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HYDERABAD THE HINDU 16 SPORT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019 EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Pant, Kohli help India sweep series Duleep Trophy to revert to red ball Saha on song Press Trust of India Domestic season-opener in Bengaluru from Aug. 17 to Sept. 8 TRINIDAD The duo hit half-centuries after Deepak Chahar rocks the West Indies top-order Wriddhiman Saha’s coun Amol Karhadkar tournament. The national terattacking 62 (65b, 9x4, MUMBAI selection panel, headed by INDIA IN WI 1x6) took IndiaA to 180 for Pinkball cricket was the on M.S.K. Prasad, announced fi ve in 58 overs on the Agence France-Presse ly saving grace for the Du the squads on Tuesday. opening day of the third Providence (Guyana) leep Trophy, a tournament Interestingly, the tourna ‘Test’ against West IndiesA that’s been struggling for re Rishabh Pant fi nally came ment will not feature a single here on Tuesday. levance in the recent past. good under the guidance of Tamil Nadu player despite Hanuma Vihari (51) and Come next week and the skipper Virat Kohli as India 44 top performers in domes Shivam Dube (19) were at seasonopening fi xture that comfortably beat West Indies tic cricket being divided in the crease. was once virtually consi by seven wickets in the third three teams. Asked to bat, IndiaA lost dered to be a selection trial T20 International, to com The squads: opener Abhimanyu Easwa for India’s Test squad will plete a 30 sweep, here on India Blue: Shubman Gill ran for a duck before revert to redball cricket. Tuesday. (capt.), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajat Mayank Agarwal (33) and Chasing a target of 147 on a The tournament, to be Patidar, Ricky Bhui, Anmol Shubman Gill departed off played in Bengaluru from preet Singh, Ankeet Bawane, slowish deck, Kohli anchored Shubman Gill. * FILE PHOTO successive balls in the 20th the innings with his 21st half August 17 to September 8, Snell Patel (wk), Shreyas Go over. pal, Saurabh Kumar, Jalaj Saxe century in T20 Internation will revert to the traditional primary reason than India’s However, Vihari and Sa format after experimenting na, Tushar Deshpande, Basil als (59, 45b, 6x4) while Pant reluctance to play a fl oodlit Thampi, Aniket Choudhary, Di ha rescued the side. with pinkball cricket under The scores: IndiaA 180 for was brilliant during his un Test. wesh Pathania, Ashutosh fl oodlights for the last three fi ve (Mayank Agarwal 33, Ha beaten 65 (42b, 4x4, 4x6) as “We were fi nding it very Aman. the visitor made it in 19.1 ov editions. diffi cult to get a venue. Only numa Vihari 51 batting, India Green: Faiz Fazal (capt.), Wriddhiman Saha 62) vs West ers. Considering the Indian a couple of days back were Akshath Reddy, Dhruv Shorey, IndiesA. Pant and Kohli, who came team’s opposition to playing we able to fi nalise it. That is Siddhesh Lad, Priyam Garg, together at 27 for two, put on a pinkball Test — even over why only the fi nal will now Akshdeep Nath, Rahul Chahar, 106 runs in 12.5 overs. Ho seas, let alone at home — it is be telecast. It does not make Dharmendrasinh Jadeja, Jayant wever till their 50run stand, understandable that the sense to play the tourna Yadav, Ankit Rajpoot, Ishan Po the duo didn’t go hammer BCCI has halted the experi ment with the pink ball,” Ka rel, TanveerUlHaq, Akshay and tongs at the Windies at ment for the Duleep Trophy. rim said. Wadkar (wk), Rajesh Mohanty, tack. Milind Kumar. It was in the 13th over Logistical challenges The captains India Red: Priyank Panchal when Pant fi nally gave the However, Saba Karim, the Promising batsman Shub (capt.), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Axar Patel, Karun Nair, Ishan charge, getting his fi rst six — BCCI general manager man Gill, Vidarbha’s succes Kishan (wk), Harpreet Singh a fl at hit over extra cover off cricket operations, pre sive Ranji Trophywinning Bhatia, Mahipal Lomror, Aditya Keemo Paul’s bowling. He ferred to focus on the logisti captain Faiz Fazal and Guja Sarwate, Akshay Wakhare, Va was to repeat the same shot cal challenges, including rat captain Priyank Panchal run Aaron, Ronit More, Jaydev off the same bowler for the The dazzler: Deepak Chahar is over the moon after sending back Shimron Hetmyer.* AFP lack of broadcast of matches will lead India Blue, India Unadkat, Sandeep Warrier, An Wriddhiman Saha. same result! except for the fi nal as the Green and India Red in the kit Kalsi. * FILE PHOTO: BISWARANJAN ROUT DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD Once he had reached his DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD (17), who played the second spell to fi rst dismiss lefthan second T20I halfcentury, fi ddle, Pollard added 66 for der Pooran and then pegged B The ODI series begins at Pant got on one knee and hit the same venue on Aug. 8 the fourth wicket as the host back Pollard’s middle stump. Oshane Thomas for his third (7 p.m. IST) looked to have recovered With the host reduced to An artist who lent grace to a brutal craft six, while his fourth and fi nal DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD from the initial slump. 105 for fi ve, Powell smashed maximum got India the win three wickets in his fi rst two However, Navdeep Saini his way to an unbeaten 32 off Steyn bowled the Proteas to famous Test wins ning runs. overs to leaving West Indies came back for his second 20 balls to prop up the total. tottering at 14 for three. He TRIBUTE bowl eff ective cross seam as Pollard attacks got the ball to swing both well. There was little respite Earlier, Deepak Chahar’s in ways while removing Sunil S. Dinakar for the batsmen. He could cisive swing bowling was Narine (2), Evin Lewis (10) Chennai hurt them with his fast, skid and Shimron Hetmyer (1). countered by Kieron Pol Fast bowling is explosive in dy bouncers delivered from a This eff ort was to fetch him lard’s attacking halfcentury nature. When a genuine deceptive quickarm action. the manofthematch award. and Rovman Powell’s cameo quick lands in the process of Steyn’s bowling was not as the West Indies totalled Pollard counterattacked delivering a ball, he with just about ability and beauty. 146 for six after being put in with with as many as halfa stands ground forces several It was much about heart and to bat. dozen sixes in his 45ball58 times his body weight. spirit. He would keep his be The Rajasthan seamer — his fi rst halfcentury for the Yet, Dale Steyn glided to lief and bowl with the same made full use of his only op West Indies in seven years. the crease in his runup, light intensity and speed during portunity in this tour taking Along with Nicholas Pooran on his feet much like a ballet wicketless spells, fi nd a way, dancer, and released the and then come up with a SCOREBOARD WEST INDIES V INDIA, THIRD T2OI sphere with an action that bunch of scalps. WEST INDIES Washington 30230, Krunal was astonishingly smooth. Evin Lewis lbw b Deepak Chahar 40350. Staggering numbers 10 (11b, 1x4), Sunil Narine c INDIA Work of art His numbers are staggering. Saini b Deepak Chahar 2 (6b), K.L. Rahul c Pooran b Allen 20 Every delivery of his, from No bowler with 200 or more Shimron Hetmyer lbw b Deepak (18b, 2x4, 1x6), Shikhar Dhawan runup to loadup to release wickets has a better strike Chahar 1 (3b), Kieron Pollard b c Cottrell b Thomas 3 (5b), Virat was a work of art. The South rate than Steyn’s 42.30 in Saini 58 (45b, 1x4, 6x6), Nich Kohli c Lewis b Thomas 59 (45b, Torchbearer: Steyn inspired a new generation of pacers. * AFP African brought grace to an Test history. olas Pooran c Pant b Saini 17 6x4), Rishabh Pant (not out) 65 was being stymied by fi tness teams in diff erent conditions. (23b, 1x4, 1x6), Rovman Powell (42b, 4x4, 4x6), Manish Pandey otherwise brutal craft. And while picking up 439 (not out) 32 (20b, 1x4, 2x6), (not out) 2 (5b); Extras (w1): 1; But then, the ease with concerns. It’s sad that Steyn Nobody sent down those wickets in 93 Tests, Steyn av Carlos Brathwaite c Washington Total (for three wkts. in 19.1 which he sent down his thun will not be fi guring in Test speedy outswingers of con eraged under 25, both home b Rahul Chahar 10 (7b, 1x6), Fa overs): 150. derbolts masked the enor cricket any more. But at 36, trol and viciousness better and away. A captain’s dream, bian Allen (not out) 8 (5b, 1x6); FALL OF WICKETS mous eff ort he put in for ev his body scarred by injuries than he did in this era. Steyn bowled the Proteas to Extras (lb4, w4): 8; Total (for 110 (Dhawan, 1.6 overs), 227 ery ball of his. and several failed comebacks And he mixed them with famous Test victories in Aus six wkts. in 20 overs): 146. (Rahul, 4.4), 3133 (Kohli, 17.3). When asked who the best to the longest format, he had potent inswingers, high on tralia, New Zealand, England FALL OF WICKETS WEST INDIES BOWLING contemporary fast bowler given it his all for Tests. accuracy. When the ball got and the subcontinent. At 14 (Narine, 1.5 overs), 213 Cottrell 40260, Thomas 4 was in South Africa last year, He leaves behind immortal older, Steyn could unleash home, he was a force of na (Lewis, 3.1), 314 (Hetmyer, 0292, Allen 30181, Narine Michael Holding, who earned deadly reverseswing; all at a ture. 3.5), 480 (Pooran, 13.1), 5105 40290, Brathwaite 2.10 Test memories, showcasing velocity between 145 to 150 (Pollard, 15.4), 6119 (Brath 250, Paul 20230. the moniker the ‘Whispering his enormous skills, slicing Steyn inspired a new gen kmph. eration of South African pa waite, 17.2). Toss: India. MoM: Deepak Death’ for his silky style, re through lineups, conquer cemen, Kagiso Rabada being INDIA BOWLING Chahar; MoS: Krunal Pandya. plied, “Dale Steyn, of course. ing, and celebrating with his The manner he employed Bhuvneshwar 30190, India won by seven wkts. with A complete fast bowler.” unique pumpingtheground his wrist and used the seam the foremost among them. Deepak Chahar 3143, Saini 4 five balls to spare and swept the And this was a period style. Steyn had a lot going position lent cutting edge to Steyn, truly, was a thing of 0342, Rahul Chahar 30271, series 3-0. when Steyn, past his best, for him as he decimated his bowling. Steyn could beauty in Test cricket. The walking leg-before wicket who Lions maul Mavericks, climb to second The Kolkata team gets eliminated after the 11-4 drubbing drives bowlers to distraction UTT Rakesh Rao Smith’s batsmanship evoked the ‘U’ word — ugly — before it inspired the ‘G’ word – great NEW DELHI It proved packup time for bowlers. The point is, everybody He keeps his head in line with the the right answer. Manika Batra and RPSG Ma knows how to get Smith out. He is a ball and keeps it perfectly still while No other sport lays such stress on vericks from the Ultimate walking legbefore wicket as he playing it. You cannot simplify both the methods and the results. Table Tennis league. squares up in front of the stumps, further. You can accidentally defl ect a header Marching ahead in style having shuffl ed his way outside the into a goal and become a national he was Chennai Lions that led off . At least, that’s what the coaching All in the head ro, but a Test batsman who makes a comfortably through the tie BETWEEN WICKETS manuals tell us. Forget footwork, forget that cricket is 50 scoring mostly off the outside and completed a resounding Smith has no business being the a game played sideon and all those edge is mocked. It is a conceit of the 114 thrashing of the Kolkata suresh menon second most successful batsman of things coaches tell us. It’s all in the game that it’s better to make a per franchise on Tuesday. all time with a technique that renders head. fect 30 than to score a scratchy cen The triumph catapulted have a friend, who, before he Chennai to the second spot irrelevant these manuals. But there it It might see him fi nish up facing tury. Smith’s batsmanship evoked leaves home for work pats his hips, from fi fth in the sixteam ta I is. He can pull the ball he converts in the bowler with his feet pointed the ‘U’ word — ugly — before it in his shirt pocket, jacket pocket inton ble. With just two league to a shortpitched one and drive down the wicket; he challenges the spired the ‘G’ word – great. Making heads turn: Madhurika’s win over Manika was the matches remaining, U Mum * ing as he does so: travel card, wallet, when the bowler overcompensates. It is tempting — and many have fal high point of Lions’ performance. COURTESY UTT bowler to hit his pads. He moves so ba tops the list with 44 glasses, keys (it sounds lyrical in his And he has been dismissed legbe len for the temptation — to see a cen far across that he knows anything points from fi ve games, fol before the latter managed to put pressure on her more native Bengali). fore only 18 times in 119 innings. tury in each innings as redemption outside the line of his nose misses the lowed by Chennai Lions (35 pull one back. fancied opponent. It is a ritual I am reminded of when Greatness comes in many forms. off stump, and if anything comes in, for a man who was banned from from four), Dabang Delhi (33 Thereafter, the unbeaten In the second, Madhurika watching Steve Smith settle into his It is not often that a player builds, he is confi dent enough to fi nd gaps cricket for cheating, or at least allow from four), Goa Challengers duo of Sharath Kamal and showed character by bounc stance. Pad, box, pad, helmet; eve furnishes, and inhabits a monument on the legside. Smith is an excellent ing his players to cheat. (30 from four), Mavericks Petrissa made amends for ing back from 05 and 810 to rything in place, a short walk to the all his own with material no one else example of an unorthodox player left If you stretch that argument, does (30 from fi ve) and Puneri losing the fi rst game on ‘gol claim the ‘golden point’. In edge of the crease, a bending of the has used, and tools which in anybody alone by the authorities. making, say, 10 in each innings fall Paltan (23 from four). den point’ to Benedikt Duda the fi nal game, Madhurika knees; are the pads in place? Check. else’s hands would simply not work. When he made his Test debut, he short of redemption by 180 runs? It’s Tuesday’s tie ended the and Manika by racing away progressively grew stronger, Trousers on? Check. Have I paid the Uniqueness is not mandatory for was a legspinner who batted at No. apples and oranges. Smith should be agonising campaign of Mani with the next two. leaving an exasperated Ma electricity bill? Did I switch off the greatness, but in Smith’s case they go 8. It was only after his fi rst century in feted for his brilliance at the crease, ka in the league. Struggling Sharath could not keep nika with plenty to think lights before leaving home? together. his 12th Test that his batting average but to confl ate two separate issues for form, she suff ered a hu pace with his good friend about. while fi nding in one what should fol I exaggerate. But Smith, like fi d With a mind as strong as his — he climbed to 34. His bowling average, miliating 30 drubbing at the Duda in the singles and lost The results: Chennai Lions bt gets everywhere, draws you into his returns from a oneyear ban into an meanwhile, was 49. But he was per low the other is simplistic. hands of Madhurika Patkar. 12. But Sharath gave his RPSG Mavericks (Kolkata) routine. If he misses a step, you wor Ashes series and scores two centu sisted with, rather like Steve Waugh Sure, everyone deserves a second team the winning lead in an 114 (Petrissa Solja bt Matilda ry for him. It might be tempting fate. ries straightaway — and an obsession was. chance, and Smith has grabbed it Petrissa blanks Ekholm encounter that provided Ekholm 117, 1110, 119; Tiago with the game from his schooldays with commendable mental strength Once World No. 24 Petrissa most thrills. The players pro Apolonia bt Sanil Shetty 119, How to get Smith out? when his father fi nished work early Doesn’t play by the book and rare skill. But his misdeed oc Solja set the table for Chen duced some long rallies in 116, 311; Sharath Kamal & Pe trissa bt Benedikt Duda & Mani As Smith was moving towards his se so he could bowl to him, how did he For a purist, Smith is a diffi cult man curred a little over a year ago. Re nai with a surprise 30 rout terspersed with innovative allow the sandpaper scandal under demption will come with a clean ka Batra 1011, 114, 117; Sha cond century in the Birmingham to embrace. He doesn’t inspire love of Matilda Ekholm, ranked shotmaking. rath lost to Duda 711, 115, his watch? slate between now and the end of his Test, the commentator David Lloyd and admiration so much as ambiva 23, Mavericks simply could Sharath’s defeat was 711; Madhurika Patkar bt Mani asked spectators: “How do you get Is it part of the contradiction of be lence. He doesn’t play by the book. It career. not bridge the gap. Tiago pushed to the background ka 115, 1110, 118). Smith out? Yes, you in the blue cap…” ing Steven Smith? He has reduced is as if someone taking a math exam Meanwhile, English bowlers ask, Apolonia enhanced the mar once Madhurika came out Wednesday’s fi xture: Goa Those with commentary earpieces batsmanship to a twopoint pro shows the workings of a problem that like the nuns in the movie: How do gin by taking the fi rst two fi ring against Manika. She Challengers v Puneri Paltan (7 looked as helpless as the English gramme. is all wrong, yet somehow has found you solve a problem like Steve Smith? games against Sanil Shetty controlled the fi rst game to p.m.). CM A HY-HYE YK