while munaf got 2 wickets, it seems like paul and VRV impressed most ...
The Indian Board President's XI pace trio of Vikram Singh, Shib Paul and Munaf Patel repaid their captain's decision to bowl first on a green wicket, restricting the England XI to 78 for 4 by lunch on the first day at the IPCL Cricket Stadium in Vadodara.
Vikram, bowling with control and good pace, put pressure on Marcus Trescothick (18) to attempt an unnecessary third run and run himself out, Paul was rewarded for a tight line with the wicket of Ian Bell (17), edging to second slip, while Andrew Strauss (23) - who cut a poor figure of himself during 51 painful minutes at the crease - chopped a full delivery from Munaf right onto his stumps to signal a dreadful start for the tourists. And just when England needed their biggest star to see off the fast bowlers and produce a thriller, Andrew Flintoff (1) prodded the tamest of drives straight to mid-off off Patel.
While the batsmen can be charged with imprudence, the tone for the morning, and ultimately England's indiscretion, was laid down by two fine spells from Vikram and Paul. Vikram, bowling from the Pavilion end, gained good bounce in his first over, hustling Strauss onto the back foot and repeatedly cramping him for room. Trescothick was watchful against him too - he was beaten his late movement on two occasions - while Strauss was content on nudging off his hips and running the odd single. Trescothick began proceedings with a push through covers off Munaf for four, and a firm cut off Vikram for three in the fourth over signaled his intent to push the field and run the doubles. It was this eagerness, however, that saw his demise in the fifth over. Getting a thick outside edge down towards third man, Trescothick harried through for two but attempting an ambitious third run was caught short of this crease by a good pick-and-throw from Dheeraj Jadhav.
From here on Strauss went further into his shell. There were plenty of leaves outside the off stump, and with the fielders alive and moving the doubles were scant. Paul, brought on in the eighth over, began with a maiden and denied Strauss any room whatsoever. After five overs for 24, Munaf made way for Vikram who continued the good work by consistently asking questions of Strauss' back-foot play. Ian Bell, who followed his senior partner by going on the defensive, brought up the 50 for England in the 14th over but fell to Paul soon after. Fending at a short, rising delivery on off stump, Bell could only look on as the ball carried to Wasim Jaffer at second slip. It was just reward for the bowler, who maintained a fine line and was the best of the Indians on show. Strauss, pressured by the good work done by Vikram and Paul, tried to cut the fifth ball of Munaf's second spell but succeeded in chopping the ball onto his stumps.
The fielders rejoiced, the captain clapped his bowlers on, and Flintoff walked to the crease with plenty on his shoulders. But there were no booming drives, no cracking cuts, and the couple hundred spectators at the ground could be forgiven for thinking they were watching a different six-foot batsman at the crease. Unable to provide and fluency to England's innings, Flintoff scratched just a solitary run from 11 deliveries before chipping Munaf to Vikram at mid-off, and England were in disarray.
The lasting impression of the first session will undoubtedly be the manner in which Vikram and Paul combined to deny the batsman the room to play their shots. Credit must be given to the fielding. Cuts were intercepted at point, cover was sharp and mid-off and mid-on proved apt placements to the duo's attacking line. England are in trouble, and somewhere in the smattering of a crowd, the gathered selectors will be enjoying their lunch, content in seeing that India's fast bowling brigade may have gotten a little deeper.
AuthorTopic: BP XI v England at Vadodara, 23-25 Feb 2006 (Read 3255 times)
February 22, 2006, 01:01:49 AM