Sehwag and Yuvraj propel seniors to victory

India Seniors 213 and 387 for 5 (Sehwag 146, Yuvraj 115, Mongia 3-39) beat India A 302 and 297 for 5 dec by 5 wickets
Scorecard

An exhilarating display of power hitting from Virender Sehwag and a stylish century from Yuvraj Singh propelled India Seniors to a convincing five-wicket victory over India A in a warm-up match in which they had been comprehensively outplayed for the first three days.

Needing a further 352 to overhaul an imposing target of 387 when they resumed in the morning, Sehwag and Yuvraj played with such flair and assurance that the A team couldn't even entertain daydreams of success. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly an unforgettable over in which Sehwag - who had reached his century with a straight six - smashed Murali Kartik for 35 runs, including five sixes in an arc between midwicket and extra-cover.

It was devastating stuff, and was just the tonic that Sehwag needed after his ten previous knocks in all forms of the game had realised a paltry 60 runs. At the other end, Yuvraj - who had himself been going through a fallow run - was a touch more circumspect, but drove and pulled with panache whenever the opportunity presented itself.

John Wright, India's coach, spoke afterwards of how chuffed he was that both Sehwag and Yuvraj had spent such quality time in the middle ahead of the searching examination that awaits in less than a week's time. The opening partnership of 279 came at more than five an over, against an attack that was nothing like as potent as it had been in the first innings. Amit Bhandari and Shib Sankar Paul bowled only 11 overs between them in the day, while Kartik - his blonde-highlighted hair perhaps turned grey by the intensity of Sehwag's blitz - was savaged to the tune of 129 from his 26 overs.

Sehwag (146) was dropped once, on 103, but that was a minor quibble about a gloriously entertaining innings that featured 13 fours and nine sixes. Yuvraj's 115 was no tortoise-like effort either, with 15 fours and a six in a chanceless 170-ball effort.

With victory inevitable, the Seniors could even allow themselves a mid-afternoon wobble, with Dinesh Mongia's innocuous left-arm spin accounting for three of the wickets to fall. Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman both failed, and Aakash Chopra - retained to face the Aussies - made just 25, but a brisk unbeaten 44 from Parthiv Patel ensured that the target would be overhauled with 13.1 overs still left to be bowled in the day.

With Sourav Ganguly away consulting with the selectors on the composition of the national squad, it was Dravid who had consoling handshakes for the A team players as they trooped back in, a touch deflated. For men like Sridharan Sriram and Dheeraj Jadhav, both so assured against the acme of India's bowling talent, it's surely a case of when, not if, while for Mohammad Kaif and Kartik, it's time to make the most of the chance that has come their way.

Both Dravid and Ganguly had kept enquiring about the Mumbai-Australians match yesterday, and the Amol Mazumdar-led defiance at the Brabourne Stadium this afternoon would undoubtedly have put a smile on a few faces that have become more accustomed to frowns in the past two months. After a poor lead-up to the first Test at Brisbane last December, India were reckoned to be fair-weather batting aristocrats sent to the Australian bowling guillotine. Instead, Ganguly's magnificent century set the tone for a series in which the Indians more than held their own.

It will take something similarly inspirational to tackle a much-improved Australian side, but with Sehwag once again belting the ball with free-spirited abandon, there'll be a spring in the step on Wednesday morning. Of course, a certain Mumbai gentleman's inclusion in the 15-man squad doesn't hurt morale either.