India has to fight to score runs

Press, 16 December 1985, Page 44

India has to fight to score runs

NZPA-AAP Adelaide Australia poured on the pace against India on the third day of the first test at the Adelaide Oval yesterday, but rain and bad light combined to cut down, the prospects of a first innings’ breakthrough. Nearly one-and-a-half sessions of play were lost and the bad weather conditions saw play abandoned at 5 ,p.m. last evening. At stumps, India was 176 for three with Mohammed Azharuddin on 12 and Mohinder Amarnath four — a deficit of 205 runs with two days play remaining. Only 40 overs were bowled during the day as India made 76 runs in 176 minutes. The Indians’ run crawl was in stark contrast to their batting blitz on Saturday.

It was the Indian tailender, Chetan Sharma, sent in as nightwatchman with nine minutes of play left on the second day, who showed his teammates how to get runs — if not strictly according’ to the manual.

The tiny paceman had a charmed life in his 169 minutes at the crease. He hit 54 from 112 balls with seven boundaries, continually frustrating the Australian attack.

The 19-year-old, who celebrates his birthday in early January, lasted 39 overs in his bright stay.

“I was familiar with the ground after my innings against South Australia here,” said Sharma. “I managed to get 38 against Sri Lanka in similar circumstances during the first test in Colombo recently. “When I went out with a few minutes to go last night, the boys said to me ‘you can do it.’

And to the exasperation of the Australians, he did just that — landing shots

out of reach or taking courageous cross-bat shots, dragging the ball off the wicket to the outfield. When play resumed yesterday morning with the Indians on 97 for one, Sunil Gavaskar was unable to continue his innings on 39. Overnight the former Indian captain and leading test run-getter was in pain and discomfort from a blow on his left arm in the opening over from Craig McDermott on Saturday.

375, 375, 381, 381. Bowling.— Kapil Dev 38, 6, 106, 8; R. Binny 24, 7, 56, 1 (2nb); Chetan Shanna 19, 3, 70, 0; Shivlal Yadav 27, 6, 66, 1; Ravi Shastri 38, 11, 70, 0; Mohinder Amarnath 3,0, 9, 0. INDIA First innings S. Gavaskar ret hurt ... 39 K. Srikkanth c Ritchie b McDermott 51 Chetan Shanna c Phillips b Reid 54 D. Vengsarkar c Phillips b Hughes .... ... . . 7 M. Azharuddin not out . . 12 M. Amarnath not out . . . 4 Extras (b2, lb2, nbs), . . 9. Total (for 3 wkts) 176 Falk 95, 131, 171. Bowling.— C.'McDermott 22, 7, 66, 1; M. Hughes 14, 3, 45, 1; B. Reid 22.1, 13, 38, 1; R. Bright 11, 5, 23, 0.

AUSTRALIA First innings W. Phillips c Yadav b Kapil Dev 11 D. Boon c Vengsarkar b Kapil Dev ....... 123 G. Marsh c Sharma b Binny 5 A. Border b Kapil Dev. . G. Ritchie c Kirmam b 49 Kapil Dev D. Hookes b Yadav .... 128 34 G. Matthews lbw b Kapil Dev 18 R. Bright not out 5 C. McDermott lbw b Kapil Dev 0 B. Reid c Gavaskar b Kapil Dev 2 M Hughes c Vengsarkar b Kapil Dev 0 Extras (lb4, nb2) 6 Total 381 FaU: 19, 33, 124, 241, 318, 374,