Sri Lankans are natural stroke makers and live by
that practice:
What comes naturally
by A.C. De Silva
Test cricket: If 1,096 runs for 17 wickets is entertaining then the
Kanpur Test was a sizling attraction. But every one who knows the game
knows this is far from the truth.
Two great anti-climaxes had already come by the second day of the
first Test in the India-Sri Lanka series.
The first was the deceptive appearance of the green strip prepared
for the Test. The green top was in keeping with India's design of
placing faith in its seamers.
Whether that faith is really justified or not, the thing that was
apparent was fast tracks are as rare as hen's teeth in India.
Highest ever
The second anti-climax that came in the form of winter rain and
washed out an the entire day's play, could not be helped from that
point, it was only a matter of which team had more batting muscle.
Obviously, India had the greater power of durable batsmanship.
This was stressed in Indian's highest ever Test score till then. It
was patently obvious that the Lankans had come to Kanpur to play out a
grinding draw in the series.
The test will only be remembered for the mammoth total India made and
the three centurions who brought that tally about - Sunil Gavaskar
(176), Mohammed Azharuddin (199) who did a Gaveskar, and Kapil Dev
(163).
The efforts placed in the pale the majestic batting of Roy Dias (50).
and Arjuna Ranatunga (52). To be fair, one would rate their efforts as
good as Kapil Dev's for the sheer power of being able to take apart the
bowling.
The only difference was that the Lankans are natural stroke makers
and they live by that practice and hence tended to throw it away when
looking in total command in the middle. Being far more experienced Test
players, the Indian batsmen latched onto good thing when they saw one.
There were to be two other major innings for Sri Lanka. They were by
Sidath Wettimuny (79) and the converted opener Ravi Ratnayake (93).
Since both had to play at the start of the Test, their contributions had
to come in a slow and defensive manner. Wettemuny sparked after a shaky
start while Ratnayake made up for some early lapses, but picked up and
started to play elegantly.
India's star bowler Kapil Dev took time to settle down and once he
worked himself to bowl positively, there way a different took about
himself and bowl positively. It was his long effort on the third day
that brought about the dramatic rise in the strike rate.
A touch of class by Azharuddin
India's Azharuddin had run into from only late in each of the three
subsequent series he played. In fact, in the last Tests at Kandy, Sydney
and Edgbaston.
But Kandy, Sydney and Edglaston. But it was hot as if he was being
kept in the side only on the basis of those late scoring efforts.
These reasons to believe he has class and that commodity has to be
pampered just a shade to allow to be blown to high performance. And when
a young man bats for 500 minutes at a crucial point in his career, it is
certain he has it in him to assume a more steady and central role in the
team's batting affairs.
This near 700 total by India was a kind of cricketing answer thrown
up by India to compensate for the rough experience in Sri Lanka in 1986
- this eventual progress to an all time high Test score. Of course, the
Sri Lankans will entertain doubts about the umpiring The lankan bowlers,
particular Ravi Ratnayake, who bowled so intelligently and so
industriously in the role of a workhorse seamer, had reason to feel
discontented over a couple or appeals refused when two Indian batsman
were in their 90's.
India-Sri Lanka clash in centre field >> SCOREBOARD
Sri Lanka 1st Innings
S. Wettimuny lbw b Chetan Sharma 79
Ravi Ratnayake Lbw b Kapil Dev 93
Aravinda de Silva Arun 26
A. Gurusinha b Kapil Dev 19
R.L Dias C. Azharuddin b Arun 50
D. Mendis Lbw b Chetan Sharma 01
A. Rantunga Lbw b Maninder Singh 52
G. de Alwis b Maninder Singh 13
A. de Mel c Arun b Shastri 25
Asoka de Silva lbw b Arun 21
G. Labroy not out 05
Extras : (b-1, lb -10, Nb 19, W-6) 36
Total : 420
Fall of Wickets: 1-59, 2-217, 3-217, 4-286, 5-292
6-355, 7-355, 8-389, 9-354
Bowling (India) : Kapil Dev 30-11-81-2
B. Arun 27-7-76-3
Chatan Sharma 31-4-122-2
Maminder Singh 32-1-89-2
R.J. Shastin 17-6-37-1
K. SrikKanth 1-0-4-0
India 1st Innings
S.M. Gavaskar c Wettimuny b Labrooy 176
K Srikkanth c De Alwis b Ratnayake 18
Raman Lamba run out 24
D.B. Vengsarkar c Gurusinghe b de Mel 57
M.D. Azharuddin lbw b Ratnayake 199
R J. Shastri Lbw b Ratnayake 06
Kapil Dev lbw b Ratnayake 163
B. Arun not out 02
Extras :(b-1, lb, nb-18, w-1) 31
Total (for seven wkts) 676
Fall of Wickets: 1-50,2-100, 3-217, 4-380, 5-399, 6-671, 7-676.
Bowling: (Sri Lanka): A de Mel 31-4-119-1
G. Labrooy 35-4-164-1
Ravi Ratnayake 37.1-2-132-4
Asoka de Silva 40-7-133-0
A. Ranatunga 15-4-58-0
A Gurusinha 7-0-42-0
S. Wettimuny 2-0-16-0
Man of the match: Sunil Gavaskar (India) |