Seniors not made to sweat

By Our Special Correspondent

MOTERA, FEB. 11. So much for the brave new world of `sporting' Indian wickets. The Hero Honda NKP Salve Challenger Trophy opened on a lamb of a track at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, with India seniors beating India `A' by 52 runs.

The target of 279 set by the Seniors was not quite impossible, specially after India `A' openers J Arun Kumar and Ashu Dani had cracked open the reply with a stand of 88 in 21 overs. Yet, some big-hearted overs by the Seniors spinners and the onset of overambitious strokeplay from the India `A' middle order had three wickets falling inside six overs; that was enough to pile up the asking rate and give Anil Kumble enough leverage to gobble up who ever was left on a wicket that had gone from slow to slower.

India `A' lost its last five wickets for 38 runs, its hopes all gone when S. Sharath, who scored 52 off 59 balls, was out trying to hit Kumble high over the on side and was caught off a leading edge by Dravid at covers.

The Tamil Nadu left-hander who has two Deodhar Trophy centuries under his belt plus all the powers of improvisation was the last remaining danger for the Seniors as none of the other `A' batsmen looked like joining the fight.

The Seniors did have one clear chance to stop the `A' team at 15 when Arun Kumar was on 6. The Karnataka opener, who like Sharath scored two Deodhar tons on the trot, edged one to first slip off Venkatesh Prasad. Laxman got both hands to the ball travelling at a good height before it popped out of his hands leaving the bowlers to face the music.

Sodhi had conceded 16 in his previous four overs, gave away 15 runs in his fifth and was replaced by Kumble. The advent of the India leggie, who came on in the 11th over put a stop to the big hits.

Robin Singh's gentle medium pace then did enough to deprive the batsmen of the driveable length and the pace to go past the fielders, with Kumble his usual parsimonious self at the other end.

The advent of a double spin attack with Joshi and Kumble bowling together sent panic flooding through Dani who was caught on the boundary by Sodhi trying to go over the infield once too often. The 88-run opening stand was to be the best effort from India `A' even though Arun Kumar (72, 90b 6 x 4 1 x 6) was trying to take the initiative away from the bowling.

Among the bowlers, Chopra took punishment bravely and prised out the three of the top five batsmen; Joshi was successful lower down the order with three for 40 but it was Kumble back in familiar territory who scythed through the batting but kept his book tidy, finishing with 9-0-34-3.

The scores: India Seniors: 279.

India `A': J. Arun Kumar c Robin Singh b Joshi 72, Ashu Dani c Sodhi b Chopra 32, Mohammed Azharuddin c Kumble b Chopra 23, S. Sharath c Dravid b Kumble 52, Virender Sehwag c Kambli b Chopra 3, Sanjay Bangar (run out) 15, Nayan Mongia (not out) 13, Aashish Kapoor b Kumble 1, T. Kumaran c & b Kumble 1, Murali Kartik c Kumble b Joshi 3, Amit Bhandari st. Dighe b Joshi 0, Extras: (lb- 1, w-8, nb-3) 12. Total (all out in 47.3 overs) 227.

Fall of wickets: 1-88, 2-125, 3-147, 4- 153, 5-189, 6-216, 7-218, 8-224, 9-227.

India Seniors bowling: Venkatesh Prasad 8-0-40-0, Harvinder Singh Sodhi 5-0-31-0, Anil Kumble 9-0-34-3, Robin Singh 6-0-25-0, Nikhil Chopra 10-0-56-3, Sunil Joshi 9.3-0- 40-3.

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