The Hindu : India should avoid complacency

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Feb 22, 2004

Sport

Sport - Cricket

India should avoid complacency

By Sanjay Rajan

DHAKA, FEB. 21. The second week in the under-19 cricket World Cup here promises to be exciting. The league phase, which ended on Friday, was not bereft of action.

Could one ask for a bigger surprise than the exit of the defending champion, Australia or, for sheer drama, the struggle that South Africa, runner-up in the last edition, faced to stay in contention?

But the fact remains, especially at the junior level, that when it is an event in the sub-continent, the three Asian powers — India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka — are the favourites. We saw this in the 2000 edition, in Sri Lanka, where all three qualified for the semifinals. India won the title then, beating Sri Lanka.

The experience factor gives India the edge over the rest. Almost all the boys are first-class cricketers. Moreover, the BCCI's junior cricket structure is so very competitive that the boys mature quicker.

The one important aspect that India needs to be cautious about in the Super League phase — it takes on South Africa in Group I in a day-night clash at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Sunday — is complacency. This because Ambati Rayudu's boys were not really challenged in the league phase, where they mowed down Scotland, rolled over Bangladesh and defeated New Zealand, with a bit of a struggle though.

India not only finds itself in the tougher of the two four-team groups (top two teams from each qualify for the semifinals), but locks horns with the West Indies (Feb. 24) and Sri Lanka (Feb. 26), in the other two matches, also under lights. None of the boys have the experience of playing under lights.

But Robin Singh, India's coach, ruled out both fears, saying, "We are taking every game seriously. The boys are coming together nicely. Bowling is the clinching factor. As far as batting goes, the top and the lower order are doing well. The middle order needs to fire."

Regarding playing under lights, the former India all-rounder, said, "Matches are due to start at 1.30 p.m. So, only a portion of the game will be in the night. Moreover, the dew factor is not much here."

Russell Domingo, the coach of South Africa, described the team's loss to Nepal in the league phase as a wake-up call. "The boys won the crucial contest against England and feel very confident going into the Super-League."

A coach of the Plascon Cricket Academy back home, Domingo, believes that the fact that his boys have experience of playing under lights is a huge plus. "We are aware that India is the favourite. But we are determined to win."

Super League II comprises Zimbabwe, England, New Zealand and Pakistan. The Plate Group is divided into Australia, Nepal, Scotland and Papua New Guinea in Group I and Canada, Uganda, Bangladesh and Ireland in Group II.

Australia is quite certain of winning this. Looking back at what was not exactly a happy week, Brian Freedman, manager of the Australian team, said, "We had a bad game against Zimbabwe. And though we beat Sri Lanka, our run-rate wasn't enough. We had trouble adjusting to the conditions. Even the senior teams find it difficult in these conditions. I'm sure that one of the sub-continent teams will triumph."

The teams (from):

India: A.T. Rayudu (capt.), Robin Uthappa, Gaurav Dhiman, Praful Waghela, Rakesh Solanki, Shikhar Dhawan, Abhishek Sharma, Suresh Raina, Praveen Gupta, Rudra Pratap Singh, Dinesh Kaarthick, Vikram Rajvir Singh, Sunny Singh and Nikhil Rathod. Coach: Robin Singh.

South Africa: Divan Van Wyk (capt.), Vernon Philander, Keagan Africa, Craig Alexander, Andrew Birch, Jaco Booysen, Clint Bowyer, Lawando Manase, Vincenzo Pennazza, Waylain September, Mpumeleno Silwana, Godfrey Stevens, Roelof van der Merwe and Vughn van Jaarsveld. Coach: Russell Domingo.

Umpires: Billy Doctrove (WI) & Jermey Lloyds (Eng). Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka).

Hours of play (IST): 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. & 5.15 p.m. till close.

Other matches (day games): Super League-I: Sri Lanka v West Indies (Fatuallah Stadium). Plate Group-I: Australia v Scotland (M.A. Aziz Stadium); Nepal v Papua New Guinea (Chittagong Stadium).

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