Indian Hopefuls Get A Chance To Press Their Case (8 Jan 1997)

8 January 1997

Indian hopefuls get a chance to press their case

In light of the 282-run defeat suffered by the Indian team at Cape Town the other day, the demands that the touring side be augmented by players from home have received fresh impetus.

And those whose names are being touted as likely candidates for the next flight to South Africa - Ajay Jadeja, Vinod Kambli, Robin Singh and Sunil Joshi - have a chance to reinforce their claims when they walk out on Thursday, as part of the India A team, to play the touring Lancashire county side in an exhibition match at the Eden Gardens in Calcutta.

Lancashire captain Mike Watkinson, in fact, feels that with the likes of Jadeja, Kambli, Singh and Joshi in the side, it is pretty much as good as playing the Indian team, and believes the contest will be very keen.

"Our own side is a bit rusty after a three month layoff," admitted Watkinson, "but then, we are quite used to playing one dayers and players like Neil Fairbrother and Peter Martin, who have played for England in recent times, will be a force to reckon with."

Lancashire`s batting in the game will largely depend on Fairbrother and Graham Lloyd, while medium pacers Martin and Glenn Capell, and off spinner Gary Yates, are likely to be the strike bowlers. Besides, Watkinson and McKewan are reputed as good strikers of the ball.

After a couple of hours of workout at the net and then a short stint of soccer, Watkinson was all praise for the Eden Gardens wicket. "It is very good, should play well till the end of the day," the Lancashire captain said.

Both India and Lancashire are expected to announce their playing elevens only tomorrow morning.

The squads for the fifty-overs per side one day game are:

Lancashire: Mike Watkinson, T Tichard, N Wood, G Lloyd, N Fairbrother, W Hegg, G Yates, G Cappell, Peter Martin, I Austin, G Keedy, R Green and P McKewan.

India A: Ajay Jadeja (captain), Vinod Kambli, Robin Singh, Sunil Joshi, Dahiya, Gagan Khoda, R Ramesh, Sandeep Sharma, B R Ramprakash, Obaid Kamal, Abhijit Kale, Nikhil Haldipur, Sanjay Raul and Sukhbir Singh.

Source :: Rediff On The NeT (https://www.rediff.co.in)