MONDAY, JULY 7, 2014 SPORTS India’s pace potency could decide their fate in England MUMBAI: As India prepare to take on ing on the seam attack to get a bulk of England in what promises to be a hard- the wickets needed for a win. fought series, the potency of a bowling attack in which Ishant Sharma is the only ISHANT KEY paceman to have played a test on Out of the six frontline seam bowlers, English soil could prove to be the deci- the lanky 25-year-old Ishant is the only sive factor. one to have toured England before. India were humiliated 4-0 the last Ishant caught the imagination of Indian time they toured England in 2011 but supporters with his fiery spells against the hosts appear vulnerable ahead of Australia captain Ricky Ponting at Perth this five-match series after a 5-0 Ashes in 2008, during which he beat the right- whitewash in Australia at the start of the handed batsman on numerous occasions year and a more recent home series and dismissed him in both innings. defeat against Sri Lanka. Despite going on to play 55 test Zaheer Khan’s 18 wickets were the key matches, his career has stagnated since to India’s last test series triumph in his exploits at the WACA, disappointing England with a win at Trent Bridge earn- those who marked him out as the coun- ing them a 1-0 victory in a three-match try’s next bowling leader after Zaheer. series seven years ago. He has taken 164 test wickets and However, with the 35-year-old wily been impressive in patches but has also left-arm paceman missing from the tour- been derided for his failure to lead the ing party, doubts have emerged over bowling attack in the absence of the India’s ability to bowl England out twice injury-prone Zaheer. in a test match. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rahul Dravid, who led India to the Mohammed Shami, the most likely pace 2007 series victory, believes the team duo to start alongside Ishant, are able to have the batting strength to match their swing the ball both ways - a crucial skill opponents, leaving it down to the in English conditions - they have only bowlers of either side to make the differ- played six test matches apiece. ence. Ishant’s role will not just be restricted “I think the key is going to be the abili- to taking wickets this time but also guide COLOMBO: Sri Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga (center) watches South African batsmen Hashim Amla (right) and AB de Villiers run between wick- ty to take 20 wickets,” Dravid, who is the young attack with his experience. “It ets during the first One Day International cricket match. — AP mentoring the Indian team on the tour, is Ishant who has played the most num- told reporters at Lord’s this week. “When ber of matches and he has been around we won the series here in 2007, Zaheer for a while,” Zaheer told ESPNcricinfo in Amla inspires South Africa was exceptional but he got good sup- an interview. port from the other guys as well. “It is time he steps into that role. “For The spinners, who can run through Bhuvi (Kumar) and Shami, it is their first the opposition on surfaces conducive to (England) tour so they will look to Ishant to big victory in first ODI slow bowling, will receive little assistance and (bowling coach) Joe Dawes for input from English pitches with the onus rest- to perform in those conditions.” —Reuters COLOMBO: Opener Hashim Amla smashed 109 said. The victory yesterday was only South Kulasekara off Mendis. David Miller (36 not out) and Ryan McLaren took two wickets in three Africa’s third in 17 one-dayers against the hosts and Ryan McLaren (22 not out) then unleashed balls as South Africa thrashed Sri Lanka by 75 in Sri Lanka. Amla, named the new Test skipper some hard hitting in the final overs to take the runs in their first one-dayer yesterday. last month, was in top form although he was visitors to their highest ODI total in Sri Lanka Amla, 31, hit eight fours in his composed 130- dropped on 49 by Thisara Perera at long-on. against the hosts. ball knock and shared a 151-run third-wicket The opener also saw an appeal under the Amla, named man of the match, completed stand with skipper AB de Villiers (75), helping the Decision Review System go in his favour, with his 13th ODI century before being trapped in visitors post a formidable 304-5 at the R. replays remaining inconclusive about whether front of the middle stump by Mendis. He hit Premadasa Stadium. Kumar Sangakkara he had nicked to the wicketkeeper while trying eight fours and a six. It was his second ton in two responded with a fine 88 off just 84 balls but Sri to go for a hook shot. At the other end, de days after he hit a century in a practice game Lanka were still bundled out for 229 off 40.3 Villiers played a sparkling knock, his 75 coming against a Sri Lankan President’s XI on Friday. overs. The hosts appeared headed towards vic- off just 70 balls with the help of five fours and a The second ODI will be played in Pallekele on tory at one point. But paceman McLaren dis- six. De Villiers, who was also dropped on 17, was Wednesday, followed by the third and final missed Lahiru Thirimanne and Sangakkara in the out when he chipped a simple catch to Nuwan match in Hambantota next Sunday. — AFP 38th over to trigger a collapse that saw Sri Lanka lose their last five wickets for just 13 runs. “We had a bad day at the office. The South SCOREBOARD Africans played better cricket and we were really rusty,” said Sri Lankan captain Angelo Mathews. COLOMBO: Full scoreboard of the first one-day international between Sri Lanka and South Africa “After the start we got, the middle order at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday: made some poor shot selection and that cost us the game.” Spinner Imran Tahir was a tad expen- South Africa: M. Jayawardene c de Kock b Tahir 10 sive but emerged as the highest wicket taker for H. Amla lbw b Mendis 109 A. Priyanjan c Kallis b Tahir 5 Billy Hurley in action in this file photo. the visitors, finishing with 3-50 from seven overs. Q. de Kock b Mathews 27 A. Mathews c de Kock b Morkel 13 The visitors had got off to a steady start after J. Kallis lbw b Mendis 0 L. Thirimanne b McLaren 15 Hurley leads at Greenbrier winning the toss, putting on 58 before losing AB de Villiers c Kulasekara b Mendis 75 N. Kulasekara b Steyn 1 two batsmen in quick succession. Opener J. P. Duminy c Dilshan b Senanayake 16 S. Senanayake b Tahir 6 WEST VIRGINIA: Billy Hurley III moved golf, not scrambling around but just trying Quinton de Kock was bowled by Mathews (1-30) D. Miller not out 36 A. Mendis c McLaren b Steyn 0 within sight of his first PGA Tour victory to see how many putts we can make.” “I’m for 27 which included a mighty six over mid- R. McLaren not out 22 L. Malinga not out 6 wicket off spinner Sachithra Senanayake (1-49). when he opened a two-stroke lead over not the longest hitter on tour, probably one Extras: (lb8, w10, nb1) 19 Extras: (lb5, w4, nb2) 11 Just two balls later, unorthodox spinner Total: (for five wkts; 50 overs) 304 Angel Cabrera after the third round at The of the shorter hitters but I keep it pretty Total: (all out, 40.3 overs) 229 Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia on straight and if we can do that again tomor- Ajantha Mendis (3-61) trapped star all-rounder Jacques Kallis leg before wicket with his trade- Fall of wickets: 1-58 (de Kock), 2-60 (Kallis), 3- Saturday. American Hurley carded a tidy row we’ll have a really good chance to win.” Fall of wickets: 1-50 (Perera), 2-98 (Dilshan), 3- three-under-par 67 in delightful conditions But he will have to contend with mark carrom ball for a duck, to reduce the 211 (de Villiers), 4-239 (Amla), 5-249 (Duminy) Proteas to a shaky 60-2. Bowling: Malinga 7-0-52-0 (w2), Kulasekara 6- 122 (Jayawardene), 4-138 (Priyanjan), 5-164 on Greenbrier’s Old White course in White Cabrera, a man for the big occasion who (Mathews), 6-216 (Thirimanne), 7-217 Sulphur Springs, but Cabrera loomed large, has played nearly 200 regular tour events But Amla and de Villiers made light of the 0-26-0 (nb1), Senanayake 10-0-49-1 (w2), (Sangakkara), 8-223 (Kulasekara), 9-223 moving into second place with a sizzling without victory. twin setbacks and steered the innings to a posi- Mathews 6-1-30-1 (w2), Mendis 10-0-61-3 (Senanayake), 10-229 (Mendis) 64. The Argentine veteran has won two “I’ve just got to keep waiting, keep tion of strength with their 141-ball stand. (w4), Priyanjan 7-0-47-0, Dilshan 4-0-31-0. major titles, the 2007 US Open and 2009 working and it will happen,” said Cabrera, “We fought really well and I am really proud Masters, but has never captured a regular who was on the course when he found out of our first innings here.