Siddiqui has Englishmen on the mat

By Vijay Lokapally

JAIPUR, NOV. 28. It was not the ideal preparation for the English in the run up to the first Test at Mohali less than a week away.

By conceding a first innings lead of 63 runs the English team did not quite distinguish itself against the India `A' combination on the second day of the tour match at the Sawa Man Singh Stadium here on Wednesday.

Resuming at 37 for no loss, England was skittled out by some inspired bowling by seamer Iqbal Siddiqui, a performance that propelled him into the national team. Siddiqui claimed four wickets and left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi two. India `A' finished the day at 75 for three in the second innings.

The home team made a bright start to the day, exploiting the conditions very well. All credit to Siddiqui for rattling the Englishmen with some fine movement, beating the batsmen in an area not really alien to them. Siddiqui did well to stick to a decent line and did not allow the success to colour his resolve. He knew it was best to bowl within his limitations and nothing could substitute the policy of making the batsmen play to induce errors on a pitch which responded adequately to his style of bowling.

The odd ball may have kept low and even kicked on a few occasions but the English batsmen had no reason to complain. The tactic of wanting to dominate did not help the batsmen as the India `A' bowlers chose the option of bowling to their field than experimenting to find loopholes in the opposition camp.

Skipper Nasser Hussain used the opportunity to help himself to a few runs but then the English batting came apart against a bunch of aspirants, where Siddiqui stood out for his large-hearted effort.

Mark Butcher and Marcus Trescothick failed to provide the kind of start the team would have expected and the middle order had no clue as Siddiqui struck some telling blows. Butcher edged to the slips and Trescothick, never comfortable, followed him soon.

A brief resistance from Hussain and Michael Vaughan steadied the English batting but again Siddiqui removed these two in succession and give the India `A' side a distinct advantage. At 90 for five, when Andrew Flintoff perished to Siddiqui, the English camp looked very embarrassed even as India `A' sensed its chance to call the shots.

Siddiqui had shown the way and soon Joshi took over. The Karnataka spinner beat Hussain in the air and seamer Reetinder Singh Sodhi came up with a double strike to leave England gasping at 100 for seven. Some good work by the tailenders saw the visiting side reduce the deficit.

India `A' lost three wickets in the 38 overs it batted with seamer Craig White claiming all the victims with his pace off the pitch surprising the batsmen.

The scores:

India `A' - 1st innings: 233 for nine decl.

England XI - 1st innings: M. Butcher c Kale b Siddique 37, M. Trescothick c Ratra b Ganesh 7, M. Vaughan c Mane b Siddique 22, N. Hussain b Joshi 40, M. Ramprakash lbw b Siddique 0, A. Flintoff c Ratra b Siddique 0, C. White b Sodhi 2, A. Giles c Khoda b Joshi 2, J. Foster (not out) 32, R. Johnson b Joshi 5, R. Dawson lbw b Sodhi 19. Extras (nb-3, lb-1) 4. Total: 170.

Fall of wickets: 1-46, 2-46, 3-82, 4-86, 5-90, 6-97, 7-100, 8- 122, 9-128.

India `A' bowling: Ganesh 20-5-65-1, Siddiqui 21-5-53-4, Joshi 16-5-39-3, Sodhi 5.3-2-12-2.

India `A' - 2nd innings: V. Mane lbw b White 15, G. Gambhir b White 30, Y. Goud (batting) 13, G. Khoda lbw b White 0, R.R. Parida (batting) 4. Extras (lb-9, w-1, nb-3) 13. Total (for three wkts) 75.

Fall of wickets: 1-39, 2-64, 3-64.

England XI bowling: Johnson 7-2-22-0, Flintoff 11-5-13-0, White 9-3-19-3, Butcher 11-7-12-0.

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