Kambli dazzles as practice match ends relaxed day at camp

Preparatory camps might be a big event for cricketers who haven't yet broken into the national side. It might be a big event for interested schoolboys in around the venue of the camp. But for the best part of it, these camps are a routine affair. After sweating it out in various drills and net sessions, the twenty probables at the preparatory camp in Chennai took the field for a match at the IIT Chemplast ground.

Watched over keenly by newly reinstated coach Anshuman Gaekwad and the most important men - the national selectors, all the probables slugged it out in the sweltering Chennai heat. Although the match might have been of significance officially, no quarter was given and none asked for.

Since the camp consisted of only twenty probables, two local cricketers got their share in the limelight. Sachin Tendulkar as skipper of one side took on a team led by Chennai favourite Robin Singh. Winning the toss and electing to bat first, Sachin Tendulkar and his men were in no sort of strife against a bowling attack that included the likes of Ajit Agarkar, Debashish Mohanty, Amit Bhandari and Sunil Joshi. Young Tamil Nadu southpaw Sridharan Sriram made 25 before he was caught behind off Bhandari. Tendulkar then helped himself to 68 easy runs before retiring to the comfortable pavilion in order to give some of the other batsmen in his side a go at the bowling. Mohammed Kaif made a timely 65 with the selectors watching each stroke before he presented part time off spinner Sadagoppan Ramesh with a return catch.

Baroda batsman Jacob Martin remained unbeaten on 56 as Sachin Tendulkar's XI coasted to 254/4 off their allotted 50 overs.

In reply, Robin Singh's side looked in a bit of trouble as promoted opener Reuben Paul and Ramesh managed just one run between them. Another Tamil Nadu boy, Hemang Badani too managed just 12 before he was cleaned up by Karnataka seamer Venkatesh Prasad. Yuvraj Singh stroked himself to 23 including four boundaries but made the cardinal error of playing down the wrong line to a Kaif off spinner and was bowled.

With Robin Singh's side struggling at 78/4 things looked distinctly good for Tendulkar and his mates.

Enter Robin Singh and Mumbai star Vinod Kambli. The script changed completely. While the sprightly Robin Singh pushed Kambli harder between the wickets, the Mumbai left hander showed off his felicity with the bat. Although it was clear that the thirty-seven year old Tamil Nadu allrounder was far fitter than his twenty-eight year old Mumbai counterpart, he could not match Kambli's range of strokes.

Cutting, pulling and driving with gay abandon, Kambli took to the bowling attack like a fish to water. Sharing an unbeaten 177 run stand, the two saw their side to victory with almost four overs to spare. Kambli had signaled his keenness to play for India with an unbeaten 127 (132 balls, 14 fours) while Robin Singh was at his energetic best on the way to 70 not out (78 balls, 2 fours, 1 six)

At the end of the match the players all seemed relaxed. With the selection meeting to pick the final fourteen not two days away, there were no obvious signs of nerves. Gaekwad too appeared jovial and was pleased with what he had witnessed. Although the players were mentally relaxed, they were put through a grilling fitness routine by physio Andrew Leipus.

The probables will play another practice match tomorrow, after which they will be joined by Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble who are currently on the way back from England where they played a season of county cricket.