The Hindu : Ratra hits century

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Aug 30, 2002

Sport

Sport - Cricket

Ratra hits century

By G. Viswanath

India's Ajay Ratra, who notched up a century, swings Dumelow to the boundary in the three-day match against Derbyshire at Derby on Thursday. — Photo: N. Sridharan

Derby Aug. 29. There has not been an instance of the touring Indians leaving a County ground without one of its batsmen making a century. The Castle town of Arundel and Rose Bowl at Southampton did not see the Indians in full form, but ever since Sachin Tendulkar blasted a big century off the Worcestershire bowlers in the rain-affected match at Worcester, the likes of Shiv Sundar Das and Virender Sehwag have succeeded in maintaining the trend and tempo.

On Thursday it was Ajay Ratra's (101 not out) turn to join this list. He has been rather quiet on this tour, especially after a nets bowler damaged the big toe on his left leg during training on the eve of the second Test at Trent Bridge. He had recovered well in advance and was available for the third Test at Headingley, but the tour selectors persisted with the young Parthiv Patel because he had shown plenty of courage against the England fast bowlers in the last hour of the second Test.

The turn of events has changed now in favour of Ratra returning as India's wicketkeeper for the fourth and final Test at the Oval. Patel has enough time to recover from a bruised knee suffered when he bent low to take a delivery from Ajit Agarkar that skidded through to hit him on his right knee.

Injury apart, Ratra, was chosen as the first wicketkeeper for the Test series and the senior players and the tour selectors would be inclined to choose him ahead of Patel, who was found wanting when edges flew off the bowling off Anil Kumble.

Ratra would have all the reasons in the world to leave Derby with happy memories. He was short on runs in the earlier part of the tour, but his second first class century — his first was the 115 he made against the West Indies at Antigua — has made him the front-runner for the final Test.

Sent in at No. 6, Ratra made a steady start and helped build partnerships with Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. The stand of 68 with captain Dravid ended only because the latter decided to retire to allow Kumble to have a hit in the middle. The second new ball just a few overs old was hard enough for the new ball bowlers to make use of, but the quicker it came at Kumble, the faster it crossed the ropes. Kumble keen to get some batting practice struck four 4s in an over from off-spinner Nathan Dumelow.

After Kumble's dismissal, Harbhajan swung his bat to send the ball high for towering 6s over long-on. The seventh-wicket stand produced 74 runs and the eighth 60 runs and in the process Ratra proceeded to make his first century in England in nearly five hours and with fourteen 4s.

Derbyshire's brisk reply only illustrated the inability of Ashish Nehra and Tinu Yohannan to make an impact on a featherbed of a wicket. Nehra was hammered for 44 from his nine overs and Yohannan for 41 from his nine as the openers Stephen Stubbings and Rawait Khan put up an opening stand of 120 in 29 overs.

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 c Warn b Kerr 75, W. Jaffer c Warn b Kerr 49, A. Ratra 101 (not out), R. Dravid (retd) 40, A. Kumble b Aldred 47, Harbhajan Singh c Dumelow b Gunter 44. Extras (b-15, lb-6, w-18) 39. Total (for eight wkts decl.) 445.

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-58, 3-62, 4-164, 5-233, 6-301, 7-375, 8-445.

Derbyshire bowling: Gunter 23.1-7-76-2, Aldred 35-9-109-1, Kerr 25-9-97-3, Dowman 12-4-28-1, Dumelow 24-5-110-0, Hewson 2-1-4-0.

Derbyshire — 1st innings: S. Stubbings 60 (batting), R. Khan 53 (batting). Extras (b-5, lb-1, nb-1) 7. Total (for no loss at tea) 120.

India bowling: Nehra 9-1-44-0, Yohannan 9-4-41-0, Bangar 6-1-16-0, Sehwag 3-0-10-0, Harbhajan 2-0-3-0.

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

Sport

Stories in this Section

Billiards & Snooker

India eyeing gold again

Cricket

Ratra hits century

Airlines runs into rough weather

Pakistan wins opener

Kirsten dropped

Youhana to play in Champions Trophy

Golf

Karan takes over from Ranjit

Sports : General

Sports awards presented

Sport digest

Tennis

Gajjar proves his growing stature

Bridge

Italy is champion