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Ramesh makes strong case for selection

Brisbane Dec. 1. Sadagopan Ramesh made a strong case for his selection in the Test team even as the visiting Indians came off second best for the third successive day against a second grade opposition in Queensland Academy of Sports here on Monday.

The Indians never went for the target of 305 runs from 65 overs but still lost a clutter of wickets before Ramesh steadied the ship and took the tourists to a draw with an unbeaten knock of 37 runs.

The host, resuming at its overnight score of 79 for two, declared at the lunch score of 208 for six which included the second century of the match for Lee Carseldine. The Indians, who trailed by 96 runs in the first innings, were thus set a 300-plus target in glorious sunny conditions and finished on 121 for four from 52 overs.

Three contenders for the opening berth - Virender Sehwag (4), Akash Chopra (11) and Deep Dasgupta (8) gave little consolation to the tourists but Ramesh offers a ray of hope for at least one of the two berths.

Ramesh, with scores of 87, 36, 21 and 37 not out from four innings on the tour has looked the most consistent of all Indian batsmen and certainly saved them some blues. The Indians lost Sehwag in only the third over of their second innings, when the out-of-form opener fell leg before after scoring four runs from 13 deliveries. Sehwag now has scores of 23, 20, 6 and 4 on the tour.

Chopra's propensity to edge catches to the slips was once again highlighted on Monday by the home attack as the Delhi opener departed for 11 caught off hard-working Steve Magoffin as the Indians slumped to 32 for two.

Deep Dasgupta left at the same total after looking solid in his 47-minute stay before a straight delivery went past his defence and bent back his off-stump. Ramesh and Sourav Ganguly then built up a solid stand of 56 runs before the Indian captain was ruled caught in the lone slip off off-spinner Chris Simpson, a decision which did not go well at all with the batsman who went off shaking his head in disapproval.

Ganguly batted for 82 minutes and faced 62 balls, hitting six fours to register his highest score on the tour so far.

Earlier, Carseldine again dominated the tourist's attack to score a blazing 109 not out, to go with his 112 in the first innings. He batted for 199 minutes and hit 18 fours from 155 balls. Carsledine, overnight 31 not out, took only half an hour to reach his half-century that came off 93 balls and included 10 sizzling boundaries.

Left-arm paceman Irfan Pathan mouthed a few words at the departing batsman Craig Philipson after having him caught at the square leg boundary after the batsmen had driven the bowler over mid-off for a staggering six. Philipson too shot back a few words at the rookie Indian fast bowler.

Kumble had his second scalp of the morning when Steve Farrell was stumped for two having learnt nothing from a reprieve in similar fashion a couple of deliveries earlier. Ryan Le Loux faced just four balls for his unbeaten 12 which included a straight driven four off Laxmipathy Balaji and a mighty six over the press box off Virender Sehwag.

Vice-captain Rahul Dravid stood-in for Sourav Ganguly on the field who chose to have an extended batting nets for himself while the game was on. Even when Ganguly came back to field in the second hour, Dravid continued to lead the side.

The scores: Queensland Academy of Sport — 1st innings: 304 for six declared.

India — 1st innings: 208 for nine declared.

Queensland Academy of Sport — 2nd innings: D. Payne lbw b Sehwag 35, C. Simpson lbw b Pathan 5, L. Carseldine (not out) 109, A. Nye lbw b Kumble 16, C. Philipson c Ramesh b Pathan 11, S. Farrell st Patel b Kumble 2, C. Hartley c Sehwag b Balaji 8, R. Le Loux (not out) 12; Extras (b-4, lb-1, nb-5) 10; Total (for six wickets, declared) 208.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-73, 3-121, 4-142, 5-156, 6-194.

India bowling: Agarkar 10-0-30-0, Pathan 13-0-54-2, Balaji 9-1-47-1, Kumble 17-6-58-2, Sehwag 3-0-14-1.

India — 2nd innings: A. Chopra c Farrell b Magoffin 11, V. Sehwag lbw b Dawes 4, D. Dasgupta b Jurgensen 8, S. Ramesh (not out) 37, S. Ganguly c Nye b Simpson 35, R. Dravid (not out) 20; Extras (lb-6) 6; Total (for four wickets) 121.

Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-28, 3-32, 4-88.

Queensland Academy of Sport bowling: Dawes 7-5-10-1, Brant 7-2-11-0, Magoffin 9-2-21-1, Jurgensen 5-2-13-1, Simpson 14-4-22-1, Philipson, 3-2-6-0, Le Loux 7-0-32-0.

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