India nearly lose a timed-out wicket

Sachin strapped by on-field absence; Laxman in bathroom; Dada rushed out

CAPE TOWN: India came perilously close to making dubious history on Friday. Twelve minutes into play, they were 6 for 2. Wasim Jaffer had fallen, dismissed within two deliveries — and three minutes — of the ouster of his opening partner, Virender Sehwag.

That was reason enough for skipper Rahul Dravid to be worried. The concern turned into jangling nerves over the next six minutes as all eyes were on the Indian dressing room. Where was the No 4 batsman?

As the clock ticked from 10:43am (the time Jaffer fell) to 10:46am, India looked like becoming the first team to have a player timed out in a Test. The law says: “Unless Time has been called, the incoming batsman must be in position to take guard or for his partner to be ready to receive the next ball within 3 minutes of the fall of the previous wicket. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batsman will be timed out.”

But the scoreboard timer showed 10:49 when Sourav Ganguly walked out instead of Sachin Tendulkar. And though the South Africans could be heard chirping about a time-out decision, there was no appeal.

The mystery was resolved soon after. Tendulkar had left the field for a certain time on Thursday, and so could not come out to bat until 10:48. But the fourth umpire, Murray Brown, informed the Indian dressing room about this constraint only one delivery before Jaffer was dismissed.

“Sachin couldn’t bat till 10:48 because he was off the field for about 18 minutes on Thursday,” coach Greg Chappell told DNA. “We asked Laxy (VVS Laxman) to pad up, but he was in the bathroom. Sourav then had to get out of his tracks and pad up. That took about five minutes.”

Chappell, however, said there was no panic in the dressing room. Outside, meanwhile, on-field umpire Daryl Harper was explaining the special circumstances to South African skipper Graeme Smith, asking him not to appeal for a timed-out dismissal because that would be against the spirit of the game.

While the spirit of cricket was upheld, what went missing was the fighting spirit that had got India so far in the Test series. After a gritty 84-run stand between Dravid and Ganguly, the innings gave way, the last six wickets falling for 54 runs. Apart from another gutsy show by Dinesh Kaarthick (unbeaten on 38), bizarre run-outs, an unfortunate LBW decision, nothing shots, and way too much respect for a debutant spinner combined to stymie the great Indian dream.

South Africa, finally, have been given 211 to chase on a wicket that is still holding well. But there is enough in it for the spinners to weave some magic on a tense Saturday. The troops on both sides will have to be well-prepared because only the brave will survive.