Munaf, Harbhajan have good outing

The Indians had a good look at Munaf Patel and were reasonably pleased with how the lanky medium-fast bowler performed in the two-day game against local Kwazulu-Natal Eleven in Durban on Saturday.

Patel bowled his eight overs for 25 runs and claimed two wickets as the local team ended the second and final day on 243 for eight.

The Indians had scored 271 for six declared in their first innings.

Patel, if he does not show any side effects from today's efforts, could have a reasonable chance of making it into the final eleven for the second Test, starting December 26.

Among the rest of the bowlers -- eight of the squad bowled on the final day -- Harbhajan Singh used the conditions well to account for three batsmen for 26 runs while Sourav Ganguly too turned his arm over to claim two scalps.

Among the others, VRV Singh managed a wicket, but the biggest disappointment was Irfan Pathan, who was smashed for 74 runs from his 11 overs.

For the hosts, Rivash Govind scored 88 from 128 balls, inclusive of six fours and a six.

Morne van Vuuren hit a quickfire 50 from 53 balls, inclusive of four fours and three sixes.

Earlier in the day, there was lot of cheer when Patel picked a wicket off his very first ball. The hosts were 68 for 1 from 28 overs but all attention was on Patel, who was brought in as second change after Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth and Irfan Pathan had a bowl at the Crusaders Park.

Patel, who has not been in action since November 26, when he pulled up with a sore ankle in the one-day international in Cape Town, is important to India's plans and the word is that a good spell here would earn him selection ahead of VRV Singh.

The Indians declared at their overnight score of 270 for 6 and the hosts largely made good use of the sluggish pitch and uninspiring bowling, except for one moment when Patel earned a leg before shout against Fabian Lazarus (9).

India tried as many as six bowlers in the first session, keeping with their plans to give the bowlers a good run ahead of the second Test of the series which begins here on December 26.

Scorecard

Indians (Ist Innings): 270 for 6 decl.

Kwazulu Natal XI (Ist Innings):
Ross McMillan batting 31
Fabian Lazarus lbw b Patel 9
Rivash Gobind batting 23
Extras (lb2, nb3) 5
Total (for 1 wkt, 27 overs) 68

Fall of wicket: 1-22.

Bowling: Zaheer 5-1-7-0, Sreesanth 5-0-10-0, Pathan 5-1-15-0, Patel 4-1-8-1, VRV Singh 4-0-17-0, Ganguly 4-1-9-0.

[Scorecard incomplete]