cricket

Updated: Nov 16, 2019 12:12 IST

Ishant Sharma took the new ball, he landed it on a length and got it to swerve past the outside edge of Shadman Islam. He pitched it up more, drew the batsman forward and then shaped it past his outside edge.

One over negotiated - Umesh Yadav had the new ball from the other end. With rhythmical bowling run-up, he angles the ball across Islam and then Imrul Kayes. When he ventures a tad too full, he is driven through the covers for a boundary. He smiles and walks back to his mark.

Ishant continues with the around the wicket angle, he runs in and angles the ball and then gets it to deck past the outside edge. For both the Bangladeshi openers, it was a wretched stay at the crease. Umesh, who was angling the ball till then, finds his mark, the ball curves in the air, lands on the seam moves in and then even as Kayes drives loosely an inside edge is found and the leg stump is uprooted.

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Ishant now senses something, he had been trying to get the ball move away after the pitching, but now on the final ball of the 7th over, angles the ball in and the ball, like an abiding aide, keeps on coming back in. Shadman looks to defend, the ball has enough zip to sneak between bat and pad and hit the top of middle and off stump.

However, the best phase of the morning session was yet to come. Mohammed Shami had the ball, and he was in rampant rhythm. He was charging in, the ball landing on the seam and moving away with intensity. After a couple of balls from over the wicket, he swtiched to around the wicket and started angling the ball in, Mominul was no match and he was beaten for pace. Pads were clattered and the captain had to walk back.

From the other end, it was Ishant. He was honing in on the stumps, the ball angled in and getting prodigious movement. When the batsmen survived this onslaught, Shami was doing just the opposite, he was getting the ball to swirl away after pitching, enticing drives and beating the outside edge.

The ball was doing tricks, the batsmen were batting with uneasiness and well, Indore, with its raucous crowd, was chanting their names. For a batting-loving nation, the sight of the ball moving in one over and then moving away the very next, the sound of the crowd going ballistic over the fast bowlers was enthralling.

Bangladesh were reeling at 60/4 at the Lunch break and were battling it to take the game even to the next day.