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Singer Akai Nidahas Trophy, 1998, Final,
India v Sri Lanka, R. Premadasa Stadium,
Colombo, 7 July 1998

Transcript of the Commentary - India Innings

Prem Panicker (Tue Jul 7 1998 1:47)

The first bit of good news we have is that the play will start on time, the temp is about 30 degrees, with a high humidity, around 85 degrees.

The catch -- and it is something both captains will need to keep in mind when deciding what to do if they should win the toss -- is the forecast, whcih says showers are possible later in the day.

Essentially, the theory is you bat second in such cases. But the catch is, if one innings is completed and then rain interrupts midway through the second, the team batting last could face some crazy run equations if the overs are reduced -- and that is something you don't need. My option? Bat first.

The pitch is flat and pretty hard. Given that it has rained here off and on over the past few days, there should be a residue of sub-surface moisture, which means some life for seamers early on. But then it should settle into a nice batting track, slowing down as the game wears on, and taking turn -- another good reason to bat first, since SL has a slew of spinners and you dont want to present them the opportunity of bowling to their strengths.

And Mohammad Azharuddin ahs won the toss, and otped to bat first, so fun and games due shortly, folks.

The stadium is jam packed, the baila beat is reverberating around the grounds. Meanwhile, India retaining the same lineup while Sri Lanka brings in Wickremasinghe in for Perera, the rest of the side remaining identical to the one that played the Kiwis the other day.

And here we gop, it is all systems go with W'Singhe to bowl to Saurav Ganduly.

Ball one is on leg, and Ganguly flicks backward of square, an easy two, and India is away. 2/0.

Ball two is down the leg side, Wsinghe searching for the right line, bowlers tend to keep the ball away from Saurav's off side but in the process, this one is a wide down leg. 3/0.

Again on the leg side, second legit ball ofthe innings, Ganguly gets one playing wide of mid on, India 4/0.

Ball three, Wsinghe, and now it is Tendulkar on strike. Wide of off, Sachin goes for it but it's a wide, called, India 5/0 and still only two balls bowled in the game thus far.

Next ball, Sachin checking a push, dabbing it down in front of cover, quick single, India 6/0.

Wsinghe to Ganguly on off and middle, forward push, appeal for LBW but that one is missing the stumps. Ball4, down leg again and another wide, this is proving to be an overlong over, India 7/0.

Off and middle line, SG moving across the stumps, flicking through square leg, gets one more and India at the end of the first over, 8/0.

Prem Panicker (Tue Jul 7 1998 2:5)

Ganguly again on strike, over number two coming up and it will be left arm spinner Niroshan Bandaratillake to open the bowling with Wsinghe. I suspect it is more because they don't have a decent seamer to call in -- the use of a spinner in the early overs against India is not exactly as useful a ploy as it wouldbe against say the Kiwis.

Ball one, flat and full length on off, bowled over the wicket, SG defensive. Ball two, identical, this time SG pushes to the on and they scamper the single. 9/0 India.

Ball three, Sachin ondriving, checking the shot, working the single to long on, India 11/0 and both batsmen, thus far, playing with caution, not really pushing the pedal here.

Ganguly driving on the rise but not really getting hold of it, here, ARjuna bringing off an acrobatic save and India 11/0 in 2, just three added in this over so the left arm spinner doing a good job with the new ball.

The gameplan for these two would be to play the way they are now, work the singles, hit only when the line dictates it -- and concentrate on a long, productive partnership. Wsinghe now to SRT, ball one, on the front foot pushed to mid off, running with the shot and one more, India 12/0.

Outside off and driven by Saurav, but Ranatunga has a packed off side field for the left hander, point, short cover, orthodox cover and a mid off in place for one of the most fluent players in that direction. Ball three, slightly wider outside off and Ganguly smoothly flowing into the drive, despite the packed field, threading the ball through teh covers, four all the way and India 16/0.

Next ball, on leg, bowled round the wicket and Ganguly pushes to leg but fielded at short midwicket, no run.

Ball five, again to leg and Saurav works it behind square leg, gets the single, India 17/0 in 2.5 and easing into a fluent start here.

Wsinghe to SRt, driven, to mid on, but no run there, Marvan Atapattu in place. End of three overs, India 17/0.

B'Tilleke the left arm spinner to continue, gave three in his first over and will bowl to Saurav, who thus far has been getting the bulk of the strike.

Ball one, a gentle push to mid off, SG running with the shot -- a new feature of his batting, this willingness to work the singles -- and one more. Next ball, SAchin waits, lets it come on, plays to midwicket and again, the run taken with the shot. Good understanding here, India 19/0. Ball three, driven by SG to mid on, single, India 20/0.

Ball four, Btilleke, to SRT, and he picks one from middle, flicks over midiwcket, Jayasuriya sweeping there, two more to Sachin, India 22/0.

Again, Sachin pushing, very gently, long on is right back so the batsmen strolling the single, Sachin wants two but Ganguly took the first one slowly. 23/0. India 23/0 in 4.

That last over, six off it with neither batsman really pushing it. Meanwhile, bit of a problem there, Ganguly seems to have got a bit of a muscle problem while turning for a possible second there, being attended to, and the game at a temporary halt.

Wsinghe starts a new over and again, the push, the single to SG. Next ball, Sachin driving on the up through cover, one more to the sweeper, India 24/0.

Wsinghe this tiime going down the leg side, SG missing with the flick, looking for it to be called wide, but it isn't called. Bll four, Wsinghe, on off and driven on the up but the deeper of the two cover fielders fields, no run.

Ganguly straight drives, good diving stop by the bowler on the follow through and in this over, the left hander struggling to find the gap, mainly because Wsinghe is going round the wicket and angling in to off, no room for the shots. Last ball, turned round, no touch though, fielded at short fine, leg bye, India 25/0 in 5.

Btilleke to continue, Ganguly on strike -- somehow, Ganguly has been getting the bulk of the bowlingthus far. Another push and run for the single, India 26/0.

the danger with Sachin not getting too much of the strike is that he then tends to become impatient and try that one shot too many. Ball three, turned round the corner, but finds backward square, no run. Ball four, again turned off his pads, this time squarer into the gap between backward square and deep square leg sweeper, Sachin running very hard, converts it to two. India 28/0.

Fifth ball, SRt sweeps, checking the shot, finding the sweeper, gets one more, India 29/0.

Ganguly down the track to the last ball, picks the shorter one early, to the pitch and lifts easily over mid off, four, India 33/0 and that was an effortless hit.

The run rate 5.5 at the end of six overs, easy if unspectacular start. Wsinghe now to Sachin, outside off, played square, finds point, Mahanama, no run.

Out of 37 balls bowled thus far, Ganguly has taken 24 and got 17. Sachin works another signle, to mid on, India 33/0.

Out of 37 balls bowled thus far, Ganguly has taken 24 and got 17.

Fractionally short, this ball, Sachin picking that length quickly and launching into a pull through midwicket, four, India 37/0.

Next ball, outside off and a flowing cover drive, brilliantly played, stops the field in its tracks and even sweeper Jayasuriya on the cover fence not able to get to it, four more, India 41/0.

India 41/0 in 7 and Sachin in this over upping a gear, with those two flowing fours, one on either side of the wicket. Btilleke, now, to bowl to Saurav.

Ball one from the left arm spinner, Ganguly waits, lets it come on, works it to leg and one more, India 42/0 and Sachin back on strike, batting 19 off 18.

India Innings Continued