Toothless Indian bowling feels the heat against BP XI
India’s Test series against Sri Lanka got off to the worst possible start at the Colts Cricket Club in Colombo against the SL Board President’s XI.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750’s bowling attack lacked any bite and were offered no respite by the Sri Lankan batting, in which three batsmen went on to make centuries at the end of the first day. Sri Lanka put itself into a commanding position based on their first innings total of a staggering 514 runs.
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758 BP XI skipper Thilan Samaraweera decided to bat after winning the toss and it was clear that the ploy was to go after the depleted Indian bowling attack and deliver a blow to the psyche.
India were without Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh and the new ball was shared by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rahul-c83321 Dravid being the culprit.
Yet, Sharma was the pick of the bowlers, though he was wicketless and had an economy of more than four, which really sums up the day for the Indian bowlers.
The openers were harsh on the new ball, looking to attack at every given opportunity. Tharanga, who is not part of the Test squad, seemed to view this as an opportunity to demonstrate what the Sri Lankan side was missing. However, the selectors would have hardly noticed it as the man at the other end, Lahiru Thirimanne, was also impressive and would be part of the Test squad.
The onslaught continued throughout the first session and spin was brought on as early as the 10th over. Amit Mishra replaced Mithun and was given the treatment by Tharanga, who had eight boundaries in his first 40 balls. The bowlers were shuffled regularly and all were treated with disdain.
Sri Lanka had raced to 164 for no loss by the end of the first session and the damage had been done.
The damage continued in the second session but was not inflicted by the openers. Both of them lost their concentration and their wickets, Tharanga to a mistimed shot and Thirimanne to a bad defensive stroke. If the Indians had thought they were going to be let off, they were wrong. Thilina Kandamby, who has an excellent record against India in the limited version of the game, came in at three and looked the part right from the start. He was especially harsh on Ojha, who had picked up both the openers. Thilan Samaraweera joined Kandamby after the second wicket and his arrival brought in a period in which the spinners looked comfortable, albeit at one end.
Kandamby continued to be in control while Samaraweera did not look convincing.
The runs continued to flow, however and Kandamby had his half century by tea. Both batsmen looked to attack in the third session and went past the 100 mark. The spinners were the victims again, with Samaraweera smashing 31 off 13 deliveries at one point of time, after getting to his fifty.
But both players, like Tharanga, almost threw their wickets away after reaching their centuries. Kandamby was stumped off the bowling of Mishra and Samaraweera was out after mistiming a slog sweep. http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Prasanna-Jayawardene-c82537 was the final wicket to fall for the day after helping himself to a couple of boundaries off Mishra and Ojha.
India looked jaded after a long day’s toil and M S Dhoni will be a worried man ahead of the first test. Zaheer Khan is out of the series and the Indian new ball attack looks toothless. Neither of the Indian pace trio is intimidating nor does the team have an excellent spin option to assist Harbhajan. The only positive that India could take was the performance of Ishant, who looked promising at the start.
India will again face three of the top four Sri Lankans they faced today in the test series. Samaraweera has a wonderful record against India and Kandamby and Thirimanne will look to make their debut, come July the 18th.
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