Indian juniors on top of the world

By Sanjay Rajan

COLOMBO, JAN. 28. Watching the exceptional fielding by the Indian junior team today, one was reminded of Michael Bevan's words at one of the team meetings during the last World Cup in England.

``Fielding is a true test of one's character because it is the only thing with which you truly commit yourself to the team and which you do not get statistically rewarded for,'' the Australian limited overs specialist had said.

Md. Kaif's boys came up with a spectacular display of fielding and catching at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground on Friday which effectively clinched the ICC under-19 World Cup.

It was their spirit, the never-say-die attitude and the desire to excel as a team which shone in its six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the final. This was evident as early as the fourth over when Venugopala Rao at point ran to his right and dived full length to stop a powerful backfoot punch by southpaw Jehan Mubarak off mediumpacer Mritunjay Tripathy.

Opting to bat first on a square that offered seam movement early on, Sri Lanka was up against left-arm Salabh Srivastava and Mritunjay Tripathy who were bowling with verve while exploiting the first hour conditions to the hilt.

The host lost Ian Daniel, the side's saviour against Pakistan, leg-before to Srivastava in the very first over. India's plan was to work on Sri Lanka's patience as there is an aggressive streak that runs in the host's batting line-up which had let it down in the earlier meeting. Mubarak did well in dropping anchor and forging 42 runs with Pieris for the second wicket and 41 with left-hander Kandambi for the next, except that it was at a slow rate, consuming half of the allotted 50 overs.

Kandambi's dismissal was crucial, as his partnershp with Mubarak was gaining momentum and strength. At that point, with two left- handers being involved in a rescue operation, India did miss out on a second off-spinner to support Kaif, what with Venugopala not allowed to roll his arm over. But Venugopala came up with a superb direct hit from extra-cover to send back Kandambi.

Reetinder Singh Sodhi is a very bright prospect. A cricketer who looks ready for the higher level, especially the shorter version. He bowled his quota of overs on the trot (10-0- 26-0), nothing fancy just stump to stump which put the brakes on Sri Lanka. Later, he took a spectacular catch to dismiss left- hander Dhammika, who was surprised by the lift Srivastava got in his second spell and top edged towards square-leg. Sodhi ran in from wide of mid-on, dived and held on to bring off a sensational catch. He then ran out Ganegama with a direct hit from mid- wicket. With the bat, Sodhi remained unbeaten on 39 while guiding the side to victory through an undefeated 64-run stand with promising southpaw Niraj Patel (34).

Kaif displayed more control in his second spell in which he beat Mubarak in the air and had him caught and bowled. Tripathy's bullet-like throw from long-on to the bowler's (Dave) end saw the exit of the dangerous looking Pushpakumara. It was the use of the long handle by Weeraratne which saw Sri Lanka cross the 150-run mark.

In-form openers Ravneet Ricky and Manish Sharma didn't have a problem forging a half-century partnership, playing mediumpacers Nissanka and Ganegama effortlessly. Ricky, adjudged the best batsman of the series, fell to leg-spinner Lokuarachchi going for a heave, while Sharma was out leg-before to left-arm spinner Dhammika.

Left-hander Yuveraj Singh, adjudged man of the tournament, guided the side past the 100-run mark, while Sodhi and Niraj, another one with a bright future, toyed with the attack. Sodhi, who was adjudged man of the final, had also been the success factor in India's victory over Sri Lanka in the super-league.

Pakistan's left-arm mediumpacer Zahid Saeed and Sri Lanka wicket- keeper Rashan Pieris were adjudged the tournament's best bowler and best fielder respectively.

Speaking to the press later, India's coach Roger Binny drew similarities between this under-19 side and the 1983 World Cup winning squad of which he was a key member, saying it was the strength of the all-rounders which made the difference.

Sodhi, who had injured his arm while taking the catch, recounted that he had injured that very arm during the final against Pakistan in the glorious summer of 1996 when India under- 15, under his captaincy, defeated Pakistan in the final of the Lombard World Cup in England. Interestingly, Sodhi was also the man of the final there.

The scores:

Sri Lanka: Rashan Pieris c Dave b Tripathy 17, Ian Daniel lbw b Srivastava 0, Jehan Mubarak c&b Kaif 58, Thilina Kandambi (run out) 10, Malintha Gajanayake c wk Ratra b Dave 6, Muthumudaliage Pushpakumara (run out) 17, Kaushal Lokuarachchi b Srivastava 14, Kaushalya Weeraratne (run out) 23, Ranil Dhammika c Sodhi b Srivastava 6, Akalanka Ganegama (run out) 2, Prabath Nissanka (not out) 2. Extras (b-2, lb-10, nb-2, w-9) 23. Total (in 48.1 overs) 178.

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Daniel), 2-43 (Pieris), 3-84 (Kandambi), 4- 100 (Gajanayake), 5-118 (Mubarak), 6-125 (Pushpakumara), 7-158 (Lokuarachchi), 8-170 (Weeraratne), 9-174 (Dhammika).

India bowling: Salabh Srivastava 9-2-33- 3, Mritunjay Tripathy 9.1-1-38-1, Reetinder Singh Sodhi 10-0-26- 0, Md. Kaif 10-1-31-1, Anup Dave 9-1-33-1, Yuveraj Singh 1-0-5-0.

India: Manish Sharma lbw b Dhammika 27, Ravneet Ricky b Lokuarachchi 18, Md. Kaif b Ganegama 18, Yuveraj Singh lbw b Pushpakumara 27, Reetinder Singh Sodhi (not out) 39, Niraj Patel (not out) 34. Extras (b-4, lb-4, w-5, nb-4) 17. Total (for four wkts., 40.4 overs) 180.

Fall of wickets: 1-53 (Ricky), 2-63 (Sharma), 3-94 (Kaif), 4-116 (Yuveraj).

Sri Lanka bowling: Prabath Nissanka 5-0- 25-0, Akalanka Ganegama 6-1-28-1, Ranil Dhammika 9-2-28-1, Kaushal Lokuarachchi 6-0-20-1, Muthumudaliage Pushpakumara 10-2- 34-1, Thilina Kandambi 3-0-24- 0, Kaushalya Weeraratne 1.4-0-13-0.

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