Sehwag On Song

Virender Sehwag struck his second 200-plus score buttwin strikes by Danish Kaneria in the last session left Pakistan smelling bloodon the third day of the third and final Test against India today.

Despite Sehwag's belligerent 201, the huge firstinnings target seemed to weigh heavily on the Indians who were 379 for six atclose, having managed to go past the follow-on mark but still 191 runs inarrears.

V.V.S. Laxman was finally among runs and picked thegaps in his trademark style to remain unbeaten on 51, with Irfan Pathan yet toopen his account at stumps.

That no other batsman managed to cross fifty pointed tothe strain on the Indians' shoulders as well as the perseverence of the visitorson a track that has shown hint of cracking but still was still very good forbatting.

Kaneria (3-97) succeeded due to his guile incombination with the batsmen's foolhardiness while Mohammad Sami (2-80) was atypical example of a fast bowler ploughing his way on an unforgiving pitch.

There were a couple of individual milestones for theIndians fans to cherish.

Sachin Tendulkar surpassed Brian Lara (10,094) in theall time batting aggregate list while Virender Sehwag crossed the 3,000-run markwhen he reached 160.

Tendulkar moved past Lara in the all time batting charts when he reached 18. Buthe fell short of the highest Indian aggregate of Sunil Gavaskar's 10,122 by fourruns as he miscued a drive for a simple catch at point and was dismissed for 41.

The 35th Test hundred still eluded the Mumbai batsmanas he overcame some anxious moments while facing Sami who got the reverse swinggoing very well.

Tendulkar was beginning to assert himself with a fewattacking shots on the on-side against Kaneria and off-spinner Arshad Khan whenhe fell.

Trying to loft Shahid Afridi, the 31-year old ended upholing out to Younis Khan. His 71-ball knock contained seven boundaries andformed one half of the 85-run third wicket stand with Sehwag.

Rahul Dravid was the other prized scalp Pakistan pickedin the post-lunch session to push India on the backfoot.

Dravid (22) was trapped leg before wicket by Kaneriawith the score at 172. Sehwag and Dravid put on 74 runs for the second wicketbefore Kaneria had the Indian vice-captain.

The host lost the wicket of opener Gautham Gambhirmid-way through the pre-lunch session.

Gambhir, fishing outside the off-stump, gave a simplecatch in the slips with the team's score reading 98 in the 24th over. Gambhirmade 24 (97m, 68b, three fours).

Sehwag was on a song and executed a flurry of shots to enthrall a near-capacitycrowd. He reached the 150 mark in style, hoisting Kaneria for a huge six.

The Delhi batsman had to slow down after the fall ofTendulkar but accelerated the pace of scoring beautifully as he approached his200.

He drove Abdul Razzaq through the mid off region tomove to 199, and then seemed uncharacteristically nervous against Kaneria.

A mistimed heave hung up in the air before it fell inno man's land for his double ton.

In the same over, he failed to check his drive and wascaught and bowled by the leg spinner. His 201 came from 262 balls with 28 foursand two sixes in five hours and 34 minutes.

Sami was impressive as he probed the batsmen's weaknessand the deadness of the pitch with his searing pace.

He bowled nine overs on the trot at one stage, a fieryspell that tested Sehwag with a series of short pitched deliveries at above 90mph speed.

But the cavalier batsman weathered the storm andasserted himself with a crashing boundary to point fence.

PTI