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The VCA Stadium at Nagpur, which will host the
first Test of the 2005-06 series between India and
England, has witnessed many an outstanding
performance.
. Andy Flower (Zimbabwe) - 232 not out vs
India, 2000-01: Zimbabwe, trailing by 227 runs,
were forced to follow - on, and lost their four
wickets with 166 runs on the board in the second
innings. Then Andy Flower, the middle - order
batsman and wicketkeeper, scored a match - saving
232 not out in 544 minutes and 444 balls. He
cracked 30 boundaries and two sixes. It is the
highest-ever individual score made by a
wicketkeeper-batsman.
. Sachin Tendulkar (India) - 201 not out vs
Zimbabwe, 2000-01: It was the master blaster's
second double - century in Tests. His innings
lasted 392 minutes and 281 balls, included 27 fours
and was the highlight of India's mammoth total of
609-6 declared. However, he was overcautious in the
latter stages, and the movement of the innings
slowed down considerably when aggression was the
need of the hour.
. Rahul Dravid (India) - 162 vs Zimbabwe,
2000-01: Dravid took his series aggregate to 432
before he was finally dismissed. He added 155 with
Shiv Sunder Das and 249 with Sachin Tendulkar. It
was their second double-century stand of the series
and an Indian all - wicket record against Zimbabwe.
Dravid occupied the crease for 402 minutes and
faced 301 balls and hit 20 fours and a six.
. Maninder Singh (India) - 10-107 vs Sri
Lanka, 1986-87: The left-arm spinner completely
mesmerized the opposition to return career - best
figures of 7-51 and finished with ten wickets in a
Test for the first time. Only the left - handed
Romesh Ratnayeke, who batted for two hours and 50
minutes, and Duleep Mendis, who struck out boldly,
provided resistance. Maninder shared the Man of the
Match award with Dilip Vengsarkar.
. Hedley Howarth (New Zealand) - 9-90 vs
India, 1969-70: A left - arm slow bowler, he was
New Zealand's leading spinner of the seventies. He
returned figures of 5-34, his best-ever in a Test,
in the second innings. His match analysis of 9-100
was the best by a New Zealander in India for over
two decades. It helped his team to post a
convincing victory by 167 runs. |