KOLKATA // VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni led India's run-spree with superb centuries to put their team in command on the second day of the second Test against a hapless West Indies.
Laxman resumed his innings and hit a stylish 176 not out and Dhoni, the captain, produced a robust 144 as India posted a massive 631 for seven declared in their first innings at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
The West Indies faltered in reply, reaching 34 for two when play was called off due to bad light. Kirk Edwards was unbeaten on 12 and Darren Bravo on four not out.
Umesh Yadav, the Indian seamer, struck in his first over when he had Adrian Barath (one) caught by Virender Sehwag at second slip before Ravichandran Ashwin, the off-spinner, removed Kraigg Brathwaite (17), caught by Gautam Gambhir at short-leg.
Laxman hit 12 fours in his 17th Test hundred, and the fifth at this venue, while Dhoni smashed five sixes and 10 fours in his fifth Test century as India continued to gather runs comfortably against both pace and spin.
The duo exposed the West Indies' bowling limitations on a slow pitch with a 224-run stand for the seventh wicket as the hosts added 285 runs to their overnight total of 346 for five.
It was India's second-highest total in a Test against the West Indies, their best being 644 for seven declared at Kanpur in 1979.
It was a demoralising day for the tourists, who could get just two wickets in more than two sessions as none of their bowlers could trouble Laxman and Dhoni.
Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo, paceman Kemar Roach, seamer Darren Sammy and the part-time off-spin from Marlon Samuels all conceded more than 100 runs in a mediocre West Indies' bowling performance.
Dhoni dominated the big stand with Laxman with rich stroke play. He reached his century — his first since February 2010 — in the afternoon with a single to long-off to spinner Brathwaite.
The Indian skipper, caught behind off Roach no-balls when on 13 and 16, punished the spinners as he lofted Bishoo and Samuels over long-on for sixes before hitting Brathwaite for two sixes in an over.
Dhoni was caught behind in the last session immediately after hitting Roach for his fifth six.
Laxman, 73 overnight, completed his hundred with an attractive shot, flicking Sammy between mid-on and midwicket for a four.
The West Indies relied on fast bowlers Fidel Edwards and Roach in the morning in a bid to put pressure on India, but the duo went wicketless with the second new ball.
The tourists' lone success in the morning session came when Sammy trapped Yuvraj Singh leg-before for 25 after the batsman had added 50 for the sixth wicket with Laxman.
Yuvraj, trying to cement his place in the Test side, did not look comfortable during his brief stay at the crease, tested by Edwards and Roach with short-pitched deliveries.
The left-handed batsman was once struck on the shoulder by an Edwards bouncer before being dismissed by Sammy.
India lead 1-0 in the three-Test series following their five-wicket victory in the opening match in New Delhi.
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
I Care A Lot
Directed by: J Blakeson
Starring: Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
3/5 stars
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Racecard
2pm Handicap Dh 90,000 1,800m
2.30pm Handicap Dh120,000 1,950m
3pm Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m
3.30pm Jebel Ali Classic Conditions Dh300,000 1,400m
4pm Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
4.30pm Conditions Dh250,000 1,400m
5pm Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m
5.30pm Handicap Dh85,000 1,000m
The National selections:
2pm Arch Gold
2.30pm Conclusion
3pm Al Battar
3.30pm Golden Jaguar
4pm Al Motayar
4.30pm Tapi Sioux
5pm Leadership
5.30pm Dahawi
'The Batman'
Stars:Robert Pattinson
Director:Matt Reeves
Rating: 5/5
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Russia v Scotland, Thursday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
More coverage from the Future Forum
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
more from Janine di Giovanni
Avatar%3A%20The%20Way%20of%20Water
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJames%20Cameron%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESam%20Worthington%2C%20Zoe%20Saldana%2C%20Sigourney%20Weaver%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Her most famous song
Aghadan Alqak (Would I Ever Find You Again)?
Would I ever find you again
You, the heaven of my love, my yearning and madness;
You, the kiss to my soul, my cheer and
sadness?
Would your lights ever break the night of my eyes again?
Would I ever find you again?
This world is volume and you're the notion,
This world is night and you're the lifetime,
This world is eyes and you're the vision,
This world is sky and you're the moon time,
Have mercy on the heart that belongs to you.
Lyrics: Al Hadi Adam; Composer: Mohammed Abdel Wahab
