Kaif, Jadeja make Seniors sweat

The Uttar Pradesh batsman, who was also part of the India A tour party to the West Indies played a highly matured innings to be the top scored in the tournament so far. Equally important was the contribution of Ajay Jadeja, who scored 50 off 50 balls with 2 sixes and 2 fours.

After the India A players failed to chase a similar target on Thursday, the onus now is on the Seniors to throw some light on the art of run chance under floodlights.

As the action changed tracks to the so-called greener pasture for bowlers, the willow wielders were wary. The two India Bopeners — JP Yadav and Haldipur — made just 10 runs in the first five overs. India Senior paceman Venkatesh Prasad feasted on the few green crumbs he was served on the brown plate. His trademark moving away ball to the right-handers showed more spunk today. As compared to Thursday, the quality of his favourite weapon had improved both vertically and horizontally. This new-found lift and movement had the right-hander Yadav in trouble.

Twice the opener edged but the “behind the stumps” departments was having an off-day. The first snick which Prasad induced went to the right of first slip VVS Laxman and could contentiously be called a half-chance. But the second edge exactly bisected the wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe and Laxman. And to be fair it would need a panel of experts to decide who dropped the catch.

But any jury would hold Dighe for the third folly behind the stumps. A simple chance to stump Yadav was missed by the Mumbai stumper off first change bowler Anil Kumble. The leg-spinner then saw to itthat he didn’t need any support as he had Yadav bowled soon.

The other opener Nikhil Haldipur, who kick-started the run rate after the first five-over stagnation, was particularly severe on India Seniors opening bowler Harvinder Singh Sodhi.

Haldipur’s three consecutive fours in the sixth over of the innings meant the run rate climbed to over four. During his stay upto the half stage of innings, the Bengal man saw to it that the same rate was maintained. His dismissal gave Dighe some solace. The ‘keeper smartly stumped the left-hander off Nikhil Chopra. Haldipur for his hour and a half stay made 50 runs.

With still 25 overs to go, the need of the hour was to bat with responsibility. India B at this stage had the made-to-order pair for the situation. Skipper Ajay Jadeja had for company the U-19 World Cup winning captain Mohd Kaif. Both the players showed a cricketing IQ which would have qualified them for the Mensa Club.

Placing the ball between fielders with amazing accuracy and racing like hares theyhad the Seniors on toes. Jadeja, as expected, was the dominating force in this 100 runs in 110 balls stand. The skipper’s 50 in 50 balls must have made the Seniors realiase what they were missing in Australia.

Later in the innings another “famous five” Reetinder Singh Sodhi used long handle effectively to take his team’s total to 273-8.

Scoreboard

India B
JP Yadav b Anil Kumble (47m, 39b, 4×4) 26
Nikhil Haldipur st Dighe b Chopra (93m, 72b, 5×4, 1×6) 50
Mohd Kaif c Chopra b Robin (133m, 106b, 6×4, 1×6) 90
Ajay Jadeja c Dravid b Chopra (64m, 54b, 2×4, 2×6) 53
Devendra Bundela lbw Chopra (8m, 13b, 1×4) 12
Yuvraj Singh c Kumble b Prasad (4m, 5b) 6
Reetinder Sodhi not out (19m, 10b, 1×6) 11
Ajay Ratra st Dighe b Robin (1m, 1b) 0
Dodda Ganesh run out (Dighe) (7m, 4b) 3
Debashish Mohanty not out (1m, 1b) 1
Extras: (b5, lb6, w7, nb3) 21
Total: (for eight wickets in 50 overs) 273
Fall of wickets: 1-52 (Yadav), 2-100 (Haldipur), 3-215 (Jadeja), 4-239(Bundela), 5-246 (Yuvraj), 6-255 (Kaif), 7-256 (Ratra), 8-272 (Ganesh).

Bowling: Prasad 10-3-52-1 (5w, 2nb), Harvinder Sodhi 5-0-37-0 (1w, 1nb), Kumble 10-0-57-1, Robin Singh 5-0-21-2, Joshi 10-0-48-0, Chopra 10-0-47-3 (1w)