The Hindu : It's a bowlers' day out at the Brabourne Stadium

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 07, 2003

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Sport - Cricket

It's a bowlers' day out at the Brabourne Stadium

By G. Viswanath

Mumbai Dec. 6. Fourteen wickets tumbled in the first five hours of the third and final `Test' between India `A' and Sri Lanka `A' at the Brabourne Stadium here on Saturday. The home team's top batsman faltered after Mohammad Kaif departed following a stroke of luck that came Sri Lanka's way. Hemang Badani and Rohan Gavaskar chipped shots into safe hands leaving the lower order open to relentless pressure.

In a matter of 19 minutes and 22 balls, Sri Lanka `A' had reduced its rival from 167 for four to 172 all out. In reply, the visitor lost four for 69 before a fine counterattack by captain Naveed Nawaz and Anushka Pollonowita forced the home captain to adopt a defensive field. For the first time in the three-Test series, Sri Lanka `A' finds itself in a position to take the first innings lead.

Left hand spinner Rangana Herath was twice in line for a hat-trick when he picked the wickets of Ambati Rayudu-Amit Mishra and Murali Kartik-Amit Bhandari.

Till the first hour of the afternoon session, the pitch aided the batsmen. Shiv Sundar Das made the most of the full-length deliveries driving them straight down the ground. Gautam Gambhir hit strongly square on the off side after which Kaif and Hemang Badani took control.

Kaif was unlucky a firm shot struck by Badani deflected off bowler Tharanga Lakshitha on his follow onto the stumps. The India `A' innings' decline started after the quick dismissals of Badani and Gavaskar.

India `A' hit back through Murali Kartik who got into his rhythm and struck three blows. Leg spinner Amit Mishra playing his first match in the series turned out to be the weak link. Nawaz clouted him for a straight six in the course of his near two hour tenure in the middle.

The scores: India `A' — 1st innings: S.S. Das b Malinga 39, G. Gambhir c Kandamby b Malinga 18, M. Kaif (run out) 33, H. Badani c Nawaz b Lakshitha 47, R. Gavaskar c Kandamby b Lakshitha 6, A. Rayudu c Mubarak b Herath 8, A. Ratra c Mubarak b Wijesiriwardane 14, A. Mishra b Herath 0, M. Kartik lbw b Herath 0, A. Bhandari c Pollonowita b Herath 0, S. Trivedi not out 0, Extras (nb 7) 7, Total 172.

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-72, 3-138, 4-147, 5-148, 6-167, 7-167, 8-171, 9-171.

Sri Lanka `A' bowling: Lakshitha 15-5-49-2, Malinga 12-2-49-2, Wijesiriwardane 8.3-1-40-1, Herath 12-3-34-4.

Sri Lanka `A' — 1st innings: T. Panaravithana lbw b Kartik 18, I. Daniels c Ratra b Trivedi 10, J. Mubarak c Rayudu b Kartik 12, N. Nawaz (batting) 46, P. Jayawardane lbw b Kartik 6, A. Pollonowita (batting) 38, Extras (lb-3, nb-1) 4, Total (for four wkts) 134.

Fall of wicket: 1-13, 2-32, 3-43, 4-69.

India `A' bowling: Trivedi 9-5-18-1, Bhandari 11-4-26-0, Kartik 13-2-48-3, Mishra 8-0-35-0, Rayudu 1-0-4-0.

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