India A slump to 106 run loss

India A and Sri Lanka A fought it out in Abu Dhabi while their respective senior teams were involved in Test series in other arts of the world. The match was particularly significant for the captain of the India A side Nayan Mongia. Mongia, who has been India's senior stumper for over 5 years is now out in the cricketing wilderness as MSK Prasad has taken over his mantle.

It was not Mongia, but Rajasthan medium pacer Sanjay Bangar who impressed in the first match. The youngster, who was in the squad for the tour game against the visiting New Zealanders at Jodhpur picked up three wickets and helped restrict Sri Lanka A to just 202. The Lankans lasted 4 balls short of their allotted 50 overs and could not put up a sufficiently large total against the Indians.

Captain K Hathurasinghe (48) and S Jayantha (39) were the only two batsmen to make a mark. After a middle order collapse, some lusty hiting by Jayantha, including 3 big sixes saw the Lankans through to 202.

In response, the India A team took a leaf out of their senior counterparts' book and collapsed spectacularly. SS Das and Nikhil Haldipur stroked the ball well to begin with, but after their dismissal the battiing collapsed. Only Vinod Kambli (32) offered any resistance.

The disciplined Lankan bowling was too much to handle for the Indians, who eventually lost the match by 106 runs. Ruwan Kalpage was adjudged man of the match for his overall contribution.