dragged Australia down.
There we go again. The image springing to mind is that of a noble stag “dragged down” by hounds, or whatever is used to hunt with nowadays. Or of a pagan god dragged down from its pedestal.
But what England did in the field yesterday, climaxing in the hour after lunch when Tendulkar was tied down then dismissed, deserves to be celebrated with positive approbation.
It was bowling and ground-fielding at its finest, the product of hard work, much thought and intense practice.
After lunch, for over after over, Tendulkar was kept away from immortality. He will be celebrated almost as long as Don Bradman, but if he had made a match-saving century – his 100th in international cricket – in the 100th Test between England and India, and the 2000th Test of all time, that would have given him superhuman status.
Tendulkar reached nine not out when he hit his third ball after lunch for two. He faced 50 more balls in the rest of his innings. In that time the Modern Master scored three runs.
Time, and Tendulkar’s score, stood still as England’s bowlers and fielders hunted together to fence him in. They knew they had to finish India off, to cash in on the tourists’ typically slow – indeed, on the first two days, lethargic – start to this series and on Virender Sehwag’s absence.
Tendulkar soon became agitated by the sightscreen at the Nursery End. He took a deep breath to compose himself before facing Graeme Swann from the Pavilion End. He did not appear to have the equanimity of Rahul Dravid, the serenity of VVS Laxman. England, with every dot ball, were eroding his composure.
For 38 balls Tendulkar stayed on 11. He had swept a two off Swann to get that far, and finally added a single to square-leg off the same bowler to reach 12.
At the rate he was going, he was not going to surpass his career-best score of 37 at Lord’s before the close, let alone reach his landmark.
Tendulkar was recovering from his viral infection at the same time that England were plaguing him from all sides. He could defend against Swann but not score: he made four off 28 balls from England’s offspinner. He could defend against England’s pace bowlers but again he could not score: he made eight runs from 40 balls against them.
The crowd spurred England on and helped to keep the players up to the mark.
Thousands of people were allowed, by the lowering of prices, to see Test cricket for the first time. And what could whet their appetite more than this purple passage of Tendulkar versus the country that could be No.1 in a month’s time?
Against most teams, Tendulkar’s patience would have been rewarded — and the Bombay school of batsmanship, as expounded by Vijay Merchant and Sunil Gavaskar and Tendulkar, has been the most patient of all — but not against this England team striving for the summit.
He was dropped, when trying to leave, by Andrew Strauss, then leg-before when Anderson swung in.
He would have been dismissed leg-before earlier had the Decision Review System for this series included lbws. Which might be why it was not.
A Test, as defined by Geoffrey Boycott, is a week of your life. Tendulkar’s second innings felt as though it took a day in itself. At his dismissal England rejoiced as if the game was won. Once Tendulkar was gone, so were India.
So bin the negativity. England’s achievement in the field yesterday could be equated to dancing perhaps and choreography. They were united, synchronised and disciplined – even Kevin Pietersen, who has been known to overthrow.
England were, in fact, positively brilliant.
