Sport

Gambhir makes a chancy fifty

Leicester: The Indians bared their intent on day two of the practice match against Sri Lanka ‘A’ here at Grace Road, declaring their first innings at tea, 28 behind, on 238 for five.

Opener Gautam Gambhir made a chancy 67 (135 balls, 7x4), while skipper Rahul Dravid scored an unbeaten 67 (105 balls, 6x4).

Sri Lanka ‘A’ ended the second day amidst blaring klaxons on 112 for one.

Ishant Sharma, achieving cut on a sunny Saturday afternoon, had the left-handed Michael Udawatte caught low at second slip before Michael Vandort (61) and Dilruwan Perera (48) watched out the good deliveries and capitalised on several indifferent ones.

The sides have the opportunity to play out an entertaining Sunday, the game’s last.

The first session was the Indians’, though not as assuredly as the numbers (102 runs for one wicket in 29 overs) suggest. Gambhir’s batting grated like a steel fork on porcelain, but, as it often happens in cricket, it was the velveteen Wasim Jaffer who was first dismissed.

Gambhir, on three, was dropped in the day’s first over. Hard hands forced themselves at a ball outside off-stump and third slip couldn’t hold on.

The left-hander edged again – it fell short of second and sped for four. Dammika Prasad, the bowler, clutched his hair. Gambhir then survived a close shout for lbw against left-armer Chanaka Welegedera.

The careless flash outside off and a disposition to get trapped on the crease were Gambhir’s failings when he opened for India. Both were in evidence on Saturday, though, curiously, his attempt at correcting the latter could have exacerbated the former.

Gambhir batted on leg-stump and made a conscious effort to keep his front pad inside the line. His driving to the off-side was thus compromised — he wasn’t stepping in the direction of the drive.

But, the 25-year-old is strong off his legs; with over 6600 First Class runs at nearly 53, he knows how and when to cash in.

Jaffer looked regal. A square drive off Akalanka Ganegama’s brisk fast-medium stood out. He had earlier cover-driven and glanced the same bowler off successive balls. But, the stroke of the morning wasn’t a boundary — it was when Jaffer stood to his full height and eased a ball through cover for two.

Jaffer (48) fell 20 minutes before lunch, chipping to mid-on having advanced down the track to left-arm spinner Rangana Herath.

V.V.S. Laxman was later caught at mid-off off the same bowler.

Clearly, there was something about Herath’s loop — his left arm didn’t drop even when the Indians started looking for quick runs.

Gambhir reached his half-century after lunch. He celebrated by hitting the rolled leg-spin of Kaushal Lokuarachchi over short mid-wicket, but retired out on 67.

Dravid, by his high standards, hasn’t been among the runs. He went three Tests in South Africa without a half-century, and though he scored a century in Bangladesh, his highest score in the two Tests here in England has been 37.

Dravid crisply cut Prasad’s medium pace before lunch. He seemed a touch anxious to get on with matters in the second session, and the declaration, in hindsight, proved why. He missed a near half-volley down leg and was beaten by Welegedera’s lefty angle — severe self-censure followed.

An agricultural swipe off Herath got things moving after lunch though the running with Gambhir was still uncertain. A classy back cut was preceded by one less controlled, though it was a fine bit of adjustment. Finding the ball too short to drive off the front foot, Dravid leant back and helped it over the slips. As with strokes of such conception, it was three-quarter edged.

Dhoni played over a full ball angled in to be bowled. Laxman flicked and glided before Herath bought a mis-timed lofted stroke.

Yuvraj Singh square drove Welegedera and struck Herath over long on for six. But, between the sublime came the ridiculous: a French cut that brought four.

Play was held up several times when the rested Indian cricketers, looking for a spot of practice, were trailed by fans who cared little about sightscreens. Sachin Tendulkar, not surprisingly, was the best draw.

The scores:

Sri Lanka ‘A’ 1st innings: 266.

Indians 1st innings: D. Karthik c Silva b Prasad 11, W. Jaffer c Ganegama b Herath 48, G. Gambhir (retd. out) 67, R. Dravid (not out) 67, M.S. Dhoni b Prasad 0, V.V.S. Laxman c Prasad b Herath 14, Y. Singh (not out) 15; Extras (b-1, lb -3, nb-7, w-5): 16. Total (for five wickets decl. in 68 overs): 238.

Fall of wickets: 1-20 (Karthik), 2-105 (Jaffer), 3-181 (Gambhir), 4-190 (Dhoni), 5-221 (Laxman).

Sri Lanka ‘A’ bowling: Ganegama 12-4-29-0, Welegedera 13-4-38-0, Prasad 12-1-71-2, Lokuarachchi 12-0-34-0, Herath 18-1-62-2.

Sri Lanka ‘A’ 2nd innings: M. Vandort (batting) 61, M. Udawatte c Laxman b Sharma 0, D. Perera (batting) 48; Extras (lb-2, w-1): 3. Total (for one wicket in 33 overs): 112.

Fall of wicket: 1-2 (Udawatte).

Indians bowling: Bose 8-0-42-0, Sharma 9-2-23-1, Powar 9-3-27-0, Kumble 4-1-15-0, Yuvraj 3-0-3-0.

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