/ 25 May 2007

India in command after Jaffer hits unbeaten century

Opener Wasim Jaffer hit an unbeaten 138 to help India pile up 326 without loss at the close of play on the opening day of the second and final Test against Bangladesh on Friday.

Resuming on 175-0 after the tea break, opener Dinesh Karthik retired hurt on 82. Captain Rahul Dravid, who joined Jaffer, was unbeaten on 88.

Jaffer’s fourth Test century followed a pair in the first Test in Chittagong.

He hit 17 boundaries from 229 balls while Dravid faced 131 balls, striking a six and 11 fours.

After Karthik had survived a dropped catch in the first session, Jaffer also escaped when Mohammad Rafique almost completed a caught-and-bowled shortly after the lunch break.

Karthik, who hit 12 boundaries, was dropped by Saqibul Hasan on 10 at slip off a delivery from Syed Rasel in the eighth over.

The rain-interrupted first Test ended in a draw in Chittagong on Tuesday. — Reuters