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Ganguly slams career best 239 to power India to imposing 611 at te

By Staff

Bangalore, Dec 9 (UNI) Sourav Ganguly smashed a career best 239 as India amassed 611 for seven against the hapless Pakistani attack at tea on the second day of the third and final Test being played at M Chinnaswamy stadium here today.

Resuming at 365 for five, India took a firm grip over their arch-rivals as Ganguly chose the day to score his first double hundred in Test cricket. In the company of Pathan, who began cautiously but opened up brilliantly.

Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh, who got out yesterday for a masterly 169, had rescued India when they were down at 61 for four on the opening day and the former captain put the hosts in a invincible position with today's memorable knock.

He finally departed just before the tea break, clean bowled by Kaneria who succeeded to get his fist wicket after bowling 44 overs.

In his 523 minute long blemishless innings he struck 30 fours and two huge sixes off Kaneria facing 316 balls.

Ifran Pathan on 93 and Skipper Anil Kumble (2) were at the crease at the tea break.

Ganguly and Pathan pounded the Pakistani attack adding 178 runs for the seventh wickets in 220 balls to take the match out of Pakistan's reach. India leads the series 1-0.

India sent the depleated Pakistani bowling on a leather hunt scoring 210 runs in just 30 overs between lunch and tea, losing the lone wicket of Ganguly.

Younis Khan looked helpless as he ran out of ideas on how to contain the rampaging Ganguly and Pathan and was forced to employ part time off spinners Yasir Hameed and Salman Butt and spread out the field to stem the glut of boundaries.

This however helped the Indian batsmen who went on to milk the rival attack and got past the 600 mark in the 142nd over.

In the morning Ganguly put the Indian innings on a strong plane as he went on smashing the Pakistani attack that was depleted due to the absence of its pace spearhead Shoaib Akthar who came on the field but did not bowl.

Shoaib who had back spasms yesterday while trying to run out Yuvraj Singh had stayed in the dressing room after lunch. Today he remained just a spectator to the Indian run feast.

By lunch Indians had consolidated their position further reaching 461 for six with Ganguly going strong and guiding the Indian innings towards the invincible total.

The former captain completed his double century with a cover drive for two runs off Arafat, who was the most successful Pakistani bowler with four wickets for 156 runs. Once Ganguly reached 150 in 243 balls, he opened up and made Pakistani's to suffer for not going for the fifth bowler.

The Pakistan attack looked pedestrian on a wicket that aided batsmen and even experienced Danish Kaneria could do little to stop the rampaging Indians.

UNI

Story first published: Tuesday, August 22, 2017, 12:33 [IST]
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