Jaffer slays poor Pakistan bowling

KOLKATA, India -- Wasim Jaffer was poised to reach his second double hundred in Tests after India raced to an imposing 352-3 on the first day of the second match against Pakistan at Eden Gardens.

The opener reached 192 when bad light stopped play to be just 20 runs short of his Test-best score, made in the West Indies last year.

The 29-year-old passed three figures for the fifth time, hitting 32 boundaries from 255 deliveries as Pakistan's bowling attack struggled with paceman Shoaib Akhtar struggling for fitness.

Akhtar, Pakistan's biggest threat in Pakistan's opening six-wicket defeat last week, was named to play despite being in hospital this week receiving anti-biotics via an intravenous drip due to a chest infection.

He could manage only nine overs on the dead track, with figures of 0-29 over three spells.

Pakistan made an early breakthrough when Sohail Tanvir struck with his first delivery to dismiss Dinesh Karthik in the second over, with skipper Younis Khan taking the catch at second slip.

Younis led the side in place of Shoaib Malik, who suffered an ankle injury while playing football after the first Test in New Delhi. His absence mean a call-up for middle-order batsman Faisal Iqbal.

Jaffer then put on 136 for the second wicket with Rahul Dravid, who made a patient 50 off 118 balls before controversially being given out caught behind from the bowling of leg-spinner Danesh Kaneria.

Jaffer was then joined by Sachin Tendulkar, and the duo tore apart the tourists' attack as they added 175 for the third wicket in quick time.

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal dropped Tendulkar on 28 off Mohammad Sami in the first over after tea.

The 34-year-old, the world's second-highest run scorer in Tests, seemed set for a 37th century until Kaneria deceived him with a googly and he was bowled for 82 off only 109 deliveries.

The onslaught continued as Sourav Ganguly reached stumps unbeaten on 17 from 25 balls, having added another 39 with the imperious Jaffer.

"I don't think I have batted so fluently so far in my Test career," he said. "It was my most fluent innings. I have got a few starts in England (this year) and did not convert them into hundreds. So I tried to be focused once I was past 60-70.

"Scoring 192 in a day is something I haven't done before. I'll try to score a double-hundred tomorrow and then as many as I can."

Kaneria toiled manfully in the placid batting conditions for Pakistan, who lost the toss, as he toiled for 30 overs for the figures of 2-126.

Left-armer Tanvir took 1-118, and after struggling to make much impact with his seam deliveries -- he conceded 18 boundaries to Jaffer throughout the day -- was asked to bowl spin by Younis.

With specialist spinner Abdur Rahman left out of the starting line-up, Yasir Hameed sent down three overs of gentle off-spin as he took to the bowling crease for only the second time in 22 Tests. E-mail to a friend

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