Naidu, Ratra pull India colts out of woods

Choosing to bat first, the Indian Colts found the going tough against the English seamers who made effective use of the morning conditions. The vulnerability of playing seaming deliveries was brought to light wih the top order falling to the medium pacers trio of Andrew McGarry, Justin Bishop and Kyle Hogg.

Placed at 101 for four at lunch, the hosts looked in danger of being dismissed for a small total before Naidu, a National Cricket Academy trainee from Nagpur, showed willingness to stay at the wicket. Naidu, having a striking resemblance to Mohammed Azharuddin in his batting style, dropped anchor with wickets falling all around him. He displayed good temperament waiting for the right deliveries to be hit. With captain Ratra giving him good company, Naidu grew in confidence playing some elegant and forceful drives through the covers region.

The Naidu-Ratra association realised a valuable 106 runs for the sixth wicket that eventually helped pulled the side out of the woods. But just when it appeared that the two were set for big scores, Ratra departed going for a pull shot off McGarry but could end only at mid-on where Madhusudan Panesar accepted and easy catch.

Newman Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan arrived in big fashion hammering left-arm spinner Panesar for one four and two sixes first attempt straight over the bowler’s head failed to clear the ropes but the next two shots sailed high over long-on.

The southpaw, however, was undone by a rank bad decision from umpire Sameer Bandekar, adjudged him caught behind. To the batsman’s amazement, a rising delivery from McGarry had brushed the helmet before going to wicketkeeper Mark Wallace. The happenings had an effect on Naidu as he too followed suit, playing across the line to off spinner Panesar.

The Indian innings folded up, an hour before close of play. Earlier, openers Gautam Gambhir and Vinayak Mane disappointed with their non-descript performance. Gambhir was bowled by Bishop and Mane edged his square cut attempt to skipper Ian Bell at fourth slip. Ishan Ganda, Kashinath Khadkikar and Gnaneshwar Rao, who showed much promise with his 123 in the practice match, also ell cheaply.

For England, seamers Justin Bishop and Andrew Hogg took three wickets each while McGarry and ‘Monty’ Panesar took two wickets each.

Scoreboard
INDIA
Vinayak Mane c Bell b Hogg 20
Gautam Gambhir b Bishop 2
Ishan Ganda c Peng b Hogg 27
VG Rao lbw Bishop 16
Alind Naidu b Panesar 83
K Khadkikar b Bishop 1
Ajay Ratra c Panesar b McGarry 43
V Sivaramakrishnan c Wallace b McGarry 18
M Dharmichand not out 8
S Trivedi b Panesar 18
Nitin Agarwal b Hogg 0
Extras (6 lb, 3 w, 12 nb) 21
Total (after 78.5 overs) 257
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-30, 3-64, 4-87, 5-102, 6-208, 7-229, 8-229, 9-252, 10-257
Bowling: A McGarry 14-1-39-2 (4 nb)
J Bishop 15-5-24-3 (3 nb)
A Hogg 11.5-3-33-3 (3 nb, 1 w)
Ian Pattison 12-3-50-0 (2 nb, 2 w)
R Ferley 7-1-37-0
M Panesar 16-3-63-2
Ian Bell 3-0-5-0

ENGLAND
G Pratt not out 4
N Peng not out 18
Extras (2 nb) 2
Total 24 for no loss
Bowling: S Trivedi 3-0-6-0
N Agarwal 4-1-12-0,
M Dharmichand 2-0-6-0