The Hindu : Andhra attack toothless

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

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Andhra attack toothless

By Our Special Correspondent

VIJAYAWADA Nov. 25. The grunts of speedster K.S. Shabuddin, the staggered run flow from the Kerala batsmen, frequent shifting of the sight-screens and positioning of fieldsmen to suit the left-right combination of Hemanth Kumar and Sunil Oasis rendered the Andhra attack's task an unenviable one on Tuesday.

When play was called off four deliveries short of the required 97 overs, on account of bad light, the visitors had trudged to 210 for three. The wheel had come full circle and Kerala had taken charge again.

Makeshift opener Ananthapadmanabhan had discharged his duties well, stemming the rot of a wicket loss on day two and carrying over the good work into the third. For much of the morning session, he dominated the strike with partner Sujith Somasunder only a pale shadow of his former self.

The latter left the middle first, felled by a direct hit from Venugopala Rao at cover point, while in the making of a cheeky single. Ananthapadmanabhan was rapped on the pads by Shabuddin a short while later. There ended the gains for the host as the fourth wicket pair of Hemanth Kumar and Sunil Oasis awaited the loose ball to go on the offensive, caution being their watchword.

With the grace that seems to be the birthright of southpaws, the strapping Hemanth had seven hits to the fence, among which was the on-drive off Suresh that brought up the former's 50. The more circumspect Oasis chose a cut to scamper off to a single and post his half century.

Frequent shuffling of the bowlers, changing their ends and the new ball obtained in the 86th over had little impact, dooming the home side bowlers to their fate of sweat and toil on the morrow.

Brief scores: Andhra 458 for seven declared v Kerala 210 for three (Hemanth Kumar batting 64, Sunil Oasis batting 51, K.N. Ananthapadmanabhan 47, Sujith Somasunder 40).

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