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Gambhir helps Indians save face

S. Ram Mahesh

Gambhir guided the feisty Ramesh Powar through a tense hour
Vandort made a fine 117 (186 balls, 18 fours)

Leicester: Gautam Gambhir held an improved Sri Lanka ‘A’ bowling unit off and helped the Indians save face on the final day of the practice match here at Grace Road.

Set 294 in 57 overs for victory, the Indians lost their fifth wicket — V.V.S. Laxman playing back to Rangana Herath’s faster ball — with 24 overs left, and their sixth — captain Rahul Dravid playing across to the Dammika Prasad — with 15 overs to go.

But, Gambhir guided the feisty Ramesh Powar through a tense hour, as the Indians finished on 187 for six in 55 overs when the umpires called off play.

More assured

Gambhir’s unbeaten 53 was more assured than his scratchy 67 in the first innings; his temperament was exemplary as was his concentration.

Wicketkeeper Kaushal Silva failed to stump him off Herath’s left-arm spin, but Gambhir was largely in control.

Crucially, the left-hander didn’t creep into a shell — even if it meant the odd play-and-miss. Wasim Jaffer earlier made a cultured 55, and put on 57 with Yuvraj Singh for the second wicket. .

A clip and cover drive of Yuvraj’s were gold. Yuvraj fell leg-before, as did Dhoni, pulling the wrong length. In Dhoni’s defence, the ball kept a shade low. The strip’s inconsistent bounce grew apparent when Prasad, who seemed to have added pace since Saturday, got a few through to the keeper head-high — a departure from the morning when the pitch, albeit slow, was even.

With Jaffer’s departure — caught and bowled off the inside edge trying to drive inside-out over cover — the drowsy afternoon changed mood.

Fine effort

Earlier, opener Michael Vandort made a fine 117 (186 balls, 18 fours). Sunday’s first session, however, illustrated how contriving to inject excitement in a match often compromises it.

Gambhir said on Saturday that both sides had decided to play 60 overs in the second innings to make the match interesting.

The trouble with the decision — apart from Sri Lanka ‘A’ over-cooking it, batting 64 overs — was it shifted focus from the immediate to the chase. The second innings of Sri Lanka ‘A’ had to be endured — indeed, the Indians looked to be going through the motions before lunch.

Make no mistake, the Indians started the day looking for wickets, and got two in the first 20 minutes. They were helped by Dilruwan Perera running himself out, anxious for a 50. Perera pushed to mid-on’s left and took off; Vandort didn’t respond and Dinesh Karthik had little trouble with Gambhir’s throw.

Ranadeb Bose then dismissed Malinda Warnapura. Ishant Sharma was cutting the ball back into the right-hander, and the Indians were looking good for an early finish.

But, Sharma was denied a leg-before decision against Thilan Samaraweera, the Sri Lanka ‘A’ captain. The bowling effort began to flag.

Nothing for bowlers

There was nothing in the strip for the bowlers — Samaraweera, in these conditions, was a nightmare to bowl to. Vandort’s was a punishing century.

The redoubtable Anil Kumble was toyed with. Vandort chipped past the bowler for four, causing Kumble to bring his mid-on straighter. The next ball was sent where the fielder had been moved from. Kumble’s lacklustre match — wicketless in 20 overs — was complete.

Vandort reserved Yuvraj for special treatment — the left-arm slows were the onset of the dross, as Vandort powdered long-hops through cover.

Ramesh Powar eventually dismissed Vandort, having him caught well at long-off; the off-spinner followed it up by tricking Samaraweera in flight and accepting the caught-and-bowled.

It was a rare phase of good bowling as Laxman, Gambhir and even Karthik, who gave Dhoni the gloves, turned incompetent arms over.

The scores:

Sri Lanka ‘A’ — 1st innings: 266.

Indians — 1st innings: 238.

Sri Lanka ‘A’ — 2nd innings: M. Vandort c Bose b Powar 117, M. Udawatte c Laxman b Sharma 0, D. Perera run out 49, M. Warnapura c Karthik b Bose 0, T. Samaraweera c & b Powar 24, K. Lokuarachchi c Kumble b Laxman 16, K. Silva (not out) 17, D. Prasad c Karthik b Gambhir 21, Herath (not out) 11; Extras (b-1, lb-4, nb-1, w-4) 10; Total (for seven wickets decl. in 64 overs) 265.

Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Udawatte), 2-115 (Perera), 3-115 (Warnapura), 4-196 (Vandort), 5-205 (Samaraweera), 6-217 (Lokuarachchi), 7-248 (Prasad).

Indians bowling: Bose 13-3-56-1, Sharma 14-3-36-1, Powar 12-4-37-2, Kumble 9-1-48-0, Yuvraj 9-0-36-0, Laxman 3-1-16-1, Gambhir 3-0-22-1, Karthik 1-0-9-0.

Indians — 2nd innings (target 294): D. Karthik b Welegedera 9, W. Jaffer c & b Herath 55, Y. Singh lbw b Perera 33, M.S. Dhoni lbw b Prasad 1, G. Gambhir (not out) 53, V.V.S. Laxman lbw b Herath 3, R. Dravid lbw b Prasad 15, R. Powar (not out) 14, Extras (nb-2, w-2) 4; Total (for six wickets in 55 overs) 187.

Fall of wickets: 1-9 (Karthik), 2-66 (Yuvraj), 3-73 (Dhoni), 4-116 (Jaffer), 5-126 (Laxman), 6-152 (Dravid).

Sri Lanka ‘A’ bowling: Ganegama 7-127-0, Welegedera 10-0-44-1, Perera 12-0-34-2, Herath 13-4-44-2.

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