The Hindu : Tendulkar in ominous form; Ramesh stakes a claim

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2003

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Sport - Cricket

Tendulkar in ominous form; Ramesh stakes a claim

Melbourne Nov. 25. Reserve Indian opener Sadagopan Ramesh staked a strong claim for a Test recall, ahead of the four-Test series against Australia, with an immaculate innings against Victoria Bushrangers on the opening day of the three-day tie at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here today.

Both Ramesh and Sachin Tendulkar, who were dismissed in their 80s, put on 128 for the fourth wicket but the Indians still struggled to recover from the early stutter of 45 for three and finished the day at 266 for nine.

Ramesh, drafted into the XI in place of V.V.S. Laxman who was down with flu, concentrated hard for four-and-a-half hours while making 87 from 191 balls with 10 fours, before driving leg-spinner Cameron White straight into the covers.

Tendulkar, in contrast, needed only two hours for his 80 studded with 14 fours, most of them ferocious hooks and fiercely struck square-cuts as he got himself ready for the short-pitched stuff the Australians are planning for him this summer.

Tendulkar arrived after the Indians had lost three wickets, those of openers Akash Chopra (2) and Virender Sehwag (23), and Rahul Dravid, who failed to open his account. India went to lunch at 56 for three.

The innings was completely transformed in the third hour which yielded 85 runs as Tendulkar tore into the home bowling with a half-century from just 65 deliveries.

Two of the flops for the Indians, who elected to bat, concerned the captain and vice-captain of the side. Sourav Ganguly (2) and Rahul Dravid both fell to left-arm paceman Matthew Innes.

Ganguly, returning to the side after a groin injury which put him out of action for 10 days, lasted a mere five balls before flicking to the midwicket fielder. Dravid, uncomfortable with a couple of deliveries which rose from a length, perished when he cut low but straight to the point fielder, failing to open his account even after facing 21 balls.

Sehwag looked too casual as he lofted a catch straight to the mid-off fielder though his partner Chopra was done in by a good delivery which lifted suddenly and took the handle of his bat en route to the wicketkeeper, giving debutant Brett Hopp his maiden wicket in his second over.

Tendulkar batted in characteristic fashion — rarely seen in recent times — exhibiting his wide repertoire of strokes and even came down the track to drive and flick leg-spinner Cameron White to distraction.

At the other end, Ramesh put his head down and showed the qualities the team is looking for. The 28-year-old Tamil Nadu opener, who averages 37.97 in 19 Tests, last played against Sri Lanka at Colombo in 2001.

The lefthander was rarely troubled and displayed good judgment on deliveries pitched outside the off-stump. He found the gaps despite a packed off-side field and reached his half-century with a thumping square drive off Ian Harvey. This upset Harvey no end as he had earlier got into an argument with umpire John Ward for calling one of his beamers a no-ball.

India also had its grave concerns about the tail reconfirmed as Harbhajan Singh, Laxmipathy Balaji and Zaheer Khan were involved in soft dismissals, all helping to improve the figures of White who finished with four for 59.

While Harbhajan and Zaheer hit catches to the deep, Balaji tamely went forward and lobbed a catch straight back to the bowler as India lost four wickets for 29 runs.

But wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel did his cause no harm by battling gamely for an unbeaten half-century which came from 107 balls with five fours after a stay of more than two hours.

The Victorians stuck to their task with both Innes and White returning with four scalps each. Jonathan Moss played a good support cast, giving away only 31 runs from 18 overs, 10 of which were maidens.

Proving a point

It is a battle Sachin Tendulkar is not winning but he is not letting his critics win it either.

The authoritative innings from the little genius was a timely reminder to his critics who have doubted his ability to bat for long periods.

``It could be their opinion, but it doesn't have to be a fact,'' said Tendulkar, who is normally reticent when it comes to reacting to criticism. No sooner had the Indians landed in Australia, past cricketers in Australia and India, including former Indian captain Bishan Singh Bedi, have had a go at the pocket-sized dynamo.

Bedi made a savage attack on the eve of the tour opener by questioning Tendulkar's ability to bat for long periods and accused him of getting tired in the 50s and 60s.

``He gets tired after 50 or 60,'' Bedi was quoted as saying in the local Herald Sun. ``He will score his centuries but he does not have the endurance of our friend Matthew Hayden. The beautiful glow that was on Sachin's face when he was coming through is missing,'' remarked Bedi.

Tendulkar, with 67 international hundreds and over 20,000 runs in a 14-year distinguished career, made a fitting response by scoring 80 which was as good an innings as you would see anywhere.

He showed little fatigue or caution before he edged a drive to gully. His innings also made light of criticism by former Australian cricketers, Dean Jones and Damien Fleming, who doubted Tendulkar's ability to handle short-pitched deliveries.

``I tell you what, they (Australians) are going to be bouncing the hell out of him. They believe he has a weakness in the top half of his body,'' remarked Jones, a former Victorian great. ``They believe he is so good at anything around his belly and where the ball comes, heightwise, around the knees and front foot.

``They will want to keep them upstairs around his face. He will be getting what we call chin music,'' commented Jones.

Fleming, another local, agreed with Jones. ``During the times I had success against him, a couple were with the shorter ball when he props forward and looks to drive, and he has quite a heavy bat,'' Fleming said.

Tendulkar unleashed a series of spectacular hooks and cuts as the Victorian bowlers dug in short and came down the wicket against leg-spinner Cameron White, something he has not done for a long time.

The scores:

India — 1st innings: A. Chopra c Roach b Harrop 2; V. Sehwag c Hodge b Innes 23; S. Ramesh c Harrop b White 87; R. Dravid c Moss b Innes 0; S. Tendulkar c Hussey b Innes 80; S. Ganguly c Arnberger b Innes 2; Parthiv Patel (batting) 52; Harbhajan Singh c Harvey b White 3; L. Balaji c & b White 4; Zaheer Khan c McDonald b White 2; Ashish Nehra (batting) 0; Extras (lb-7, nb-4) 11; Total (for nine wkts.) 266.

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-41, 3-45, 4-173, 5-175, 6-220, 7-233, 8-241, 9-249.

Victoria bowling: Innes 20-5-64-4, Harrop 16-2-55-1, Moss 18-10-31-0, Harvey 9-2-22-0, McDonald 9-4-28-0, White 18-1-59-4. — PTI

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