Battle between equals ends in tie

Jeetan Patel rewarded with team berth while Rohit Sharma awaits his chance

Despite the best of intentions, seriousness invariably becomes a victim when it comes to practice games. For the Kiwis, coming from a winter break, it was more of 8212;as their coach John Bracewell said 8212; a game to adjust from the 8216;freezer to oven8217; transition while for the Mumbai lads it was just another day in the sun.

But as the game, where the scoreboard was inconsequential from the start, drifted into the lazy afternoon and a Kiwi win became an inevitable eventuality, there developed an interesting head-to-head contest. Two young cricketers 8212; Rohit Sharma and Jeetan Patel 8212; with big dreams were matching their skills, though quite untested at top level, against each other.

Sharma is said to be the next big Indian batting star, while offie Patel too is waiting in the wings, eager to come out of Daniel Vettori8217;s shadows. While the outcome of the game was never in doubt, the result of the Sharma-Patel duel hung in the balance. Patel enjoyed an advantage, though, as Mumbai had suffered an early collapse and Sharma was fighting with his back to the wall.

Sharma later said that he had a plan ready and also an old score to settle. In the recent Top End series in Australia, where Sharma played for India A, Jeetan had got the better of him.

8220;In a game against New Zealand A, Jeetan had clean bowled me as I tried to cut him. Today I decided not to play against the spin,8221; he said. And that was clear from his wagon wheel against Patel. Sharma didn8217;t play anything against the spin and concentrated on the leg side. 8220;Not a single inside-out shot, I banked on the slog sweep,8221; he said. Two of those lusty hits landed outside the boundary line.

Sharma said that today8217;s knock was also important for his confidence. 8220;In the Challengers I didn8217;t get enough time to bat while in the Irani Trophy I had to sit out. Today I knew I had to play well to prepare myself for the coming season,8221; he said.

If Sharma had his moments against Patel, it was the 26-year-old Kiwi who had the last laugh. A sharp spinning ball hit Sharma on the back leg, even as the 20-year-old Mumbai batsman was playing straight.

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In the final analysis there was no clear winner. The Sharma 61; 69 b, 2215;6, 7215;4 and Patel 10-0-39-3 contest ended in a draw. And with the declaration of the team for the South African tour just weeks away, Sharma8217;s name will certainly crop up for discussion. As for Patel, he too didn8217;t do any harm as he was included in the playing XI.

And Bracewell added, 8220;Patel isn8217;t a back-up bowler for Vettori. Looking at his form we will definitely go with two spinners,8221; he says.