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| Sunday, 22 September 2002 |
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England aim to tame India batting in decider by N. ANANTHANARAYANAN COLOMBO, Sept 21 (Reuters) - England will take aim at a formidable Indian batting line-up when they clash in the deciding pool 2 Champions Trophy game on Sunday. The most high-profile game of the league stage of this 12-team event will be a virtual quarter-final as the winners go through to face former champions South Africa in the semi-finals. India have in recent months stopped relying too much on the leading duo of Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Saurav Ganguly and should hold the edge on a slow, turning track in Colombo. "The key is working at their batting line-up," England skipper Nasser Hussain said on Saturday. "But there is not a specific area in this line-up you can focus on." The experienced Rahul Dravid's one-day form has come as a bonus to a side where youngsters Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif have boosted the batting this season coming in at numbers six and seven. India hold a 5-4 win-loss record from 10 games against England this year and won their previous meeting at Lord's in July, chasing a mammoth 326 to win a tri-series final. India lost five early wickets before being rescued by Yuvraj and Kaif, who hit 87 not out and showed his form again by top-scoring with 111 during the win over Zimbabwe in this event. Dark defeat Hussain considered the defeat, which came despite centuries from him and opener Marcus Trescothick, a personal blow but said he did not see Sunday's game as a revenge outing. "For me personally, it was dark, we lost a game of such importance. That game will always hurt me. But we shouldn't be making too much of it." England off-spinner Jeremy Snape was a doubtful starter due to a rib muscle injury and if he fails a fitness test scheduled before the game, left-arm spinner Ashley Giles could come in. England are already without all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, in-form opener Michael Vaughan and leading fast bowler Darren Gough, all because of injuries. Essex all-rounder Ronnie Irani stepped into the breach on Wednesday by taking four wickets against Zimbabwe and Hussain was not unduly concerned. "We've not had many low-key games against India. We have shown at times we can beat them, we have outplayed them, they have outplayed us, matches have come to the wire." Laxman likely India skipper Ganguly said stylish middle-order batsman Vangipurappu Laxman could be recalled in place of out-of-form left-hander Dinesh Mongia. Ganguly said England were a dangerous side and India would have to bat to potential to win. "We need to bat well. We didn't in the last game and Kaif and Rahul (Dravid) took us out of jail," he told reporters. India were reeling at 87-5 against Zimbabwe with Ganguly and Tendulkar falling cheaply before Kaif and Dravid, who hit 71, joined together to lift their team to 288. Ganguly said opener Marcus Trescothick, who hit 119 against Zimbabwe, was a big threat. He also said spinners Kumble and Harbhajan needed to improve after managing just one wicket between them against Zimbabwe. Teams: India (probable) - Saurav Ganguly (captain), Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra. England (from) - Nasser Hussain (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Nick Knight, Ronnie Irani, Ian Blackwell, Owais Shah, Alec Stewart, Dominic Cork, Andy Caddick, Matthew Hoggard, Jeremy Snape, Ashley Giles. Umpires - Steve Bucknor and Russel Tiffin. |
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