Indian bowlers make for some pretty pitchers
Samanth Subramanian - 30 May 2002
Kamikaze missions on a good batting pitch are usually the prerogative
of the Indian batting line-up, but Wednesday's one-day international
saw the West Indies trespass into that territory as well. India,
funnily enough, donned the unfamiliar mantle of collapse-instigators,
and despite the suicidal streak running through the Caribbean side,
India's bowlers must be given their share of credit.
Carl Hooper against all bowlers - West Indies innings at Barbados © CricInfo |
Carl Hooper, the West Indies' highest scorer, got a staggering 29 runs
out of 76 in the third-man area, unnaturally high for the one-day
arena, in which a third-man on the fence is a routine placement.
Hooper milked three boundaries and a number of singles in that region
- shots that could be played only with the ball short and outside the
off-stump.
Hooper, however, is a natural innovator, gifted with a quick enough
grasp of length to glide and cut even not-so-short balls to third man.
The remaining batsmen in the West Indian side, unfortunately not as
blessed, struggled to score runs against the Indian bowlers'
persistent line just outside the off-stump, frustrating themselves
into throwing their wicket away.
Dinesh Mongia against all bowlers - India innings at Barbados© CricInfo |
Dinesh Mongia's wagon-wheel hints at a less disciplined West Indian
bowling attack. Mongia scored 20 runs in the mid-wicket area, as well
as 15 runs between deep extra-cover and the sight-screen. Both run-
concentrations are telling. The West Indian bowlers pitched either too
short or too full, both cardinal faults on a good batting wicket.
Mongia, accordingly, had no trouble in pulling the short balls away to
the mid-wicket fence four times; to make things even easier for him,
the host bowlers erred in line as well, pitching on middle rather than
just outside off as the Indians did. When the West Indians tried to
compensate and pitched too full in the process, Mongia simply drove
them down the ground.
At the post-match press conference, Hooper blamed the loss on a sense
of complacency among the West Indian batsmen. While that may
undoubtedly have contributed to the defeat, India's bowlers have every
right to feel that their discipline gave their side a significant
edge.
© CricInfo