Ganguly down with fever
29 June 2001
India had a slight scare ahead of their triangular one-day series
match against West Indies tomorrow with captain Saurav Ganguly running
mild temperature today.
Ganguly, who ended his run-drought with a 85-run knock in the previous
game against Zimbabwe, did not come out for practice today but team
manager Chetan Chauhan was confident that the captain would be fit for
tomorrow's game. "He should be alright tomorrow," Chauhan said.
However, VVS Laxman, who sat out in the previous game with a finger
injury in the first match against Zimbabwe, has been ruled out for
tomorrow's game as well. "He is not 100 per cent fit. He can still
feel the pain in his finger and we would give him rest," Chauhan said.
"He should be fit for the remaining two games of the competition, on
July 4 and the final on July 7," he said.
Chauhan confirmed that pacemen Ashish Nehra and Ajit Agarkar would
skip tomorrow's match.
"All the others who have not played so far will get a game tomorrow.
Debasish Mohanty, Reetinder Singh Sodhi and Harvinder Singh are all in
the starting line-up," he said.
West Indies captain Carl Hooper said his side was looking forward to
take on India who appear a very strong team at the moment.
"Obviously, the way the competition has gone, Zimbabwe is down at the
moment and we want to do well against India," Hooper said.
"We expect India to be a strong opposition, certainly better than
Zimbabwe - without meaning disrespect to the latter - and we will
fight all the way," he said.
Hooper said it has been apparent in the tournament that the team
winning the toss puts the opposition in to bat.
"It is because it is winter here. There is heavy dew in the night and
the wicket has early moisture. The ball certainly does a bit in the
first hour and that's why the opposition choose to insert the other
side in to bat," the skipper said.
But West Indies won their first match against Zimbabwe by a convincing
27-run margin after being put into bat.
"We have gained confidence from that win and I feel these are good
tracks to bat provided you can see off the first 8-10 overs," he said.
Hooper said he would not mind playing two spinners against the
Indians, even though the latter have the reputation of having
outstanding players against spin bowling. "Spin or seam, we got to
bowl well on these tracks. We have got two spinners to be thrown at
the opposition should the need arise," Hooper, who himself is an
effective off-spinner, said.
Hooper said even though two of his fast bowlers, Reon King and Mervyn
Dillon, did not bowl well in the opening match, he did not want to be
harsh on them. "I do not want to be harsh on them. They are still
finding their feet. Reon has come after a long gap into the side while
Dillon has had problems with his line and length in one-day
internationals," he said.
© PTI