Campbell carves out gritty century

By S. Dinakar

INDORE, NOV. 8. In life, certain situations require certain sacrifices to be made and when the hour of reckoning arrived, Alistair Campbell was not found wanting.

The left-hander, in a manner most unselfish, relinquished the Zimbabwean captaincy just over a year back, accepting moral responsibility for his batting failures, putting the team over self in the process.

Campbell, unwilling to hang on his place as the skipper, went back to the basics, worked on certain aspects of his game and is now in the form of his life. The wheel's completed one full circle for this likeable cricketer from the African nation even as his cricketing journey continues.

And during Campbell's hundred against the National Cricket Academy outfit at the Nehru Stadium here on Wednesday after Guy Whittall called right, one saw yet another example of the southpaw's total commitment.

The Zimbabwean was struck on the helmet by a short ball by paceman Mritunjay Tripathi when in the 80s and, despite the protective gear, the impact was such that he was soon bleeding in his forehead.

Campbell refused to leave the field and after receiving treatment - a bandage now adorned his forehead - went on complete the century. It was only a tour game and a senior player like him could have so easily taken the safer option.

In fact, he carried on even after reaching the three- figure mark (114 not out, 193b, 12x4, 3x6), and it was only after Zimbabwe enforced the declaration at 322 for six that Campbell was rushed to a nearby hospital where the injured area was stitched.

And there was a warm response for Campbell's hundred from the moderate crowd when he swept part-time off-spinner Mohammed Kaif to the fine-leg and then ambled across for a single. He soon celebrated the occasion by lofting the same bowler for a straight six.

The NCA, that had nine awkward overs to face before close, lost Nikhil Doru - whose ambitious ways against left-arm paceman Bryan Strang only resulted in his stumps being spreadeagled - and finished at 28 for one with opener Sridharan Sriram and nightwatchman Sarandeep Singh holding fort.

Earlier in the day, after openers Gavin Rennie and Douglas Marrilier had failed to cash in on the opportunity provided on a placid track and a fast outfield, Stuart Carlisle produced some audacious strokes, with a square drive off Reetinder Singh Sodhi being the pick as Zimbabwe went to lunch at 121 for two.

Indeed, Carlisle (61, 83b, 10x4, 1x6) was the dominant partner in the 70-run stand for the third wicket with Campbell and looked good for more when he slashed at Rakesh Patel soon after lunch only to see wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra, gleefully pouching the resultant edge.

Patel was impressive in the post lunch spell, trapping Zimbabwe mainstay Andy Flower leg before for nought and could have consumed new man Trevor Madondo too had Gautam Gambhir at second slip reacted faster.

Numbers alone do not matter when the young cricketers of the country are pitted against a touring team and a player's attitude, a willingness to put in that extra effort when the heat is on also counts. And in that spell, Patel, who moved the ball away from the right hander at a brisk pace could not be faulted.

Left-arm spinner Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan's post lunch spell too was noteworthy as the youngster, bowling to a nice rhythm, varied his flight intelligently to put the seeds of doubts in the batsmen's minds.

Vidyut, who ironically does not find a regular place in the Tamil Nadu eleven, sold the dummy to the aggressive Trevor Madondo and Ratra whipped off the bails in a flash.

Campbell, deceived by the one that straightened, would have soon been Vidyut's prized victim had not Sriram put down a sitter in the slips. The batsman was just 44 then. It was a day when the NCA fielding did not live up to the expectations.

Skipper Guy Whittall, who executed a wonderful cover drive off Tripathi before pulling the same bowler down fine leg's throat, and Paul Strang played their parts as Campbell reached the landmark.

There were several scintillating strokes in Campbell's knock, but none better than the square-cut off Vidyut that streaked to the point fence, and the on-drive off offie Sarandeep Singh that left the fielders standing. And when Sriram came in to bowl, he greeted the left-arm spinner with two huge sixes over the mid- wicket area.

The NCA bowling, apart from Patel and Vidyut, failed to grab attention. Sodhi strove hard like always, but could definitely do with an extra yard of pace and Sarandeep, underbowled, struggled to get into his groove. To make matters worse, Tripathi pulled a muscle and limped off the field soon after hurting Campbell.

Probably the fact that the five National selectors were watching the match was working on the minds of the NCA boys.

The scores:

Zimbabwe - 1st innings: Douglas Marrilier c S. Sriram b Sodhi 30, Gavin Rennie c Ajay Ratra b Patel 15, Stuart Carlisle c Ajay Ratra b Patel 61, Alistair Campbell (not out) 114, Andy Flower lbw b Patel 0, Trevor Madondo st. Ajay Ratra b Vidyut 28, Guy Whittall c Niraj Patel b Tripathi 30; Paul Strang (not out) 23, Extras (nb-12, lb-7, b-2) 21, Total (for six wkts. decl.) 322.

Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-58, 3-128, 4- 132, 5-169, 6-258.

National Cricket Academy bowling: Rakesh Patel 17-1-70-3, Mritunjay Tripathi 13.4-1-71-1, Reetinder Singh Sodhi 15.2-1-50- 1, Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan 17-3-50-1, Sarandeep Singh 11-3-39-0, Mohammed Kaif 2-1-14-0, Sridharan Sriram 3-0-19- 0.

National Cricket Academy - 1st innings: Sridharan Sriram (batting) 8, Nikhil Doru b Bryan Strang 14, Sarandeep Singh (batting) 5, Extras (lb-1) 1, Total (for one wkt.) 28.

Fall of wicket: 1-16.

Zimbabwe bowling: Travis Friend 5-2-14- 0; Bryan Strang 4-0-13-1.

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