CRICKET:Wasim Jaffer hit a magnificent unbeaten 192 to put India in a commanding position at stumps on the first day of the second Test against Pakistan.
The 29-year-old opener played a series of exquisite shots and reached his fifth Test century off 150 balls with a back-foot punch through the covers for four off spinner Danish Kaneria.
India finished the day on 352 for three and are in prime position to post a large total with Jaffer and Sourav Ganguly set to resume their innings today.
India captain Anil Kumble decided to bat first on a dry wicket after winning the toss at Eden Gardens but the tourists struck early, with Sohail Tanvir picking up the wicket of Dinesh Karthik with his first delivery of the day. The opener had made just one when he pushed at a full delivery from the Pakistan paceman but only succeeded in edging the ball to second slip, where Younus Khan took a low catch.
Jaffer and Rahul Dravid looked comfortable against a Pakistan attack who operated with a struggling Shoaib Akhtar to share a 136-partnership for the second wicket. Dravid had just reached 50 before he was controversially given out by umpire Billy Doctrove off Kaneria.
The right-hander misjudged a drive and his bat hit the ground with the ball appearing to miss the outside edge before going into the hands of Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal.
Jaffer continued to take the game away from the tourists and dominated both seam and spin as he marched towards his hundred.
After he reached three figures, Jaffer gave Tanvir some fearful treatment and hit him for three consecutive fours in the 52nd over with two superb drives through the covers and a sublime late cut.
Akmal missed a chance to dismiss Tendulkar when he failed to time a cut shot off a wide short ball from Mohammad Sami and the ball flew high behind.
Tendulkar reached his half-century off 74 balls with an uppish drive off Tanvir in the 65th over and eight balls later Jaffer reached his 150 with a flick to midwicket off the bowling of Kaneria.
Pakistan did eventually capture Tendulkar after he had made 82 in a partnership of 175 with Jaffer. He failed to pick a googly from Kaneria and was bowled attempting to drive the ball down the ground.
Jaffer's concentration remained unbroken and his virtually flawless innings continued as he smashed Tanvir for consecutive fours in the final few overs.
Ganguly protected Jaffer late in the day and added 17 runs of his own before the umpires brought proceedings to an early conclusion as the light deteriorated.
India first innings
W Jaffer not out 192
K D Karthik c Younus Khan b Tanvir 1
R Dravid c Kamran Akmal b Danish Kane 50
S R Tendulkar b Danish Kaneria 82
S C Ganguly not out 17
Extras b4 lb3 nb3 10
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Total 3 wkts (84.3 overs) 352
Fall: 1-2 2-138 3-313
To bat: V V S Laxman, M S Dhoni, A Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, M M Patel.
Bowling: Shoaib Akhtar 9 1 29 0 Tanvir 24 3 118 1 Mohammad Sami 18.3 1 56 0 Danish Kaneria 30 3 126 2 Yasir Hameed 3 0 16 0
