October 12 Saturday 2002
Zaheer rues missing maiden five-wicket haul

BOMBAY: Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan was left to rue another near miss after failing to secure his maiden five-wicket haul in Test cricket against the West Indies on Friday. The 24-year-old had a potentially match-winning 4 for 41 on the third day of the first Test to bowl out the visiting team for a meagre 157, but could not pick up the additional wicket needed to fill the blank in his stat sheet. "I'm disappointed at missing out on five wickets," Zaheer said. "I thought today was a good chance to get it, but luck plays a factor too." Zaheer had taken four of the first seven wickets to fall, but leg-spinner Anil Kumble polished off the last three batsmen to finish with 4 for 51.

MUMBAI: Indian pacer Zaheer Khan celebrates after claiming the wicket of Ryan Hinds, of the West Indies, during the third day's play of the first Test on Friday, October 11, 2002

Zaheer, playing his 21st Test and bowling better than ever before, said it was not a major worry. "I'm not really worried or tense about it. If I keep bowling well, the wickets are bound to come. I'm sure I'll get a five-wicket haul sooner rather than later."

It was the third time Zaheer, who has 58 Test scalps in all, had picked up four wickets in a match. The left-arm paceman, who made an impressive debut two years ago but lost his way last season after gaining weight, thanked the Indian team's fitness trainer Adrian LeRoux for the change of fortune. "I have lost a lot of weight and become physically fitter over the last few months thanks to Adrian, who has put the whole team under an excellent fitness routine. That's paying rich dividends."

Zaheer grabbed 11 wickets in a recent four-Test series in England and 15 in the Caribbean before that.

Mumbai's slow Wankhede Stadium pitch was not very helpful to fast bowlers, but Zaheer said, he had made up his mind to capitalise on any help he got from the track on Friday. "The strip was not helpful, but I bowled a disciplined line and length and that paid off. Hopefully I can do that again tomorrow," he added.

Kumble said he and his colleagues would not make the going easy for the visiting team. "It's a big target, we've a very handy lead," the 31-year-old said. "It's up to the bowlers now and we've to try and ensure that our team doesn't have to bat again."

Kumble, who took his Test wicket tally to 337, is India's second most successful bowler in history behind former paceman Kapil Dev (434).