Sport - Cricket   

Oppressive heat gives teams tough time

By Our Special Correspondent

Mumbai May 2. Mumbai and Tamil Nadu, the best two teams in the Ranji Trophy competition, began their preparation for the title match at the Wankhede Stadium on Friday. The two teams made it to the final in different fashion. The home team completed a neat demolition of Baroda in a little over seven sessions last week and Tamil Nadu overcame a sort of challenge from Delhi.

Things have changed since the days when teams were travelling in second class compartments, although not long ago, Hyderabad found that travelling by the Indian Railways is no guarantee to reach the destination on time. Arriving into the city some nine hours late, Hyderabad's preparation was hampered and was it trounced by Mumbai.

After notching a morale-boosting win against Delhi, the Tamil Nadu team spent two nights in Chennai and flew into the city late on Thursday and drove straight away to a five star hotel owned by the Taj Group in South Mumbai. By providing the best facilities the TNCA has ensured that its team will be in proper frame of mind for the final.

Training and batting and bowling in the nets in oppressive environment at the Wankhede was an activity that might not have been altogether a pleasurable exercise for the players. Visits to the water container to quench the thirst was frequent. Laxmipathy Balaji, who has acquired a nickname `Bala-Lee', had an excellent session on the practice pitch. S. Sharath described his effort against Delhi as "Brilliant''. "I did not bowl well in that match against West Indies (at Baroda). Thereafter I focussed on line and length and being accurate,'' said the Tamil Nadu seamer who has taken 44 championship wickets this season.

Coach Bharat Arun, whose rise to fame in this part of the country can be attributed to the big and match winning partnership he forged with W.V. Raman many years ago in a Duleep Trophy match against West Zone at the Wankhede Stadium said: "It's okay. In Delhi it was dry heat, here you sweat at least. We are comfortable with this climate because it's the same as Chennai's. Both the teams are good. It's all a mind game now.''

Arun said that talk about the Tamil Nadu players getting raw deal can be answered by consistent performances with the bat and ball. "Sriram has been in great form. He has scored over ten centuries this season in competitive matches. Ramesh looked the part against Delhi and was affected by cramps at the point of making a stroke in the first innings. Balaji has been great, but he's never easily satisfied. The others has chipped in wickets at important times,' said Arun. Mumbai spent nearly four hours, starting its session with fielding drills at 11. 30 a.m. "It's really energy sapping. We have to consume plenty of liquid right through the day. We perspire a lot because of high humidity. I think we will get used the conditions after the first day.''

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

Sport

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

Athletics

• Campers for World meet and Afro-Asian Games
  
  Chess
  
• Anand, Judit Polgar begin in style
  
  Cricket
  
• Rafique raises Bangladesh's spirits
• Tamil Nadu gearing up to baulk Mumbai
• Oppressive heat gives teams tough time
• Wisden praises Ganguly
• Kandy has not been sweet for the Lankans
• Scotland ropes in Dravid
• Sehwag sets off to charm the county scene
• A sad sight, indeed!
  
  Football
  
• Beckham's future still a matter of speculation
  
  Hockey
  
• Sean is new chairman of FIH Athletes Panel
  
  Sports : General
  
• A costly 'educational exercise'
  
  Tennis
  
• India makes it to World Group
  
  Archery
  
• Satyadev, Dola dominate FITA round
  
  

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu