The Hindu : Sport : Grand stage awaits series opener

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Thursday, Jul 19, 2007
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Grand stage awaits series opener

S. Ram Mahesh

Back spasm likely to keep Hoggard out

India sweats on Wasim Jaffer’s form
Batting first may not offer an advantage

— Photo: AP

READY FOR BATTLE: Michael Vaughan and Rahul Dravid hold the nPower Trophy at Lord’s on the eve of the first Test.

London: “Lord’s — and cricket again!” enthused Sir Len Hutton many years ago. “The very thought is magical. It brings us with one cheerful and enormous leap into a world for which we have been waiting all summer.”

Much has changed since Hutton’s time and the words “and cricket again!” are uttered with far less warmth these days. Not least by Kevin Pietersen.

Yet, as India prepares to play England in the first Test at Lord’s from Thursday, one can’t help but feel thrilled.

It’s the thrill of childhood, of a time when we went to sleep, restless for the next day. Readers of Harry Potter, waiting for July 21, will know the feeling.

This is Test cricket’s grandest stage. The weak sun, diffused through the red-brick Pavilion, offers the light divine. Inside, the cricketers will walk through the Long Room.

It is said that in here one still hears the footsteps of the past masters; only the truly gifted, however, see ghosts dropping in on their successors.

Opening battles

The prosaic will have to make do with the cricket. Finally, the contest moves from strategy to execution.

Despite the space Test cricket allows for fighting back from the dead, opening battles are of great importance.

India, traditionally, has struggled with its opening batting in England. Not once in the last three tours —1990, 1996, and 2002 have India’s openers put on a hundred; only twice have stands of 50 been raised.

Wasim Jaffer’s lack of success in the tour games (12, 4, 1, and 22 not out) raises concern. More worrying than the numbers themselves are his modes of dismissal: once caught behind and twice leg-before, Jaffer, according to observers, has been a touch late on the ball.

At the nets in Lord’s, Jaffer seemed to have similar trouble in the early part of his session. Thrice he nicked Sreesanth. He batted on leg and middle and didn’t shuffle. So it wasn’t a case of his being in motion the same time as the ball.

But, in the absence of a trigger movement, Jaffer seemed to lift his toes during the bowler’s delivery stride. The shift in balance to his heels had him pushing his hands to compensate. To Jaffer’s credit, the shift reduced as the session lengthened. He finished in better batting rhythm.

Dinesh Karthik, Jaffer’s partner in the tour games, has been among the runs thus far. But, having opened in just three Tests, he hasn’t the comfort of permanence an opener needs. India’s other opening option, Gautam Gambhir, doesn’t inspire confidence against swing.

Fast bowling

Much will depend on how England’s fast bowlers begin. They were rusty against the West Indies. Hit by the withdrawals of Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff, England’s attack suffered a further blow on Wednesday when Matthew Hoggard pulled up with a back spasm.

Hoggard, according to the ECB, is an “extremely doubtful” starter.

Bounce will be the most important component of England’s plans — a pity that Michael Vaughan can’t access Flintoff’s persistent lift. Both Stuart Broad, 6 ft 5 in and expected to make his debut, and Chris Tremlett, 6 ft 7 in, offer bounce, but lack Flintoff’s control. James Anderson’s fastish swing has been put on stand by.

India’s fast bowling looks under-cooked, but Sourav Ganguly disagreed.

“This will be the best bowling team in England,” declared Ganguly. “Sreesanth is my dark horse in these conditions. It’s just the way he bowls. He has pace, he can swing it and bowl in the right areas. He runs in all the time and is combative. Zaheer is probably bowling his best after a great season for Worcester last year.”

Potent force

India’s opening bowlers might find a soft touch in Andrew Strauss, who averages just over 26 in his last ten Tests, but the rest of the line-up is formidable.

In Alastair Cook and Paul Collingwood they face batsmen who know how to make runs in these conditions, an often under-appreciated skill.

Vaughan’s move to three has allowed Ian Bell to bat at six, his best position. Kevin Pietersen is England’s enforcer.

As Ian Chappell wrote, it’s no more of a case of if when he detonates but how often. Matt Prior at seven rounds off a potent batting force.

Neutrality

Of the last 15 Tests here, five have been won by the side batting first and six by the side bowling first, suggesting a certain neutrality.

The Lord’s slope, the track (dank against the West Indies; expected to play better this Test), the rain: all will play a part.

And Sreesanth thinks the ball will reverse as early as the tenth over. Ah, Lord’s and cricket again.

The teams (from):

India: Rahul Dravid (capt.), Wasim Jaffer, Dinesh Karthik, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, M.S. Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, S. Sreesanth, R.P. Singh, Ranadeb Bose, Ishant Sharma and R amesh Powar.

England: Michael Vaughan (capt.), Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Matt Prior (wk), Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar, Matthew Hoggard, James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Tremlett.

Umpires: Simon Taufel and Steve Bucknor. Third umpire: Gunner Gould. Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle

Hours of play (IST): 3.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m., 6.10 p.m. to 8.10 p.m., and 8.30 p.m. till close.

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