India's batsmen toil on first day of NZ tour match

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http://sports.yahoo.com/m/sk/news/reuters/20021206/reu-india20021206.html

India’s batsmen toil on first day of NZ tour match

NAPIER, New Zealand (Reuters) - India were bowled out for 209 after being put in to bat on the first day of the three-day tour match against Central Districts.

The home team were 69 for two in reply at the close of play, with Craig Spearman 40 not out and New Zealand test player Mathew Sinclair unbeaten on 17.

India struggled on a lively pitch with only Sachin Tendulkar (44) and skipper Saurav Ganguly (48) looking comfortable.

The Central Districts opening attack of Michael Mason (three for 46) and Lance Hamilton (two for 52) impressed the watching New Zealand selector Ross Dykes.

Ganguly was initially unsettled by some short-pitched deliveries from left-arm medium pacer Hamilton and was dropped in the gully by Jamie How when he was on two.

The poor form shown by the Indian batsman in their only first-class match before the opening test against New Zealand, in Wellington starting on December 12, was matched by some of their Kiwi rivals elsewhere in the country.

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming bagged a pair batting for Wellington against Auckland while fellow test batsmen Nathan Astle and Craig McMillan scored 11 and five respectively playing for Canterbury against Northern Districts.

Ganguly said his side should have done better against Central Districts but refused to panic.

“It’s our first tour game and I’m sure we will do better tomorrow,” he said.

“This is no different than England or Zimbabwe where the ball seams around. We are all experienced batsmen and I am sure we’ll bat better next time.”

Mark Greatbatch, the former New Zealand opening batsman who coaches Central Districts, said: “If you had told us this morning that we’d bowl India out for 209 and be 69 for one at stumps, we would have been very happy.”

Greatbatch said the Indian batsmen erred by playing their natural wristy shots too early. "On a pitch like this with plenty of grass, you’ve got to play straight first up.

“Their batsmen went at the ball a little bit too much.”

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Sunday, December 8, 2002 (Napier):

Three Indian batsmen struck impressive half-centuries as the tourists earned the much-needed batting practice ahead of the first Test and forced a draw against Central Districts on the final day of the three-day game here today.

The Indians, who were shot out for 209 in the first innings, batted resolutely to reach 191 for three in the second essay before thundershowers brought an early end to the day's proceedings at the McLean Park.

The Indians, who conceded an 86-run lead to the hosts after Central Districts rode on a fine century by Bevan Griggs to declare their first innings at 295 for nine, did well to find their bearings on the final day of the only warm-up match during the entire 47-day tour.

Though *Sanjay Bangar (70), Virender Sehwag (61) and Sachin Tendulkar (52 not out) * played confidence-boosting knocks, the biggest disappointment was Rahul Dravid who failed with the bat for the second time in the match.

Dravid, the most prolific Indian batsman this year, was bowled by Andrew Schwass for one after he attempted a flick at a delivery which cut away sharply and hit his stumps.

Dravid was out for nought in the first innings off only the second ball when he had edged a catch to Michael Mason behind the stumps.

Sehwag was his usual belligerent self and smashed boundaries on either side, sometimes audaciously clearing a packed off-side field before an expansive drive to a delivery he was nowhere near to resulted in a catch to the keeper.

The dashing opener batted for only 55 balls for his 61 runs and hit 11 fours in all.

Bangar played true to his style and looked to keep most deliveries out of his stumps. He was unbeaten on 39 at lunch and had moved to 52 by tea break during a curtailed afternoon session.

He started to hit out at everything after tea, apparently under instructions, so that others could get a look-in as well.

Bangar, in doing so, was caught at long on off Glen Sulzberger, having batted for 161 balls and hit seven fours and a six during his innings.

Tendulkar, on the other hand, treated the home bowlers with scant respect, cutting and driving the pacemen at will and picking a delivery from outside his off-stump to midwicket boundary for his half century.

No sooner had he achieved the landmark, a heavy downpour forced the abandonment of the match 90 minutes before the scheduled close.

Tendulkar remained unbeaten on 52 from 94 balls and hit seven fours in all. V V S Laxman, who came to the crease at the fall of Bangar, was batting on one. (PTI)