Champs bite the dust
By A. C. de Silva
CRICKET: World Cup champions India, with a claim of being one of the
three best sides in limited overs cricket, was laid low by Sri Lanka in
Kappur. The Lankans won by 117 runs, after having scored 195 for 8
wickets in 46 overs and then they bundled out India for 78 in 24.1 overs.
The defeat by the biggest margin to Sri Lanka is not to be taken as
one of those stray accidents. It took place in Kappur in December 1986.
This was the pattern by which India has been constantly sliding down its
perch. The reasons are a basic arrogance in assuming the batting will
always come good in time to keep winning series and in a presumptuous
attitude to one-day cricket against Sri Lanka.
Long before India was bundled out for 78, the looseness of approach
was visible in the manner in which the end overs were bowled.
There is just no space for relaxing in one-day cricket. What should
have been a target for around 170, because a far more difficult 196,
simply because the young seamers just do not know where to keep the ball
when sluggers are at the crease. The side lost all the control it had
been given by the thrust of Kapil Dev's opening spell and a superb
exhibition of semi-defensive spin bowling by Maninder Singh.
There was the same disinterested attitude about the batting. On a
pitch that was never going to be good for one-day cricket because of
excessive watering soon after the Test was over, the batsmen simply
refused to fight.
Sri Lanka had a poor start. It was three down before crossing 50.
Arjuna Ranatunga and Asanka Gurusinha fought back to rebuild the
innings. And then there were always those end overs to be looked forward
to even if the wickets had fallen and only the tailenders were left to
throw the bat around.
Ridiculous
There was a sense of responsibility and a dedication to the
performance that was just not there in India's display. Stars alone
cannot win cricket matches. Solid work too has to be put in. The start
was poor and it was made worse by the most ridiculous by the umpiring
decision seen for a long time in India as umpire Phookun ruled
Vengsarkar runout for no ostensible reason other than perhaps having to
put his finger up in his first international match. When a batsman is a
yard inside the crease, he has a right to question the wisdom of
umpires. Luckily, Vengsarkar more or less just laughed and walked away.
The collapse that began afterwards was what made the whole Indian
effort in the match so ridiculous. The team that bats down to ten, ended
up with its lowest ever score at home. Only two batsmen crossed ten. All
were not dismissed by the state of the pitch which was keeping lower and
lower as the day wore on.
Most of the batsmen just did not bother to put their heads down and
work the ball steadily before breaking out into their strokes as the two
Sri Lankas lefthanders Asanka Gurusinha and Arjuna Ranatunga had done
successfully.
In fact, India had all the advantages in the match. The toss went
their way and it could be given some thrust by its captain. It had
spinners too to use the slow turn and keep a tight check on the scoring.
Despite all this, if the side loses by over 100 runs something must be
very wrong with the attitude and approach. Losing the first game of a
series of five is not the end of the world. But slipping from a pedestal
is serious business.
Superb
Arjuna Ranatunga's slow medium pace was the spearhead of the Sri
Lanka effort. He knew where to keep the ball and did not and cannot
strive for pace.
The Indian support seamers always believe they have to be pacy even
in their second spells. The Indians also have to learn a lot about
fielding from the Lankans. The islanders were simply brilliant on the
field, importantly, they tried and succeeded.
In the Indian Camp, Madan Lal was the keenest man on the field. And
this should show what the state of affairs in the team is. Someone in
the Indian camp should find out.
Sri Lanka's victory was similar to the many India achieved despite
low-looking totals. This despite some limitations in the attack. It is a
team which wins matches when bowling and this Sri Lanka proved again and
most creditably. Hopefully, it has also provoked the sleeping giant into
waking up.
SRI LANKA
R. Mahanama c Vengsarkar b Kapil Dev 13
Ravi Ratnayake lbw b Kapil Dev 7
A. Gurusinha c Madan Lal b Maninder 35
A. de Silva c Maninder b Chetan Sharma 3
A. Ranatunga lbw b Arun 31
R. Dias c and b Maninder 11
D. Mendis b Chetan Sharma 26
Guy de Alwis b Maninder 15
A. de Mel not out 23
Rumesh Ratnayake not out 19
EXTRAS: (lb-7, w-2, nb-3) 12
TOTAL: (for 8 wkts in 46 overs) 195
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-15, 2-33, 3-43, 4-95, 5-101, 6-117, 7-150, 8-155.
BOWLING: Kapil Dev 7-3-10-2, Arun 8-0-43-1, Chetan Sharma 8-0-50-2,
Madan Lal 8-1-31-0, Maninder Singh 10-2-24-3, Ravi Shastri 5-0-25-0.
INDIA
K. Srikkanth c De Alwis b Ranatunga 17
Sunil Gavaskar c De Alwis b Rumesh Ratnayake 2
R. Lamba lbw b Rumesh Ratnayake 5
D.B. Vengsarkar run out 15
R.J. Shastri b Ranatunga 8
Kapil Dev c and b Ravi Ratnayake 9
C. Pandit c and b Ranatunga 0
B. Arun c Asoka de Silva b Ravi Ratnayake 8
Madan Lal c Mahanama b Ravi Ratnayaka 1
Maninder Singh not out 0
EXTRA: (lb-1, nb-1 w-3) —-
TOTAL: (In 24.1 overs) 78
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-6, 2-18, 3-37, 4-47, 5-56, 6-59, 7-59, 8.-65, 9.78.
BOWLING: Ashantha de Mel 7-1-22-0, Rumesh Ranatunga 6-1-15-42,
Arjuna Ranatunga 6-1-14-4, Asoka de Silva 2-0-10-0, Ravi Ratnayake 3.1-0-12-3. |
