Cricket: Traicos double tips Test towards Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe 456; India 93-4

JOHN TRAICOS, the 45-year- old off-spinner, turned Zimbabwe toward an unlikely victory in their inaugural Test against India in Harare yesterday by taking two quick wickets to leave India on 93 for 4 at the end of the third day in pursuit of the home side's record first-innings total of 456.

Traicos dealt the Indians a psychological blow by first removing Sachin Tendulkar for a duck, sprawling to take a return catch, and then having their captain, Mohammad Azharuddin, picked up for nine at slip by Grant Fowler five minutes before the close of play.

With India still 164 runs away from saving the follow-on, Zimbabwe have the chance over the last two days to press for a victory which they must have thought was impossible after their early batting collapse.

Resuming their stately progress at 406 for 5, Zimbabwe lost their last five wickets for only 50 more runs, although their total was the best by a team playing their first Test. It beat Australia's 245 against England in Melbourne in 1877.

If the collapse, in which Javagal Srinath picked up two wickets, was disappointing for Zimbabwe, worse was to follow. Their main strike bowler, Eddo Brandes, twisted his ankle after delivering only two overs. Precautionary X- rays showed no broken bones.

The Indians were unable to capitalise on their good fortune. Ravi Shastri prodded for 93 minutes for his 11 runs before slashing at an outswinger from Mark Burmester which pitched wide of off-stump and presenting Andy Pycroft with a catch at first slip. Wookeri Raman, missed early on at short leg off Malcolm Jarvis, was finally bowled by the left-arm seamer, Gary Crocker, for 43 and then Traicos struck.

(Zimbabwe won toss)

ZIMBABWE - First Innings

(Overnight: 406-5)

*D L Houghton c More b Srinath121

A Flower b Prabhakar59

G Crocker not out23

E A Brandes lbw b Srinath0

J Traicos b Kumble5

M P Jarvis c Raman b Kumble0

Extras (b1 lb19 nb15)35

Total 456

Fall: 1-100 2-175 3-186 4-199 5-252 6-417 7-445 8-445 9-454.

Bowling: Kapil Dev 39-13-71-1; Prabhakar 45- 15-66-3; Srinath 39-12-89-3; Raju 39-15-

79-0; Kumble 35.2-11-79-3; Shastri 17-3-52-0.

INDIA - First Innings

R J Shastri c Pycroft b Burmester11

W V Raman b Crocker43

S V Manjrekar not out27

S R Tendulkar c and b Traicos0

*M A Azharuddin c G Flower b Traicos9

S L V Raju not out0

Extras (lb2 nb1)3

Total (for 4)93

Fall: 1-29 2-77 3-78 4-93.

To bat: Kapil Dev, K S More, M B Prabakhar, J Srinath, A Kumble.

Bowling: Brandes 2-0-3-0; Burmester 17-9-19-1; Jarvis 16-7-27-0; Crocker 13-9-11-1; Traicos 15- 5-31-2.