Sachin joins Dravid, Kaarthick in century club

Dhaka, May 26 (UNI) Sachin Tendulkar joined Skipper Rahul Dravid and Dinesh Kaarthick, to shore up another century, as India tightened the noose on Bangladesh reaching 528 for three at tea on the second day of the second Test here today.

Tendulkar batting on 63 at lunch reached his 37th Test ton with six boundaries and a six. He was batting on 101 at tea and giving him company was M S Dhoni on one.

Tendulkar's otherwise ordinary innings was marked by moments of brilliance. He lofted Rafique over long-off for a six the very next ball after a vociferous appeal for lbw against him, showing who was controlling the proceedings in the park.

Then he stroked the ball with disdain to the boundary off -- a straight drive that had class written all over. The third came in the form of a late cut fishing the ball from above the gloves of Khaleed Masud for an elegant boundary.

The Master Blaster who signaled coming back to form hitting a century last match now had two back to back tons to his name.

He batted effortlessly through the morning session notching up another fifty off 98 balls studded with two fours and a six.

This apart the century was as ordinary as the bowling effort.

Sachin took several breaks in between when he had to be rehydrated.

Meanwhile, Dinesh Kaarthick was batting on his maiden 100 at lunch reached 129, with another dropped chance at 127 when the ball got in and out of the gloves of keeper Khaled Masud of Mortaza. However, Mortaza got Kaarthick in his next over as he played a casual hook to see the ball balloon to captain Habibul Bashar at mid on.

His innings was studded wit 16 boundaries and eclipsed his previous best of 93 against South Africa in Eden Gardens three years back. Kaarthick came in at the fall of Dravid and took 27 balls to complete his century. He had retired hurt yesterday at tea on 88 runs with severe cramps and dehydration. He picked up from where he left and completed his maiden century with 13 boundaries to his name.

Sourav Ganguly lasted 32 balls for his 15 runs before being caught by Rajen Saleh, who was keeping stumps in place of Masud who left the field dehydrated.

Earlier, commencing at the overnight score of 326, India trotted along comfortably adding 116 runs in the morning session even as Dravid brought up his 24th Test century.

Dravid looked in absolute command as he took just 25 minutes to complete his century. He was finally gone playing a lazy drive uppishly to Javed Omar of Md Rafique. His century came from 144 balls with 12 hits to the fence and a six.

He was eventually gone for 129 runs after hitting three more boundaries one of which included a flick off the legs to the square leg played with utter disdain.

This was incidentally Bangladesh's first wicket after toiling for 107 overs.

The Bangladesh bowlers looked unimpressive on this dead track.

Mortaza banged in a few only to see Tendulkar and Dravid let them fly. Only once did Tendulkar mistime a hook of Rasel, but the ball fell in no man's land.

UNI