Murali Karthik makes a mark

By G. Viswanath

MUMBAI, FEB. 19. The South Africans appeared to be discerning customers. They were prepared to graft and might have been pleased with their display. On the first match day of the month long tour they ended scoring 293 for six wickets. And yet they will be anxious, if they are not already, about what will be in store for them when the action shifts to the Wankhede stadium next week.

Skipper Hansie Cronje and the terrific battler, Mark Boucher counter attacked, but it was a day when the South Africans saw the subtle variations of left hander spinner tormenting them for a better part of the day on a slow turner at the Brabourne Stadium. The spinners bowled 53 overs of the 91 which was a clear indication of what kind of surface will be ordered to make for the two Tests.

The new face of Indian spin that emerged at the Brabourne was left hand spinner Murali Karthik, who following a very impressive showing (he had Kirsten and Lance Klusener), might be whistling his way into the Indian team for the first Test. He took punishment from Cronje and Boucher in the last half hour of the third and final session, but by then the five selectors must have been happy that they will get a chance to blood a youngster, who was worked a lot with Bishen Bedi and Maninder Singh and learned the nuances. Former Test batsman, Dilip Sardesai, a good batsman against spin bowling and these days a very discriminating talent scout in Mumbai maidans is convinced Karthik can make it to the big league. ``I am impressed, but he must bring more variations,'' he said at tea break.

Karthik was bowled in four spells and it will not be an exaggeration to say that the search for a left hander has ended. Karthik bowled 29 overs and only in the end did he appear to be flagging. He should have ended with a big haul he deserved because he was the one who was willing to seize the opportunity and he was conscious that he was being watched, discussed and debated by the five selectors. The occasion excited him and he grabbed it. A year ago he was carried away by a withering surface at Aurangabad in the Duleep Trophy final, but on Saturday he appeared to have matured a lot.

The South African openers, Gary Kirsten and Herschelle Gibbs, put on 104 for the first wicket. It was a good and solid start for the visiting side in the first two hours of the match. Kirsten typically worked the ball away and punished the loose deliveries, while Gibbs showed aggressive intentions. They picked the length well when Debashish Mohanty and Kumaran shared the new ball and later when the spinners came on later.

Karthik was ushered in the eleventh over. Obviously the selectors wanted to see him more than the off spinner Harbhajan Singh. If Karthik could be faulted on one count, it was not bowling to a line inviting the batsmen to drive. He bowled at the batsmen's pads initially with the short leg and silly point in position. At the stroke of lunch he had Kirsten edging for Mohammad Azharuddin to bring off a good catch at slip. He should have given a breakthrough in his first overs, but it all appeared to be a case of nerves playing havoc on Nayan Mongia and then Azharuddin.

The wicketkeeper dropped Gibbs on 16 in a score of 43 and then Jacques Kallis on 34. The second one was an inside edge. Then Azharuddin dropped Kallis (on 36) and completely missed the edge that came of the bat off Darryl Cullinan on 17. The bowler to be in a sort of agony was Karthik. The Board President's XI was lucky to get Gibbs' wicket when his attacking shot bounced of his left pad to Mohammad Kaif. Gibbs appeared to be surprised when umpire S. Ravi gave the decision in favour of the fielding side. He thought the ball had gone off the ground.

It was evident that the openers wanted to consume time. Kirsten spent two hours and Gibbs exceeded his partner's stay by 22 minutes. The trend continued. Kallis began with a straight hit six off Harbhajan, but was cautious in his two and hours tenure. Between lunch and tea the South Africans added 88 runs for the loss of Gibbs' wicket. But this was the period when the home side let catches slip out of their hands. It cost them dearly.

Cullinan was perhaps the first victim of the tour to a dubious decision umpire K. Murali gave. He appeared to have grounded the bat at least a feet inside the batting crease when Kaif's speed and accuracy resulted in a direct hit. Murali's decision ended the third wicket that produced 87 runs. Without being spectacular the South Africans appeared to be heading for a big first innings total in the post tea session, which they came close to in spite of losing four wickets. Cronje and Boucher added 54 runs in quick time.

The dismissal of Kallis for an exact half century to a gem of delivery from Mohanty set off a slide in which Karthik and Harbhajan picked a wicket each. Mohanty was commonplace in his first and second spells. So were Kumaran and Bhandari. But Mohanty got one to hurry through of the pitch and take the edge of Kallis' bat. It was not a day the three seamers impressed to be on call as a new ball partner for Javagal Srinath. The selectors might still pick Venkatesh Prasad.

Scoreboard: South Africa - Ist Innings: Gary Kirsten c Azharuddin b Karthik 56, Herschelle Gibbs c Kaif b Harbhajan 53, Jacques Kallis c Mongia b Mohanty 50, D. Cullinan run out (Kaif) 43, H. Cronje batting 33, P. Strydom c & b Harbhajan 14, L. Klusener b Karthik 0, M. Boucher batting 33. Extras (b-4, lb-1, nb-6) 11. Total (for 6 wkts in 91 overs) 293.

Fall of wkts: 1-104, 2-125, 3-212, 4-217, 5-234, 6- 239.

Board President's XI bowling: Mohanty 13-4-45-1, Kumaran 13-5-28- 0, Karthik 29-2-95-2, Bhandari 11-2-29-0, Harbhajan 24-1-88-2, Jadeja 1-0-3-0.

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