The Hindu : Sport : Early overs could decide the contest

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Monday, Aug 27, 2007
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Early overs could decide the contest

S. Dinakar

Khan likely to be back; Chawla, Powar need to strike in middle overs

— Photo: AP

STRIKE FORCE: The possible return of Zaheer Khan, who has recovered from a bout of flu, will add to India’s fire power.

Birmingham: The day games have their own dynamics. Here, the early overs could decide the contest.

The pitch for the third ODI of the seven-match NatWest ODI series, a day game at Edgbaston with a 10.15 start, had a layer of grass when the teams practiced on Sunday.

The weather is bright and sunny here and the forecast for Monday, apart from spells when there could be a partial cloud-cover, is mostly good. Yet, the morning moisture could provide a measure of assistance to the pacemen.

Fielding would be the right option for the skipper winning the toss.

The surface here has behaved differently in different games.

However, the last ODI duel involving England and a sub-continental side at this venue, saw the host dismissing Pakistan for 154 and then winning the game by three wickets.

That match, played in September last year, also suggests that there could be some seam movement all day for the pacemen. But then, the most productive phase for the pacemen should be in the morning even is some clouds gather in the afternoon.

Poor fielding

The Indians drew level at the Gloucester County ground but realise the need to improve fielding. The side had an extensive session — catching, stopping on-the-run and throwing — under fielding coach Robin Singh.

To put it mildly, the Indian fielding has been below par in the series, and there must been times when Robin, still very fit, would have been itching to field himself on the arena. Fielding is much about commitment.

Ideally, left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan, who went through the fielding drills and appears to have recovered from a bout of flu, should replace the off-form paceman, Ajit Agarkar, in the XI. However, the team-management might give Agarkar, still wicket-less in the series, another fling, which means Munaf, who struck vital blows at Bristol, could sit out.

India, which has announced the 12 for the game, leaving out Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa and Rohit Sharma, should stick to the five-bowler theory, including two spinners, on what is a much bigger ground than the one at Bristol.

To strike in the middle overs, a stage where matches are often won or lost, a side needs variety. And Piyush Chawla’s leg-spin and the off-spin of Ramesh Powar, both flight the ball, opens interesting avenues for the team. Spinners, invariably, feed off each other, work in pairs.

Booming batting

The Indian batting boomed at Bristol and skipper Rahul Dravid’s return to form was welcome news, however, the side requires greater penetration and accuracy in the end overs, where reverse swing and yorkers need to be used as weapons. The English line-up has some big hitters down the order, and a fuller length and swing might be the answer for India.

England is keeping its fingers crossed about the fitness of Andrew Flintoff. The charismatic all-rounder, who has an inflammation on his right knee, batted without discomfort at the nets but did not bowl. He needs to pass a fitness test on Monday morning.

Coach Peter Moores said Flintoff was responding well to physiotherapy and “was keen to play.” The coach added, “he looks okay, but myself, the management team and Fred will take a final decision. We will also have to look at the long-term scenario.”

Monty factor

The host blundered by leaving out left-arm spinner Monty Panesar at Bristol and Chris Tremlett could find himself out.

Moores defended the move to omit Panesar in the last game, saying “the boundaries were short and we thought Tremlett would be useful with his extra bounce.” The England coach added “Monty will be in for this game.”

James Anderson has been impressive with the new ball, so has the young Stuart Broad, even if he has been less successful in terms of wickets. But if Lewis is included — he can also deny the batsmen the pace to work the new ball around — then Broad might have to bowl one change. England could have to re-think the management of overs.

The teams:

India (from): Rahul Dravid (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, M.S. Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Ramesh Powar, Piyush Chawla, Zaheer Khan, R. P. Singh Munaf Patel, Ajit Agarkar.

England (from): Paul Collingwood (captain), Alastair Cook, Matthew Prior, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Ravi Bopara, Dimittri Mascarenhas, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Jon Lewis, Monty Panesar, Andrew Flintoff, Owais Shah, Chris Tremlett .

Umpires: Billy Doctrove & Mark Benson. Third umpire: Peter Hartley. Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama.

Match starts at 2.45 p.m. IST.

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