Date:30/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/30/stories/2008113055051400.htm

Sport - Cricket

Tinu Yohannan wreaks havoc

Principal Correspondent

PALAKKAD: A bit of moisture in the wicket, a fine spell of medium-pace bowling by Tinu Yohannan and utter lack of application by the batsmen saw Jammu & Kashmir getting bowled out for 184 against Kerala on the opening day of a Ranji Trophy Plate Group ‘A’ match at the Fort Maidan here on Saturday. In reply, the host was 72 for two when bad light brought an early close, with 11.5 overs remaining.

Kerala would be pleased with the day’s work, especially by its bowlers spearheaded by Yohannan, who worked up good pace, got the ball to bounce on quite a few occasions and made very good use of the little assistance provided by the wicket, which had become a nightmare for bowlers — in the last match, only 16 wickets fell in four days but more than 1150 runs were scored.

The former Indian Test bowler sent back both the Jammu openers, Asif Jeelani and Parvez Ganai, and took the crucial wicket of Manoj Joglekar, who was caught brilliantly by K.J. Rakesh in the covers, as the visiting side was reduced to 34 for four after winning the toss.

Fighting knock

A fighting knock by skipper Shafiq Khan (50) saw Jammu staging a recovery of sorts, but it somehow managed to slump from 130 for five to 184 all out. Yohannan finished with five for 43.

“He really bowled his heart out today,” said the Kerala skipper Sony K. Cheruvathur. “And, I am glad we got the opportunity to bowl first on this track. I certainly would have bowled if I had won the toss.”

The scores:

Jammu & Kashmir — 1st Innings: Asif Jeelani b Yohannan 6, Parvez Ganai c Vinan b Yohannan 20, Ian Dev Singh c Sarma b Cheruvathur 7, Manoj Joglekar c Rakesh b Yohannan 0, Shafiq Khan c Vinan b Yohannan 50, Mohsin Iqbal c Vinan b Anil 28, Samiulla Beigh c Sarma b Sreekumar 32, Ahmad Nizam c Anil b Sreekumar 24, Sameer Khajuria lbw b Sreekumar 10, Samir Ali b Yohannan 0, Pranav Mahajan (not out) 0, Extras (b-2, lb-2, nb-3) 7; Total (in 54.1 overs) 184.

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-32, 3-34, 4-34, 5-64, 6-130, 7-164, 8-184, 9-184.

Kerala bowling: Yohannan 13-3-43-5, Anil 7-1-36-1, Cheruvathur 13-5-24-1, Rakesh 3-1-3-0, Sreekumar 11-0-51-3, Prashanth 7-2-23-0.

Kerala — 1st Innings: Sambasiva Sarma lbw b Beigh 4, Raiphy Vincent Gomez c Ian b Beigh 29, Robert Fernandez (batting) 23, Sreekumar Nair (batting) 12, Extras (lb-1, nb-3) 4; Total (for two in 23.1overs) 72.

Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-35.

Jammu & Kashmir bowling: Beigh 8-3-26-2, Samir Ali 7-2-24-0, Mahajan 5-1-16-0, Nizam 2.1-0-5-0, Khajuria 1-1-0-0.