India bat throughout day as Ganguly temper frays
Charlie Austin - 9 August 2001
India made good use of their only chance to gain match practice before
the first Test at Galle next week, when they batted throughout the
second day of this three-day warm up game against a Sri Lankan Board
XI at P Saravanamuttu Stadium today.
Replying to the Board XI's first innings score of 326 they were 281
for five at the close after an opening century partnership by
Sadagoppan Ramesh and Shiv Sunder Das and an unbeaten fifty from a
disgruntled Sourav Ganguly, whose high emotions continue to bubble.
Yesterday, he was upset with media criticism back home and the
suggestion that he had been critical of Rahul Dravid's captaincy
whilst commentating on television during the Coca-Cola Cup. Today, his
frustration centered on this Saravanamuttu pitch, which had already
started to crumble yesterday afternoon.
With a couple of deliveries jumping last night he was understandably
concerned about further injuries to his depleted squad today. He tried
to have the match moved to another venue, but acquiesced in the end
when the curator filled some of the offending patches with mud.
In the morning the wicket played truly and the Indian openers batted
sedately. They saw off a fast new ball spell from Ruchira Perera and
lively spells from both Suresh Perera and Dinusha Fernando. Das was
dropped twice in the thirties, but they generally looked very
comfortable, as they added 135 for the first wicket. It was not
scintillating by any means - Javagal Srinath took the opportunity to
read a novel on a grass bank next to two grazing nags - but its just the
kind of start that India would dearly like in the Test matches.
By the afternoon, however, the curators mud had clearly been baked dry
by the burning sun and the wicket started to misbehave with increasing
and disconcerting frequency. Ramesh was the first to suffer, as a
delivery from Fernando popped from a good length and he was caught at
mid off, having made 63 from 165 balls.
The middle order then started to stutter. Das was bowled whilst trying
to sweep the left arm spin of Sajeewa Weerakoon for 72. Mohammad Kaif
was caught behind off a fine ball from Fernando having made just six
and Dinesh Mongia was brilliantly picked up by Sangakkara diving down
the leg side. India were 172 for four.
Sourav Ganguly steadied the innings, finishing the day on 74, but he
became increasingly annoyed by the behaviour of the pitch and was
rapped nastily on the gloves on two occasions, the second of which
prompted him to throw away his bat in disgust. When Sameer Dighe
joined him at the wicket, after the fall of Hemang Bandani, he too was
on the receiving end of a lifter. Ganguly could be seen gesticulating
to the dressing room in annoyance. Thankfully, they survived injury
free to the close.
With the captain having already scored runs and with Dighe unbeaten on
25, it makes little sense to continue batting tomorrow and risk
further injuries. In fact, there is a chance this game will be
abandoned tomorrow morning - there is simply too much to lose and too
little to gain.
Even the Sri Lankan may not be too keen to play with four possible
Test players in the team, although the selectors have delayed their final meeting tomorrow so that can have another look at the batsmen.They had a good look at the fast bowlers though, one of whom is likely to play in Galle.
The choice will be difficult. Ruchira Perera was the quickest and the
most economical, conceding just 35 runs in his 17 overs, so his
bowling can be relied upon. Unfortunately, his on field behaviour may
be deemed unacceptable. This afternoon, having had three successive
appeals against Ganguly turned down, his disappointment crossed the
line and, should a match referee have been present, he would surely
have been hauled before him.
The other contenders were also impressive at times. Suresh Perera was lively in his two spells, but expensive. Dinusha Fernando was also costly, but nevertheless picked up two wickets and could easily have had more.
© CricInfo
Teams
|
India,
Sri Lanka.
|
Players/Umpires
|
Shonu Das,
Sourav Ganguly,
Rahul Dravid,
Ruchira Perera,
Javagal Srinath,
Suresh Perera,
Mohammad Kaif,
Hemang Badani,
Sajeewa Weerakoon,
Dinesh Mongia,
Sameer Dighe.
|
Tours
|
India in Sri Lanka
|
Scorecard
|
Tour Match: Sri Lanka Board XI v Indians, 8-10 Aug 2001 |
Grounds
|
P.Saravanamuttu Stadium, Colombo
|