Laxman disappointed despite fine knock

Despite a fine run of three consecutive half-centuries, stylish batsman V V S Laxman was a terribly disappointed man after being dismissed at a critical juncture, on the fourth day, in the second cricket Test at Port of Spain on Monday.

"I am surely disappointed," said Laxman. "I was also a bit unlucky as it took the inside edge of my bat and crashed on to my stumps."

Laxman was bowled by Mervyn Dillon for 74 after putting on 149 runs for the fifth wicket with captain Sourav Ganguly. His dismissal triggered off an Indian collapse as the team lost the last six wickets for the addition of only 13 runs.

"It would have been great if I had stayed on. Sourav was batting so well at the other end," said Laxman. "We should have had at least 400 up on the board and now the first session of the last day's play is critically important."

The West Indies, set 313 to win, need 182 runs from the final day's play with eight wickets remaining, including that of the great Brian Lara, who is unbeaten on 40.

"The wicket is not easy to play your shots on; there is difficulty in stroking the ball. If you keep the ball in the right place, it is difficult to get runs," said Laxman.

Laxman said he is happy with his form in the series, during which he has run up scores of 69, 69 not out and 74 in three innings.

"I have been timing the ball well right from the start of the series," he said. "My form is okay but I would like to translate it into a few big scores. There are still three Tests left in the series and, hopefully, before we are through, I would have been able to make a few big scores."

The Hyderabad batsman said it is an honour for him to play alongside players like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Ganguly. "They are class players and have proved their worth time and again. I feel great to play alongside them."

He said the wickets in the West Indies today are no diffe- rent from the ones he faced way back in 1997. The conditions are not much different now. If anything, the wickets are slower.

"Last time I was here as an opener but now I am back in the middle order. It is a position I have always enjoyed batting in," said the stylish batsman.

Inevitably, asked to comment on his knock of 281 against Australia in Kolkata during the 2000-2001 series, Laxman, ever a modest person, gave Dravid a great deal of credit for the astonishing partnership which changed the course of the match and the series.

"Dravid was a great help and inspiration from the other end," said Laxman. "But that is history and I would like to bat well and long enough to contribute in my team's success."

Mail Cricket Editor