Nehra will play in second Test

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday gave paceman Ashish Nehra, who was stopped from bowling in the first Test against Zimbabwe, the go-ahead to play in the second Test, but opener Sadagoppan Ramesh looked a doubtful starter, having not recovered fully from a back injury.

"He (Nehra) would play," Ganguly said, after a look at the wicket at the Harare Sports Club, where the second Test will be played from Friday.

There were doubts over Nehra's inclusion in the team for the second Test after umpires stopped him from bowling, midway through his 27th over of the Zimbabwe second innings in Bulawayo, and disqualified him from bowling for the rest of the innings for damaging the pitch on his follow-through.

Nehra, whose boots damaged the pitch near the non- striker's wickets, was warned twice by the umpires and on the third ocassion he was stopped from bowling.

Coach John Wright too supported Nehra's cause saying the bowler had performed very well in the Bulawayo Test, claiming five wickets including the prized wicket of Andy Flower in both the innings.

However, Ramesh, who struggled with the bat in the first Test, has not recovered from the injury he sustained while fielding in Bulawayo, and is not sure of playing.

"His back has not improved much," said Ganguly. "We would have to keep a close watch on his fitness."

Ramesh took two outstanding catches in the second innings of the first Test, the second being an air-borne one-handed catch to dismiss dangerman Andy Flower during which he injured his back.

If Ramesh has to sit out, his statemate Hemang Badani may make his debut and be asked to open the innings with Shiv Sunder Das.

Meanwhile, Ganguly looked pleased with the pitch at the stadium, which seemed a bit more spinner-friendly than the one at Bulawayo.

Zimbabwe coach Carl Rackemann said the pitch would be very different from the first Test. "This is a different track. It will have a lot of pace though there might not be as much sideways movement," he said.

"Having said that, I think the track in Bulawayo was outstanding and everyone, be it a batsman or a bowler, had a chance in the middle," he said.

Rackemann felt had his bowlers performed a little better the fate of the first Test would have been different. "I have no doubt on this score. I think we didn't bowl as well as we should have to Harbhajan (Singh). We allowed him to get away with easy runs. We would make sure it doesn't happen here.

"If we bowl with discipline and bat the way we did in the second innings, we could spring a surprise on the Indians," he said.

Zimbabwe are fancying their chances in the second Test, with Travis Friend, who missed the first Test with a thigh injury, recovering fast and looking almost a certainty for the second Test.

Mail Cricket Editor