The Hindu : Indians lack motivation, Sri Lanka `A' has it easy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 31, 2003

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Indians lack motivation, Sri Lanka `A' has it easy

By S. Sabanayakan

The Sri Lanka `A' team, which won the Asian `A' triangular cricket tournament. — Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

KOLKATA DEC. 30. However good a team may be, if it lacks motivation, winning at any level will be difficult. This is what happened to India `A' in the final of the Asian `A' teams triangular cricket tournament at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday. Sri Lanka `A' lifted the Kenstar Cup defeating India `A' by seven wickets with 16.2 overs to spare.

The 60,000 odd spectators who witnessed the match have reasons to feel cheated by the way the Indians performed. Looking back the announcement of the senior Indian side for tri-series in Australia could have been delayed by two days so that those who were named for the series and those who failed to make the cut would have performed with greater motivation.

Electing to bat, openers Gautam Gambhir, Sanjay Bangar and Hemang Badani failed to convert sizable scores into big ones. Yuvraj Singh looked in good nick but left playing a bad shot while Dinesh Mongia, saviour against Pakistan `A' played the sweep shot too soon in his innings. Only S. Sriram, coming in place of an indisposed Rohan Gavaskar, had the motivation to perform and his 65 (82b, 4x4) helped the team to reach 197.

Surprisingly, the last five wickets fell for only 15 runs off 28 balls. This does not speak highly of a side touted to have so many players who had played for the senior India side.

But for Mohammad Kaif, whose finger injury laid him low, the other three — Bangar, Badani and Yuvraj — did not justify their selection to the senior Indian side in the first available opportunity.

There were just two moderate partnerships. One for the first wicket for 44 runs and the next was for the third wicket for 46 runs.

Sri Lanka `A', making three chances bringing in Chamara Silva, Tharanga Lakshitha and Anushka Polonowita in place of S. Jayantha, S. Kulasekera and Tilina Kandamby, showed a lot of enthusiasm be it in bowling or fielding. The team backed the bowlers to the hilt and gave nothing away as teenager Farveez Maharoof picked up four Indian wickets for 30 in 9.4 overs to be adjudged the Man of the Match.

A victory target of 198 in 50 overs with an asking rate of 3.96 was never going to be a problem for this Lankan side as it began the run chase aggressively. The openers added 35 before Jehan Mubarak (61, 65b, 3x4, 2x6) and Prasanna Jayawardane (54, 65b,5x4) put on 104 for the second wicket. Later `Man of the Series' Russel Arnold (35 n.o.) and Naveed Nawaz (18 n.o.) completed the last rites in 33.4 overs.

Poor fielding, three dropped catches and overall lethargy in defending such a modest target made the task for Sri Lanka easier.

India `A' skipper Badani did not think there was any motivational problem. "Five of our main batsmen got good starts but failed to convert them into big scores. This is the main reason for the poor show,'' he said. "It is disgraceful to lose with five to six players having played at the highest level of the game.'' He added: "it is very difficult to defend a target of 198. Poor fielding and dropped catches also added to our problems though this Indian side is the best in the tournament.''

His Sri Lankan counterpart Arnold expressed happiness over the way the team played and said his side did a splendid job.

The scores:

India `A': Gautam Gambhir b Zoysa 24; Sanjay Bangar c Mubarak b Maharoof 26; S. Sriram (run out) 65; Hemang Badani c Jayawardane b Herath 23; Yuvraj Singh c Silva b Mubarak 18; Dinesh Mongia c Mubarak b Herath 5; Ajay Ratra b Maharoof 15; Sairaj Bahutule (run out) 1; Sarandeep Singh lbw b Maharoof 0; Amit Bhandari lbw b Maharoof 5; Munaf Patel (not out) 1. Extras (lb-3, nb-9, w-2): 14. Total (in 44.2 overs): 197.

Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-66, 3-112, 4-140, 5-153, 6-182, 7-184, 8-184, 9-196.

Sri Lanka `A' bowling: Zoysa 8-1-30-1 (nb-2), Lakshitha 8-0-43-0 (nb-2, w-1), Maharoof 9.4-0-30-4 (nb-3), Mubarak 9-0-45-1, Herath 10-0-46-2 (nb-2, w-1).

Sri Lanka `A': Shantha Kalavitigoda lbw b Bhandari 18; Jehan Mubarak c Patel b Sarandeep 61; Prasanna Jayawardane lbw b Bahutule 54; Russel Arnold (not out) 35; Naveed Nawaz (not out) 18. Extras (lb-9, w-3): 12. Total (for three in 33.4 overs): 198.

Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-139, 3-148.

India `A' bowling: Bhandari 6-0-23-1 (w-1), Patel 4-0-20-0 (w-2), Sarandeep 9.4-0-60-1, Bangar 3-0-19-0, Mongia 3-0-16-0, Bahutule 8-0-51-1.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport

News Update

Stories in this Section

Cricket

Aussies romp home to set up a grand finale

Australia played a hard game

Procter's clean chit to MCG groundstaff

Indians lack motivation, Sri Lanka `A' has it easy

Tennis

Paes to miss Tata Open

Basketball

TN has it easy over Uttaranchal

Chess

Khumukcham clinches title