India A romp to Challenger series win

India A 314 for 6 (Tendulkar 88, Sriram 70, Gavaskar 50) beat India B 215 (Bahutule 55, Yuvraj 47) by 99 runs
Scorecard

Chasing 315 is hard to do, no matter how flat the wicket is, how lacklustre the opposition bowling is and how terrific the batting side is. You need a bit of luck. And you certainly cannot afford to muck about with the batting order like India B did, and expect to win. Rahul Dravid may have given everyone in his side a chance to have a decent bat, but he certainly can't be surprised that his team slid to a 99-run loss. A portion of the proceeds went to Sadanand Vishwanath, the former Indian wicketkeeper, as it was his benefit game. Some would say that that was the only worth-while thing to come out of this match.

Several newspapers fell over each other complaining that the fans did not turn up in large numbers at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore to watch the Challenger Series. Conducted, as it was, as a large out-in-the-middle selection exercise, one wonders what they would say now. After India A flayed their way to 314 from 50 overs thanks to 88 from Sachin Tendulkar, not at his best, and 70 sparkling runs from Sridharan Sriram, the India B side did not give themselves the best chance of winning this game.

While one of the aims of the Challenger Series was to give the selectors a sighter before the season started, it was disappointing to watch the manner in which India B failed to compete. The decision to open with Jai P Yadav and Shiv Sunder Das proved costly. Yadav swatted at everything that was full and was constantly beaten. He did not have the shot selection needed to bat safely while looking for quick runs and could not keep the strike rotating with singles. Das, looking for a nonexistent single, took a little saunter down the track and stood rooted halfway as Irfan Pathan, the bowler, threw down the stumps to effect the run-out (30 for 1).

Dravid then compounded the error of his choice of openers by sending Vijay Bharadwaj in at No. 3. Bharadwaj made two scratchy runs before having his off stump uprooted by Irfan Pathan (42 for 2). Yadav was then put out of his misery when he drove Aavishkar Salvi to Tendulkar at mid-off (58 for 3).

Dravid (27) and Yuvraj Singh then attempted to put together a partnership of substance. Just when the going looked good for the B team, a moment of inspiration from Tendulkar turned the tables. Dravid looked to cut a straight one from Tendulkar and was clean bowled (123 for 4). After Dravid departed, wickets fell in a clump. Thilak Naidu (1) ran himself out (125 for 5) and Ajit Agarkar (1) was adjudged lbw (130 for 6), despite chopping the ball so hard onto his pad that he might have bruising to show for it.

Yuvraj struck some telling blows, clouting seven fours in his 51-ball 47. Attempting to get to his half-century with a flourish, Yuvraj pulled Ramesh Powar to Irfan Pathan on the midwicket fence (147 for 7). From here on, it was the high road to nowhere. Sairaj Bahutule (55 not out) confirmed his reputation as an able striker of the ball, but little else was achieved as India B slid to 215 all out. Dinesh Mongia, who injured his hand while fielding, did not bat and was retired out.

If there was something fans had to be grateful for, it was the run-fest that happened when India A batted. Even though Tendulkar fell when there was a century for the taking, India A reached a massive 314 for 6. After Tendulkar's stroke-filled 88 Sridharan Sriram then stepped to the fore with an effective and entertaining 70. Tendulkar's 88 was a picture of concentration and effort, dismantling any bowling that gave him room to free his arms.

Gautam Gambhir, in the meantime, helped himself to 35, inlcuding seven fours, and licked his lips at the prospect of more easy runs when Dinesh Mongia was introduced into the attack in the 13th over. However, Gambhir's eagerness got the better of him and he lofted Mongia's second delivery straight to Sarandeep Singh at long-on (71 for 1).

Mohammad Kaif (38) combined with a calm Tendulkar to add 83 runs for the third wicket. It was only a dubious umpiring decision that broke the partnership. Kaif was adjudged lbw to Bahutule's legspin when the ball had clearly pitched outside the leg stump.

After reaching his half-century, Tendulkar opened his shoulders and struck four more boundaries before a loose shot cost him his wicket. The crowd was audibly disappointed when Tendulkar hit Sarandeep down Jai P Yadav's throat at long-on, and understandably so. Tendulkar had played some strident shots and should have gone on to make the bowlers pay.

Unfortunately for India B, the back of Tendulkar did not mean the end of their worries. Sriram hit 70 from 55 balls and played the cheeky devil to the hilt, backing up every orthodox-sweep with a powerful reverse-sweep. The power he generated when playing both kind of sweeps stumped the fielders. While Rahul Dravid spread the field a bit squarer to counter these shots, Sriram then presented the full face of the bat, biffing the ball through cover. Rohan Gavaskar (50) made the most of his chances. He should have been run out at least twice, but Thilak Naidu's shoddy glovework let him off on each occasion. Swinging the bat merrily, Gavaskar collected three fours and a six as the innings wound to a close.

Anand Vasu is assistant editor of Wisden CricInfo in India.