Cricket: India eye huge win despite Ashraful ton

CHITTAGONG - Irfan Pathan triggered a stunning Bangladesh collapse to leave India on the verge of an innings victory in the second test.

Mohammad Ashraful struck a national record 158 not out to bolster Bangladesh's first innings to 333 all out at tea on the third day, falling eight runs short of the follow on target in reply to India's first innings of 540.

Forced to follow on, left-armer Pathan then grabbed the first five wickets to reduce Bangladesh to 118 for nine, still 89 runs away from India's first innings total.

Pathan, 20, returned figures of five for 32, his third five-wicket innings haul in a test.

At one stage, he had taken seven of the eight wickets to fall, including two of the last three first innings scalps.

Pathan, who took 11 for 96 to be named man-of-the-match in the first test, again showed his class.

He trapped opener Nafis Iqbal leg before wicket first ball and went on to put in a fine display of controlled swing bowling.

The diminutive Ashraful, 20, provided an exhibition of uninhibited strokeplay in the first innings as he tore into pace and spin.

He surpassed his previous best of 114 and Aminul Islam's Bangladesh record test score of 145, made in their debut test against India in 2000.

The hosts, a shaky 54 for three overnight, raced past 300 in two sessions as Ashraful played fierce shots all around the ground.

Ashraful, who become the youngest test centurion against Sri Lanka in 2001, treated Pathan and fellow left-armer Zaheer Khan with contempt as they repeatedly pitched short in the morning session.

Zaheer hit him on his elbow but Ashraful responded with a stunning six over backward square leg and pulled and hooked both bowlers.

He shared in a 115-run fifth wicket partnership with Aftab Ahmed, who scored 43, after adding 70 for the fourth with captain Habibul Bashar, who made 22, before guiding the tailenders.

Ashraful also used his feet to negate the threat of legspinner Anil Kumble and offspinner Harbhajan Singh.

He raced to his century off just 124 balls, reverse sweeping Harbhajan and driving him past mid wicket for successive fours.

The batsman threw up his arms in delight and knelt to kiss the pitch while receiving a standing ovation from the crowd.

He scored his runs off 194 balls.

India won the first test in Dhaka by an innings and 140 runs.

- REUTERS