Khan waits as England fail to swing

The 25 overs which were possible on the second day here underlined the way in which the England bowlers had wasted the conditions on the first day when the ball swung all over the place. A score of more than 300 could become a sizeable affair if the conditions remain the same.

Zaheer Khan, one of India's two left-arm opening bowlers, showed in the first Test at Lord's that he is more than able to profit when he can find movement in the air or off the seam. If his partner, Ashish Nehra, can produce more control, these two could make life extremely difficult for England's batsmen in the remainder of the match.

With so much time lost to the weather and the outlook still gloomy, to say the least, the likelihood must be that this match will end in a draw. England's bowlers, still further handicapped by injury, were not able to build on the persistent aggravation which they unleashed so successfully at Lord's.

In that match, the injection of Simon Jones into the side, with his enthusiasm and ability, acted as a spur to the rest of the side. Here, his general bounce has been missed. The gamble with Steve Harmison has so far been nothing like as successful. He has looked the raw, young fast bowler that most people thought that Jones would prove to be at Lord's.

Harmison was clearly badly affected by nerves and never found anything approaching his true rhythm. He is tall and gangly and his action has been an uncoordinated twirl of arms and legs. His direction and his length has been all over the place and he gave the impression of having little idea of where the next ball was going.

The saddest part of it all has been that although he is, by all accounts, capable of genuine pace, which has been verified by no less a person than Rod Marsh, he has been unable to find it so far in India's first innings. The fastest ball he has managed was clocked in at 88mph and if he is going to be so inaccurate at that pace he is not going to pose much of a threat.

England may decide not to persevere with him after this match, but, when he returns to his county and recovers his equilibrium, he may soon show that he is ready to return and fulfil his promise. As it is, first-night nerves seem to have got to him.