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THE HINDU DELHI SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2020 SPORT 19 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Batsmen will have to step up for India to draw level Ishant out with injury, Umesh likely to come in; New Zealand all set to unleash pace power by playing four specialist seamers

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD INDIA IN NZ bounce and an off­stump homme’s teasing swing. DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD line, Umesh, a handful with Kohli & Co. will have to B 60 points of the World Test S. Dinakar his pace, does damage with face off against left­armer Championship at stake Christchurch reverse­swing. Umesh pitch­ Wagner, who employs short­ The Hagley Oval is flanked by es the ball up and can bowl pitched bowling with telling B New Zealand won a Test, lush green gardens that mir­ out­swingers with the new effect, both over and round against Sri Lanka here in 2018, by 423 runs ror the city’s serene and ball. the wicket, often from wide DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD pleasant ambience. The Indian batsmen will of the crease. However, things will not have to approach the Test Before Wagner enters the up for it to swing. And land be remotely as peaceful for with a fresh mind­set. At Wel­ picture, the Indians will have on a good length for the the Indians on a grass­laden lington, they appeared un­ to cope with the left­right sphere to seam around. surface as they strive to der a mental siege. They swing bowling of Boult and The Indians have a fight square the series in the se­ were neither convincing in Southee. on their hands on what could cond Test beginning on defence as the ball seamed Then there is the off­ be a seam­trap. Saturday. around nor able to pierce the stump line and bounce of The teams (from): infield. Simply put, the In­ Kyle Jamieson. New Zealand: Kane Williamson A big game dian batsmen could not take On a seaming track, firm (Capt.), Tom Latham, Tom Blun­ Also at stake would be 60 the challenge to the Kiwi pa­ pushes in the `V’ rather than dell, Henry Nicholls, Ross Tay­ points of the World Test cemen. big drives are more produc­ lor, Colin de Grandhomme, B­J. Championship. It’s a big In fact, apart from Mayank tive. If the length is short, the Watling (wk), Kyle Jamieson, game for both sides. Agarwal’s second­innings cut and the pull can fetch Tim Southee, Trent Boult, Neil Wagner, Ajaz Patel and Daryl The Test has not begun half­century, none was able runs. Mitchell. and India has already been to find the balance between India: Virat Kohli (Capt.), hit by an injury blow. Ishant aggression and defence. Know your off­stump Mayank Agarwal, Prithivi Shaw, Sharma’s ankle injury — The Indian batsmen have to Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Ra­ picked up during the Ranji Sweet memories play and leave, know where hane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh season — has flared up again The Kiwis comprehend the their off­stump is. They also Pant (wk), R. Jadeja, Mohhamed and the lanky paceman will green, seaming track here need to display footwork, ba­ Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit miss the second Test. and the conditions well. In lance in the stance, and a still Bumrah, R. Ashwin, Umesh Ya­ Ishant was, by far, the best the Test against Sri Lanka, head. It’s important that the dav, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhi­ Indian bowler in the first Test here in 2018, New Zealand No easy ride: India has a fight on its hands, and Mayank Agarwal, Wriddhiman Saha and Cheteshwar Pujara, seen leaving the batsman covers for move­ man Saha (wk), Navdeep Saini and Shubhman Gill. and returned a five­wicket in­ won by a whopping 423 Hagley Oval after training, know that only too well. * AP ment. Umpires: Richard Kettlebo­ nings haul. runs. Trent Boult, Tim Jasprit Bumrah and Mo­ rough, Michael Gough; TV um- Umesh Yadav, sharp but Southee and Neil Wagner was dismissed for 178 in its A team has to play good the young Prithvi Shaw, have be under greater scrutiny in hammed Shami did not bowl pire: Aleem Dar; Match referee: not as tall as Ishant, is ex­ were red hot. first innings. So the toss cricket, adapt to the condi­ to wait for the ball to come to the Test with the Kiwis likely the right length in Welling­ Ranjan Madugalle. pected to come in. And that was a Test where alone does not determine tions. them, and play late. to play four specialist seam­ ton. The match begins at 4 a.m. While Ishant relies on New Zealand, asked to bat, outcomes in these parts. The batsmen, including The Indian batting could ers plus Colin de Grand­ Both should pitch the ball IST. A shake­up can be a good thing: Shastri ‘Advantage home pacers’ Dubai to host Asia Cup India coach confident boys will be able to bounce back with an open mind­set Special Correspondent Christchurch Press Trust of India S. Dinakar you are on a run like we Trent Boult was full of beans Kolkata Christchurch were, a shake­up like that is ahead of the second Test on BCCI president Sourav Gan­ As an opening batsman, Ravi good because it opens your a greenish Hagley Oval pitch. guly on Friday said the next Shastri relished pushing de­ mind­set.” He said here on Friday, “I Asia Cup will be held in Du­ liveries down the ground. He He said: “When you are wouldn’t say the confidence bai, paving the way for both played the percentage game, on the road winning all the is through the roof but we’re India and Pakistan to parti­ batted straight. time, or you have not tasted very excited about continu­ cipate in the continental And, as coach, Shastri is defeat, you can have a closed ing from where we left off in tournament. someone who talks straight. mind­set. I thought we were Wellington.” Pakistan was the desig­ No roundabout answers. He a little conservative and ten­ Boult said the conditions nated host for the tourna­ gets to the point quickly, tative in that first Test. Win­ here suited the Kiwi pace­ ment scheduled for Sep­ does not go into denial ning away from the sub­con­ men. “I like the overheads tember, but with the BCCI mode. tinent in red­ball cricket is that present down here in making it clear that India Asked about India’s inabil­ always difficult. You need to terms of the cloud cover and would not be able to travel ity to make short work of the adapt.” the swing that’s on offer.” to the neighbouring coun­ tail, a factor that has often Charged up: Virat Kohli drives home a point with Prithvi Shaw The left­arm pace spear­ try owing to security con­ haunted this side, Shastri ahead of the second Test, which will see an India revival, Pacers ready to strike head said: “Its always a good cerns, the event has been said: “It has been a problem according to coach Ravi Shastri. * AP Talking about the Indian pa­ surface here. There’s always More ammunition: Neil Wagner is expected to add muscle to moved to Dubai. in the last year or so. We’ve cemen, Shastri exuded con­ a little bit there in the initial the New Zealand attack. * AP “Asia Cup will be held in had a chat on this. We have We have had conversations “Will the second innings fidence. “Bumrah is very stages of that first innings Dubai and both India and been over­aggressive or at on this.” be that important. Do you close to getting a five­for or a but it turns into a good been too successful here. <> Generally it’s a Pakistan will play,” Ganguly times too defensive. We will On having to choose bet­ need him more in the first in­ six­for, might happen tomor­ surface.” “There hasn’t been too ma­ wicket that has good told reporters at the Eden look to address it.” ween Ashwin and Ravindra nings. Is his batting going to row. Similarly with Shami, so On the pitch being green, ny wickets taken here by pace and carry and Gardens before leaving for Jadeja for a place in the ele­ count? Is his fielding going to nothing to worry about. The Boult said: “Traditionally spinners, but if that suggests it swings around Dubai for the Asian Cricket Ashwin’s batting ven, Shastri said: “We will count? Is his overall fitness Indian bowlers have to be you come down here and there isn’t much turn I’m Council (ACC) meeting, to here a bit and it On R. Ashwin, Shastri ob­ see how much of a role a going to count? Those are more patient, bowl more in normally see a bit of grass not sure. Generally it’s a be held on March 3. served: “He is a world­class spinner has, first of all. How areas you look into.” the right areas and create so, from my point of view, I wicket that has good pace generally produces Earlier, the BCCI had bowler. If anything, he will many overs you think he is Shastri felt a defeat, such pressure.” hope it stays that way and and carry and it swings a good contest said it has no problem with be disappointed with the going to bowl in the game. Is as the one in the first Test, Looking at the second that we get it to move around here a bit and it gen­ between bat and Pakistan hosting the tour­ way he has batted. He would there going to be something was sometimes good for a Test, Shastri is not short on around a bit.” erally produces a good con­ ball nament, provided it is held want to improve his batting. for him on day four or five. team. “I always believe when optimism. The spinners haven’t test between bat and ball.” Trent Boult at a neutral venue. Mohinder backs Kohli India has a few flaws to iron out England beats Pakistan to come good Takes on Sri Lanka in its last group engagement SA hands Thailand a thrashing VIJAY LOKAPALLY come good in the second AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE clubbed the highest total in NEW DELHI Test. He’s a great player. He Canberra the World Cup as it thrashed One of India’s finest bat­ has the technique to shine in England kept its hopes alive Thailand by 113 runs. smen, Mohinder Amarnath all conditions. All great in the ICC women's T20 Proteas skipper Dane van hoped Virat Kohli would players adjust themselves World Cup with a 42­run Niekerk won the toss and come good in the second very quickly and Virat knows win over Pakistan here on opted to bat, with her team Test against New Zealand what he is supposed to. He Friday. building 195 for three, an­ starting on Saturday in won’t fail in too many Captain Heather Knight chored by powerful opener Christchurch. Kohli has ag­ innings.” once again led from the Lizelle Lee’s 101. gregated a mere 201 in nine Amarnath, who excelled front with 62 in its 158 for se­ It was the biggest score in innings across formats with in testing conditions away ven — her sixth consecutive the tournament's history, just one half­ century. from home, insisted there half­century. In reply, Pakis­ beating India's 194 for five “It is not that they have was a technical aspect too. tan was all out for 116. against New Zealand in not played there. They have “The technique of Indian Knight, who hit eight 4s 2018. done well earlier but the dif­ batsmen is good on harder and a 6, was playing her In reply, Thailand was all ference here is that Virat has pitches. Or on Indian pitches 100th T20. Natalie Sciver out for 82. not performed,” said Amar­ where the ball is not doing chipped in with 36 and Fran “The box we wanted to nath, in town on a private vi­ much in the air or off the sur­ Wilson made 22, with Ai­ tick today was to take the sit. Another reason, he em­ face. In New Zealand, you man Anwer taking three win,” said van Niekerk. phasised, was the absence of have to play the way Ajinkya wickets. “Credit to Lizelle for that K.L. Rahul from the team. (Rahane) does. I really like Some tight England bow­ century.” “Rahul has done well. He’s the way he bats. You have to ling pinned Pakistan down The scores: England 158/7 in been the man in form. And play very tight and with soft All for one, one for all! Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur will want her team to pull together as one unit.* PTI and at the half­way stage, it 20 overs (Natalie Sciver 36, you have to play the man in hands, especially when you was struggling at 51 for five. Heather Knight 62; Aiman An­ form. I am surprised he is are defending.” engagements on a high when scores of 29, 39 and 46. But good, very happy with the Aliya Riaz did her best to ac­ wer 3/30) bt Pakistan 116 in T20 WORLD CUP 19.4 overs (Aliya Riaz 41; Anya not playing in Tests in this it takes on the islanders. But she has failed to convert the performance, want to conti­ celerate the run rate in a 41­ Shrubsole 3/25, Sarah Glenn series. He would have been Soft hands Press Trust of India the Indians definitely have a starts into big scores. nue doing this. I waited for run cameo. 3/15). Melbourne better than trying someone In Amarnath’s opinion, the few things to worry about, Harmanpreet has cau­ the loose balls and convert­ “We probably would have South Africa 195/3 in 20 ov­ out. batsmen were, “jabbing” at A semifinal berth secured, especially their below­par tioned her batters against ed those,” said Shafali. liked a little but more (total), ers (Lizelle Lee 101, Sune Luus “If you see India’s perfor­ the ball. “When the ball the unbeaten Indian wo­ show with the bat. making “silly mistakes”. The teams (from): but the wicket was slow,” 61) bt Thailand 82 in 19.1 overs mance overseas in the last takes an edge it carries. Not men’s cricket team will look India managed just 132 India: Harmanpreet Kaur said Knight. (Onnicha Kamchomphu 26; two years Virat has been the the case when you play with to address some of its batting against Australia, 142 against Star performers (Capt.), Taniya Bhatia, Harleen Earlier, South Africa Shabnim Ismail 3/8, Luus 3/15). key. Sometimes luck doesn’t soft hands. When you play issues in the final Group A Bangladesh and 133 vs New The Indian bowling, howev­ Deol, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Ri­ favour you. But I’m sure he’ll tight you may miss connect­ match against a deflated Sri Zealand. The middle­order er, has been phenomenal cha Ghosh, Veda Krishnamur­ thy, Smriti Mandhana, Shikha ing those deliveries. The Lanka in the ICC T20 World has repeatedly squandered and facilitated the smooth Pandey, Poonam Yadav, Arund­ technical aspect of batting Cup here on Saturday. good starts. In all the three entry into the last­four hati Reddy, Jemimah Ro­ has been the reason for the matches, the bowling unit round. Leg­spinner Poonam drigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti failure in this Test. You have On a roll came to the rescue. Yadav has been the star per­ Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar and to adjust. You can’t play in The Indians are on a roll, Heavily reliant on the bril­ former, picking up eight Radha Yadav. your flamboyant style even if having easily sealed their liance of a 16­year­old Shafali wickets, including a match­ Sri Lanka: Chamari Atapattu it is your natural game.” semifinal berth with wins ov­ Verma, the Indian middle­ winning effort of four for 19 (Capt.), Harshitha Madavi, Ni­ Bounce, he noted, was er defending champion Aus­ order has cut a sorry figure against Australia. lakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, not the problem. “You can tralia, Bangladesh and New and it’s time senior pros like She has been comple­ Ama Kanchana, Hansima Karun­ cope with the bounce. It’s Zealand. The Lankans, on Harmanpreet and Veda mented by Rajeshwari aratne, Achini Kulasuriya, Su­ gandika Kumari, Hasini Perera, the seam movement and the the other hand, are out of Krishnamurthy step up. Gayakwad, Deepti Sharma Udeshika Prabodhani, Sathya swing where the technique the race following two Opener Smriti Mandhana and pacer Shikha Pandey. Sandeepani, Anushka Sanjee­ comes into play. If the ball defeats. too has failed to join the par­ Young Shafali was ad­ wani, Shashikala Siriwardene, seams and swings in the se­ Come Saturday, the Har­ ty so far. judged Player­of­the­Match Dilani Manodara and Umesha Mohinder Amarnath. cond Test too, it will be a manpreet Kaur­led side Shafali has been impres­ for a 34­ball 46 and the 16­ Thimashini. Making hay: South Africa’s Lizelle Lee made the most of a * FILE PHOTO: VIVEK BENDRE tough test for the Indians.” would look to end its group sive at the top, registering year­old was elated. “Feeling Match starts at 9.30 a.m. IST. weak Thai attack to notch up a century. * GETTY IMAGES

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