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Yusuf Pathan powers India ‘A’ to big win

S. Dinakar

Coming in at 66 for five, and injured early on, he smashed 148 to take the host to 305

— Photo: V. Ganesan

BLAZING INNINGS: Yusuf Pathan, whose whirlwind knock was the highlight of the day, dispatches one to the fence on Sunday.

Chennai: Yusuf Pathan passed a test of character at Chepauk on Sunday, as India ‘A’ picked itself up to outplay New Zealand ‘A’ by 81 runs in the fourth game of the one-day tri-series at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. Seemingly down for the count at 66 for five, India ‘A’ set the Kiwis a target of 306 and eventually won with a bonus point as well to move to nine from three games.

New Zealand ‘A’, docked a point after the defeat, has three from three matches. Australia ‘A’ has four points from two contests.

Yusuf made runs in adversity, batting under considerable pain too. He struck powerful blows yet his innings was not all about power. His 148 was not about numbers either.

Struck on the right elbow while attempting a pull off paceman Mark Gillespie when on 61, he batted on.

New Zealand ‘A’ will meet Australia ‘A’ here on Monday in the next game of the league.

Disastrous start

The Kiwis were full of beans when Yusuf joined Rohit Sharma in the middle. Much of the India ‘A’ top and middle-order had been brushed aside due to some indecisive running between the wickets and a couple of loose strokes.

After New Zealand ‘A’ elected to field under a cloud cover, Robin Uthappa, attempting a drive on the off-side, edged paceman Gillespie to the ’keeper. Swapnil Asnodkar, S. Badrinath, and Raina were dismissed attempting risky singles in the circle against a sharp fielding side. Dinesh Karthik was attempting to hit his way to form when he was snared by paceman Brent Arnel. India ‘A’ was in a hole.

After Yusuf’s 123-ball innings (9x4, 9x6) carried the home team to 305 for eight, New Zealand ‘A’ was never really in the hunt. In the game of the unexpected, Suresh Raina’s off-spin fetched his team four scalps.

Rebuilding

Yusuf and a fluent Rohit handled a stressful situation positively on a surface with a fair measure of carry. The innings was rebuilt with the sixth-wicket pair adding 105 runs in 133 balls. Rohit (36 off 55 balls) eventually nicked one from the pacey Gillespie to the ’keeper but Yusuf continued to send the fielders on a leather hunt.

He played himself in with firm drives between cover and mid-wicket and then opened out with huge lofted blows, scorching cuts and savage pulls. The Kiwis bowlers ran out of ideas, their line suffered.

What enables Yusuf to send the ball such long distances? He is tall and strongly built, possesses mighty wrists. Yet, it is his bat-speed that often propels the ball to the roof of the stadium.

The best bowlers in the side, Gillespie and off-spinner Jeeten Patel, were pounded too. Yusuf dismissed medium pacer Grant Elliott for 25 runs in an over, including three fours and two sixes, even if he came perilously close to being caught on one occasion. Gillespie went for 20 in the penultimate over.

Spectacular recovery

Yusuf and brother Irfan (31 off 41 balls) added 59 runs for the seventh wicket in 60 balls and Piyush Chawla remained unbeaten with 16 as the eighth-wicket pair put on 75 in six overs. The last ten overs fetched the host a whopping 113 runs.

Then, pacemen Praveen Kumar and Irfan, a right-left opening pair, bowled their first spells with control and craft. In pursuit of a big score, the Kiwis were unable to race away in the Power Play overs.

Skipper Peter Fulton (42 off 39 balls) stroked the ball confidently before he was sold the dummy by probing leg-spinner Piyush Chawla for Karthik to effect a stumping. James Marshall (51 off 49 balls) was done in by a Raina delivery that kept a trifle low from the pavilion end.

Neil Broom (33 off 38 balls) eassyed a couple of big hits before playing across to Raina.

Badrinath led well and the pressure was maintained. With the asking rate climbing, the Kiwis resorted to desperate methods and the Indian fielders held on to a fair number of skiers.

And Yusuf walked back smiling…pain or no pain.

SCOREBOARD

The scores: India ‘A’: R. Uthappa c Young b Gillespie 0, S. Asnodkar (run out) 0, S. Badrinath run out 22, D. Karthik c Gillespie b Arnel 26, S. Raina run out 8, R. Sharma c Young b Gillespie 36, Y. Pathan c McCullum b Broom 148, I. Pathan c & b Broom 31, P. Chawla (not out) 16, Extras (lb-4, nb-7, w-7) 18; Total (for eight wkts. in 50 overs) 305.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-7, 3-53, 4-63, 5-66, 6-171, 7-230, 8-305.

New Zealand ‘A’ bowling: Gillespie 10-1-64-2, Arnel 10-2-41-1, Elliott 8-0-57-0, J. Patel 8-0-52-0, McCullum 5-0-28-0, Broom 9-0-59-2.

New Zealand ‘A’: A. Redmond c Badrinath b Praveen 23, B. Watling c sub b Kulkarni 23, P. Fulton st Karthik b Chawla 42, J. Marshall lbw b Raina 51, N. Broom lbw b Raina 33, G. Elliott c Kulkarni b Pathan 8, N. McCullum c Chawla b Praveen 9, R. Young c Uthappa b Raina 11, M. Gillespie c Kulkarni b Raina 13, J. Patel c Raina b Chawla 6, B. Arnel (not out) 0, Extras (lb-4, w-1) 5; Total (in 45.4 overs) 224.

Fall of wickets: 1-34, 2-76, 3-98, 4-168, 5-183, 6-185, 7-199, 8-213, 9-220.

India ‘A’ bowling: I. Pathan 8-2-29-1, Praveen 8-0-31-2, Kulkarni 9-0-59-1, Chawla 9.4-2-42-2, Y. Pathan 4-0-26-0, Raina 6-0-23-4, Badrinath 1-0-10-0.

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