Mishra bowls India A to position of strength

Staff Reporter

May 17, 2002

From 249 for five at the end of the first day's play, India 'A' reached 315 against their Sri Lankan counterparts before being bowled out. In response, the hosts were dismissed for 200 at the Sinhalese Sports Club Grounds at Colombo. The star of the day was leggie Amit Mishra, who topped the bowling scoresheet with five for 35 from 10 overs.

Jai P Yadav added just five to his overnight score of 64 before becoming the first batsman to be dismissed on the second day, bowled by Pulasthi Gunaratne. Not deterred by this, wicket-keeper batsman Parthiv Patel kept one end up.

Sairaj Bahutule, coming in at number eight, lasted just two balls, being trapped in front of the stumps by Gunaratne for a duck.

Tamil Nadu medium-pacer L Balaji replaced Bahutule, but he too could not give Patel the kind of support he needed. Balaji (4) was caught Chamara Silva off the medium-pace of Dilip Liyanage. India 'A' were 265 for eight at this stage. Then came the partnership that stretched the India 'A' innings to respectability.

Amit Mishra (14) saw off 47 balls in a 49-run ninth-wicket partnership with Patel. When he was finally dismissed, the innings ended soon after. Patel with 74 (228 mins, 185 balls, 7 fours) had taken India 'A' to 315.

Sri Lanka 'A' began their response well enough, with Avishka Gunawardene and Ian Daniel putting on 48 for the first wicket before the latter fell to Jai P Yadav. Mohammad Nawaz, coming in at one-drop, scored just one.

When Irfan Pathan Jr scalped the wicket of Gunawardene (48), things began to go wrong for Sri Lanka 'A'. Apart from Tillakaratne Dilshan, who made 37, no one really got going, and Mishra got into a good rhythm. Wickets fell at regular intervals, and the home side were knocked over for 200. Mishra, who ended with five for 35, accounted for the last four wickets to fall.

With a lead of 115, India 'A' are in a strong position in this match.

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