Nash sends India on crash course

When a team is bowled out in just over two hours on the opening day of a Test there has to be something seriously wrong. Generally the batting side finds excuse in the devilish wicket. But India today can8217;t do even that.

True, bungling in covering the wicket had resulted in moisture surfacing on the track, delaying the start of the match by about 45 minutes. True, the loss of toss meant being asked to bat on a surface with a fair amount of grass on it. Butanywhere in the world, except at most places in India, the first couple of hours produces movement for the seamers. It was no different here. The Indian batsmen, so used to playing on flat tracks and suffering from the one-day hangover, were unwilling to play a waiting game. The very idea of trying to build an innings pressurised them into taking an easy escape route. One that led to the dressing room.

Debang Gandhi, Ramesh, Dravid, Ganguly and Bharadwaj had returned without even having shared a total of six overs between them. Chris Cairns and Nash pitched the ball up and moved it both ways but never did they bowl an unplayable ball. It was a fine exhibition of swing and seam bowling. It was also a pathetic display of batsmanship.

Tendulkar did promise much. He batted serenely and looked set for a big score. But his skillful display lasted a mere 46 minutes. Whether it was pressure, arrogance or sheer lapse in concentration that cost him his wicket, only he can explain. But the manner of his dismissalwas atrocious: Playing across the line to what from a distance appeared a half volley. The next thing one saw was the shattered stumps.

Memories of India8217;s 42 at Lord8217;s in 1974 were revived. If they nearly doubled that score it was due to MSK Prasad8217;s confident debut and a few streaky edges through the third man region from Srinath. But they could not stop Nash from registering his career-best figures of 6 for 27.

India had read the wicket differently, as was evident from the selection of the final eleven. Two seamers in Srinath and Prasad. The decision, after India8217;s capitulation, may appear ridiculous. But by the end of the day8217;s play, despite Srinath8217;s two-wicket burst, the Indian seamers were unable to move the ball much and failed to make any impact. Even the spinners were played quite easily, Spearman showing a lot of discretion in shot selection.

With a lead of 36 runs and seven wickets in hand, New Zealand are already on road to victory. India and Kapil Dev, unless a miracle saves them, havemuch introspection to do.

SCOREBOARD

INDIA 1ST INNINGS

D Gandhi c Parore b Nash 26m, 14b 0
S Ramesh b Nash 6m, 3b 0
R Dravid c Astle b Cairns 6m, 8b 1
S Tendulkar b O8217; Connor 3215;4, 46m, 34b 18
S Ganguly b Nash 3m, 5b 2
V Bhardawaj c Parore b Cairns 11m, 4b 0
MSK Prasad not out 2215;4, 89m, 49b 16
S Joshi c Spearman b O8217;Connor 1m, 1b 0
A Kumble c S8217;man b Nash 1215;4, 21m, 11b 7
J Srinath c Astle b Nash 3215;4, 41m, 35b 20 V
Prasad c Fleming b Nash 2m, 4b 0
Extras nb6, lb5, b8 19
Total in 135m, 27 overs 83
Fall of wickets: 1-2 Ramesh, 2-3 Dravid, 3-7 Gandhi, 4-10 Ganguly, 5-22 Bhardawaj, 6-38 Tendulkar, 7-38 Joshi, 8-53 Kumble, 9-83 Srinath
Bowling: Cairns 9-4-23-2, Nash 11-3-27-6, O8217;Connor 7-1-20-2.

NEW ZEALAND 1ST INNINGS

M Horne c Ganguly b Srinath 1215;4, 30m, 27b 6
M Bell b Srinath 12m, 4b 0
C Spearman c amp; b Kumble 7215;4, 154m, 122b 51
S Fleming batting 3215;4, 176m,124b 38
N Astle batting 1215;4, 38m, 34b 12
Extras b1, lb6, nb5 12
Total for 3 wkts 119
Fall of wickets: 1-7 Bell, 2-8 Horne, 3-99 Spearman
Bowling: Srinath 11-4-27-2, Prasad 10-4-25-0, Ganguly 1-0-1-0, Kumble 12-3-25-1, Bhardawaj 9-1-22-0, Joshi 8-4-12-0.