India batted on and on and made the final day's play of the warm-up game against Zimbabwe Board XI a meaningless exercise in Mutare on Saturday.
India, resuming at 365 for 2, stretched their innings till 572 for 9 before they applied the closure at tea. It gave the tourists a lead of 278 runs.
In their second innings, Zimbabwe Board were 96 for one.
Initially the exercise was intended to give Sourav Ganguly a chance for a hit in the middle as Rahul Dravid retired at his overnight score of 102 not out.
But it became a bit of a farce after Ganguly made two and pulled out from the middle complaining of strain in his right forearm.
The Indian captain then returned at 477 for 6 and progressed to 45 with ease before his lift in the deep was gratefully accepted.
Ganguly later said that he has been having pain in his right elbow since the triangular series which preceded this game. But he intends to play the two Tests against Zimbabwe over the next two weeks before submitting himself for a scan.
It then again brought Dravid to the crease who added six runs to his total before players were called in for tea and a declaration was enforced.
In between, India suffered somewhat of a batting collapse as VVS Laxman (28), Mohammad Kaif (4) and Yuvraj Singh (1) all were out to indifferent strokes.
Two batsmen who applied and gained something out of the dreary day were Dinesh Kaarthick (40) and Anil Kumble (61).
Both were dismissed by Graeme Cremer as the leg-spinner finished with four scalps.
The hosts made 96 for 1 from 18 overs in their second outing before mercifully the match met its agonizing end.
Scorecard
Zimbabwe Board XI Ist Innings: 294 for 9 decl
India Ist Innings:
V Sehwag b Cremer 123
G Gambhir lbw b Ireland 126
R Dravid not out 108
VVS Laxman b Ireland 28
S Ganguly c Duffin b Dabengwa 46
Md Kaif c Coventry b Mwayenga 4
Yuvraj Singh b W Mwayenga 1
D Kaarthick c Ebrahimm b Cremer 40
A Kumble c and b Cremer 61
Zaheer Khan c and b Cremer 2
L Balaji not out 17
Extras (b-8, lb-4, nb-3, w-1) 16
Total (for nine decl, 134 overs) 572
Fall of wicket: 1-196, 2-325, 3-382, 4-393, 5-399, 6-477, 7-526, 8 -530, 9-564.
Bowling: Keith Mwayenga 30-4-114-2 (nb1), Allan Mwayenga 15.5-0-73-0 (nb2), Anthony Ireland 28-4-112-2 (w1), Keith Dabengwa 30-4-113-1, Graeme Cremer 30-3-148-4
Zimbabwe Board XI 2nd Innings:
B Taylor not out 36
T Duffin lbw b Balaji 0
H Masakadza not out 58
Extras (b-1, nb-1) 2
Total (for 1 wkt, 18 overs) 96
Fall of wicket: 1-2
Bowling: Zaheer Khan 6-2-22-0, Laxmipathy Balaji 5-0-33-1, Anil Kumble 3-1-9-0, Irfan Pathan 3-1-11-0, Gautam Gambir 1-0-15-0.
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