India's big names miss out on runs in tour match

Updated December 19, 2011 19:48:59

India struggled on day one of its practice match in Canberra, but Doug Bollinger failed to take a wicket for the Chairman's XI in his bid to earn a Test recall on Boxing Day.

Middle-order batsmen Virat Kohli (55 not out) and Rohit Sharma (38 not out) combined for a an unbeaten 78-run stand to save India and steer it to 4 for 162 at stumps after 50 overs.

Monday morning rain delayed the start by two hours and 40 minutes and there was another lengthy stoppage in the afternoon.

The tourists decided not to play their two 38-year-old aces Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid and their remaining stars did not get much time in the middle.

Usually devastating opener Virender Sehwag fell for just 12, Gautam Gambhir for 24 and VVS Laxman was clean bowled for 15.

Bowlers shared the spoils but left-arm Bollinger went 0 for 30 from seven overs.

Bollinger has not worn the baggy green since the Adelaide Ashes Test last December and was looking to impress for Melbourne.

Peter George (1 for 42), Jason Behrendorff (1 for 8), Josh Lalor (1 for 9) and Jon Holland (1 for 37) all kept things pretty tight for the Chairman's team.

Kohli and Rohit Sharma are vying for the one middle-order spot in the Indian line-up and are making the decision difficult for selectors.

Rohit scored an unbeaten half century in the first Chairman's game and looks strong again, while Kohli played beautifully after failing last week.

Chairman's captain David Warner had complained of back soreness since his breakthrough Test ton in Hobart - although that did not stop him from an outstanding unbeaten century in the Big Bash League opener on Saturday night.

Warner left the field to see the physio a couple of times on Monday, but that was just treatment as opposed to further trouble.

Speculation is growing that India will call in a cover player for injured fast bowler Ishant Sharma after he was ruled out of the match.

Officials were hoping Sharma would rest on Monday and be available to play on Tuesday and Wednesday.

However, his ankle injury is worse than the team has been letting on and he cannot take part at all.

He completed just 5.3 overs against a Chairman's XI last week and seems to be in doubt for the Test.

When the Chairman's team get a chance to bat, Warner is listed to open the innings with Ed Cowan, leaving under-pressure Test incumbent Phil Hughes to bat down the order at number four.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, canberra-2600, act, australia, india

First posted December 19, 2011 19:32:25

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India's Aaron out of Australia tour

Updated December 10, 2011 09:29:18

India's young fast bowler Varun Aaron has been ruled out of the upcoming tour of Australia due to a back injury and will be replaced by Vinay Kumar, the Indian Cricket Board said on Friday.

The 22-year-old Aaron, who hails from Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni's home state of Jharkhand, played one Test against the West Indies in Mumbai last month where he claimed three wickets.

The back injury was detected during the ongoing one-dayers against the West Indies in which Aaron played the first two games but was left out of the next two.

"I have got a stress reaction in my back and won't be a part of the Test squad," a disappointed Aaron said.

"I have now been advised (to undergo) rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore. I hope to be fit soon."

The four-Test series in Australia starting later this month was seen as the perfect opportunity for the promising bowler to make a mark.

Kumar, 27, who bowls a steady line and length at medium-pace, has yet to play a Test despite 15 one-day appearances in which he has claimed 16 wickets.

Kumar's inclusion is the second change in the original 17-man squad after seamer Praveen Kumar was sidelined with a fractured rib and replaced by fast bowler Abhimanyu Mithun.

India opens the three-month tour on December 15, with two practice matches in Canberra ahead of the first Test starting at the MCG on December 26.

The remaining Tests will be played in Sydney, Perth and Adelaide.

AFP

Tags: cricket, sport, india, australia

First posted December 10, 2011 09:22:53

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Rain halts India's momentum in third Test

Posted July 7, 2011 08:23:00

Persistent rain forced a premature end to the opening day of the third and final Test between India and West Indies in Dominica after the tourists had made a bright start.

Ishant Sharma captured two wickets and Praveen Kumar one before lunch as India seized control early after winning the toss and sending the opposition in to bat.

However, the foul weather stopped the tourists' momentum and washed out most of the day.

Only 3.1 overs were bowled after lunch and when stumps were drawn, with the covers still on the ground, West Indies were 3 for 75 with Darren Bravo (22 not out) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (17 not out) trying to rebuild the innings with an unbroken partnership of 40.

The pair had come together in the morning session after India had ripped through the top order and reduced West Indies to 3 for 35 in the 17th over.

Kumar made the initial breakthrough when he dismissed Kieran Powell cheaply then Sharma, man of the match in last week's drawn second Test in Barbados, bowled Adrian Barath for 12 and Kirk Edwards was caught behind for 6.

India, which leads the series 1-0 after winning the opening Test in Jamaica, made one change to the side that drew in Barbados with paceman Munaf Patel replacing Abhimanyu Mithun.

West Indies made two changes, dropping batsmen Lendl Simmons and Ramnaresh Sarwan in favor of Powell and Edwards.

While the two batsmen were making their Test debuts, Chanderpaul was making his 133rd Test appearance to become the most capped West Indian in Tests, eclipsing the previous record of 132 held by Courtney Walsh.

The 36-year-old left hander made his Test debut in 1994 and has been a regular member of the team ever since, scoring more than 9,000 runs, including 22 centuries, at an average over 48.

"It feels good to reach this landmark. I just want to keep doing my best in every match," Chanderpaul said in a statement.

West Indies team manager Richie Richardson, a team-mate of Chanderpaul's when he made his Test debut, paid tribute to his outstanding career.

"When Shiv first came into the team years back you could see the desire to play for a long time," Richardson said.

"He has worked hard over the years and it is great to see him reaching this landmark."

-Reuters

Tags: sport, cricket, dominica, india

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Bad weather rains on India's parade

Published:Sunday, July 3, 2011 11:37 AEST

Indian player Suresh Raina looks at the sky after rain led to a draw, at the end of the fifth day of the second Test match between West Indies and India at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on July 2, 2011.

Tags: sport, cricket, barbados, india

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Bad weather ends India's bid for victory

Posted July 3, 2011 10:32:00

The second Test between West Indies and India ended in a draw after the fickle weather that had interrupted the match for days finally halted play.

The match was evenly poised and heading towards an unexpected and thrilling finish when play was abandoned in the last session on the fifth and final day because of bad light after rain had delayed the match at a critical time and soaked the outfield.

Set 281 to win after India made a bold declaration at the start of the day, West Indies were 7 for 202 when the teams shook hands and stumps were drawn, 79 runs from what would have been a remarkable victory but also just three wickets from losing the series.

"I'm disappointed to some extent, the last session was a well-placed game, it was evenly poised," said Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

"My plan was ruined because of the rain, we got a couple of wickets that were needed but bad light spoiled the party."

India, 1-0 up in the three-match series after winning the opening Test in Jamaica, declared its second innings closed at 6 for 269 more than an hour before lunch, setting West Indies a formidable, but not impossible, target in two-and-a-half sessions.

The tourists looked the most likely winners when they picked up three early wickets, forcing West Indies to revert to survival mode, before Darren Bravo and Carlton Baugh took matters into their own hands and threatened to change the momentum of the match.

"A draw, we will take that. As long as we didn't lose today, I'm quite happy," said West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

"We had a plan, even down to the last 15 overs we were on course but we lost too many wickets. We have to go all out to win and level the Test series."

Bravo made 73 in more than four-and-a-half hours at the crease before he fell when the light was fading fast, leaving Baugh unbeaten on 46.

Ishant Sharma, India's impressive fast bowler who was named man of the match, took 4 for 53 to finish with 10 wickets.

"I can't forget this kind of bowling, I've never done this kind of bowling ever in my career," Sharma said.

"The wicket had uneven bounce in the first innings so you just had to put it in the right areas."

Brave declaration

India had resumed on 3 for 229 and added just 40 runs for the loss of three wickets when the normally conservative skipper called his players in on a lively Kensington Oval pitch still offering plenty of pace and bounce.

For the second time in the match VVS Laxman had fallen short of a century, departing for 87 after making 85 in the first innings.

Laxman had batted patiently to get within reach of a hundred when he got a thick edge to a short ball from Fidel Edwards outside off stump and deflected it to Sammy at second slip.

Edwards captured all three Indian wickets in the day to finish with 5 for 76, his ninth five-wicket haul in Tests.

Dhoni's declaration was vindicated when India captured three quick wickets.

Lendl Simmons departed in the fourth over after making a quickfire 14 off 12 balls, featuring three boundaries, when he edged Sharma to Rahul Dravid in the slips cordon.

Then Ramnaresh Sarwan, who has scored just 29 runs in the series, made another early exit for eight when he fended a short-pitched delivery from Praveen Kumar to Suresh Raina at third slip.

Adrian Barath struck three fours and a six before he was also caught by Raina at third slip, leaving West Indies reeling at 3 for 55.

Chanderpaul joined Bravo at the crease and helped to steady the innings with a painstakingly slow 12 off 87 balls before he was given out leg before wicket to spinner Harbhajan Singh although replays indicated the ball was clearly missing the stumps.

Marlon Samuels, who top scored in the first innings with an unbeaten 78, fell lbw to Sharma for 9, leaving West Indies in deep trouble at 5 for 132, when Bravo and Baugh came together.

With Bravo holding up an end, allowing Baugh to go after the bowlers, the pair added 69 for the sixth wicket, forcing India to spread the fielders and start saving runs when a shower forced play to be stopped.

There was another delay when the groundsmen were called to repair an area that was still wet and although West Indies lost Bravo, then Sammy for a duck, the light ultimately ruined any chance of a result.

The third and final Test starts in Dominica next week.

-Reuters

Tags: sport, cricket, barbados, india

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