The Hindu : Laxman, Jaffer bat well

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 29, 2002

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Laxman, Jaffer bat well

By G. Viswanath

V.V.S. Laxman squares drives Derbyshire's Neil Gunter to the fence on the first day of their tour match at Derby on Wednesday. — Photo: N. Sridharan

Derby Aug. 28. Although there is a fair bit of hype and publicity for a fixture against touring teams mainly to attract new members, it has become a habit for County teams to field their second XIs. The priority is always on moving up in the county championship table. For Derbyshire, the objective this season is to make an attempt to progress to the first division.

Neither Australian Michael Di Venuto, who scored over 1,000 runs last season, and Derbyshire's captain Dominic Cork figured in the team sheet for the three-day match against India that started with Rahul Dravid winning the toss and electing to bat.

Cork has suffered a hairline fracture in ohe little finger of his bowling hand and joins a long list of bowlers who have been forced to withdraw in the eleventh hour before a Test match. Cork had even offered his services for the tie against India, but the damage to his finger ruled him out straightaway. Cork had taken Sachin Tendulkar's wicket in the first innings of the Nottingham Test.

Derbyshire was keen to play Di Venuto, but a thigh strain put him out of contention. According to those who follow the fortunes of the County, players have been carrying niggles and do not want to risk playing them when the County has two important matches against Middlesex and Worcestershire coming up.

More than a month ago, Derbyshire fielded its second XI against the West Indies `A' in a match in which fast medium bowler Neil Gunter took six wickets. The County named an XI all of whom put together have played over 200 first class matches. Some of the star players are put off when asked to play in second XIs, but the visiting side itself had to include the likes of Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble because the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) turned down requests to field Indians playing in the Yorkshire league and also two seamers from the touring India under-19 team which actually scored a fine win against England under-19 in the first one-day international.

In the rival ranks was wicketkeeper Christopher Warn making his first class debut because the regular stumper Luke Sutton has a painful thumb and Karl Kirkken is down with influenza. Derbyshire's Australian physio Craig Ranson has also mentioned in his notes that Andrew Gait has a hamstring strain and that Tom Lungley has a broken thumb.

In spite of the absence of leading players new ball bowlers Neil Gunter and Paul Aldred bowled with energy and enthusiasm. The ball tended to stop at times and skid, too. By the seventh over, Gunter achieved a breakthrough, causing indecision in the mind of Virender Sehwag and knocking down his off stump. Sehwag who had edged a boundary and struck a neat cover drive did not offer a shot.

Sanjay Bangar, who is certain to play the final Test at the Oval, hammered a series of 4s off Aldred before nicking medium pacer Jason Kerr to second slip. Shiv Sundar Das looking forward to making another big impact, following his 250 against Essex, pushed forward to be bowled by Dowman.

V.V.S. Laxman and Wasim Jaffer took the score from 62 for three to 164, caressing the ball between square point and extra-cover and playing wristy shots between square-leg and mid-on. Laxman took 20 balls to open his account, but afterwards found the ropes many times and was batting at 70 (174m, 132b, 14x4) at tea.

The century stand between Laxman and Jaffer saw the latter putting the short balls to the on-side fence before umpire Ken Shuttleworth adjudged him caught at the wicket by Warn off Kerr.

The scores:

India — 1st innings: S. Bangar c Hewson b Kerr 17, V. Sehwag b Gunter 15, S.S. Das b Dowman 18, V.V.S. Laxman (batting) 70, W. Jaffer c Warn b Kerr 49, A. Ratra (batting) 21. Extras (b-13, lb-3, w-18) 34. Total (for four wkts at tea) 224.

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-58, 3-62, 4-164.

Derbyshire bowling: Gunter 14-4-55-1, Aldred 17-5-52-0, Kerr 13-4-59-2, Dowman 12-4-28-1, Dumelow 4-1-10-0, Hewson 2-1-4-0.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport

Stories in this Section

Athletics

Saraswati breaks 23-second barrier

Cricket

Laxman, Jaffer bat well

It could go to the last man standing

Sriram, Badani hit centuries

The stalemate continues

Golf

Ranjit takes lead

Sports : General

Sport Digest

Tennis

Vishal sends Nitin Kirtane packing