Tendulkar’s throw wasjust another reminder of the man’s presence of mind and his sheernatural ability on a cricket field

Osman Samiuddin and Anand Vasu in Kolkata18-Mar-2005

Steve Bucknor and Sachin Tendulkar discuss the fading light immediately before Tendulkar’s controversial dismissal© Getty Images
The twilight twist
With gloom settling in and bad light almost certain tobe offered, enter India’s favourite umpire,celebrating his 100th test. Sachin Tendulkar and RahulDravid were in the midst of a rescue act, quicklytransforming into a match-turning one. Tendulkar hadjust completed his half-century, with a rasping square-drive off Abdul Razzaq.Razzaq, in the middle of a disciplined and variedspell, started testing Tendulkar with short balls. Inhis next over, the first ball was again short, it wentpast Tendulkar’s outside edge and swung away aftergoing past his bat. As replays confirmed, the ballmissed the outside edge by some distance. Kamran Akmaldived to take the catch and appealed meekly, as didRazzaq, protractedly. Nothing came from Steve Bucknor,Tendulkar moved away from the crease and as Razzaq’sappeal withered, Bucknor suddenly raised his finger.Tendulkar jumped as if facing another short ball,stunned, Pakistan went ecstatic and the match took, ona day of twists, one final controversial one. A caseperhaps for offering light to the umpire?The Golden Arm
Younis Khan drove a full one back past Lakshmipathy Balaji and haredoff down the pitch. Sourav Ganguly from mid-off and Sachin Tendulkarfrom mid-on gave chase, and Ganguly pulled the ball up just before theropes. Tendulkar received the flick, and threw the ball to thelongest distance on a ground that is acres big. The ball thudded intoDinesh Karthik’s gloves at the far end, and he had the bails offbefore Asim Kamal got back for the third run. Tendulkar’s throw wasjust another reminder of the man’s presence of mind and his sheernatural ability on a cricket field.