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Singer Akai Nidahas Trophy, 1998, Final,
India v Sri Lanka, R. Premadasa Stadium,
Colombo, 7 July 1998

Transcript of the Commentary - Sri Lanka Innings

Prem Panicker (Tue Jul 7 1998 8:43)

38, or is it 39, wickets in 16 games and this boy is turnhing into some kind of wunderkind, really. Startling strike rate, but this particular dismissal, Nayan Mongia needs the credit, in spades. I doubt if he himself has a clue how that one stuck. Mahanama now in.

Mahanama cuts, finds a single behind point, SL 198/4 now and Agarkar bringing INdia back into the game, as has become his habit.

And now Kumble being brought back, after being savaged by Aravinda earier. 198/4 in 32, Mahanama on strike, goes across to outside off and paddles fine, to fine leg, gets two, SL 200/4.

Kumble to Mahanama, the cut, under edge, bouncing over Mongia, single, SL 201/4.

Huge heave by ADS, attempting the sweep again, misses, Mongia collects and out of sheer exuberance, takes the bails off. Good take, needless stumping. Ball five, driven, well fielded by Azhar at cover.

Kumble to ADS, a cut, finds point, no run again, 201/4 in 33.

107 now needed off 102. which isnt a hard ask if the Lankan batsmen can hold their nerve. AGarkar meanwhile continues, ball one, on the stumps and Mahanama pushes abck tothe bowler.

Mahanama this time goes across the stumps, lifts from off, over midwicekt, not sure I like that shot, too risky at this point, but this one he pulls off successfully, four more, SL 205/4.

Bad ball that, down the leg, that could have gone for four but Mongia having a brilliant time just now, dives and stops, jkust the single as Jayasuriya runs with the shot, from the non striker's end.

Good tight over this, from AGarkar, not trying too hard, bowling with more control than he showed in the first spell, keeping Mahanama quiet on the last ball with an inswinger on off, played to point, no run. 101 now needed from 96. Kumble to ADS, attempted sweep, fails.

Ball two, sweep, connects this time, one more, SL 208/2 in 34.2.

Single to Mahanama, ADS back on strike, ball four. Kumble concentrating on off, ADS onto the front foot, drives, on the up, over cover, lovely flowing stroke, four. 212/4 repeat 212/4 and not two as I said before. Next ball, drives, palys too soon, ball in the air but just out of reach of Kumble on the follow throughm, one more. 213/4.

Kumble now to Mahanama, who dabs it down to point, no run, SL 214/4 at the end of 35.

SL at this sgate, a good 16 runs ahead of India but lsoing four wickets where India were still playing with the openers. Kanitkar continues, ADS tries to work off his pads, finds square leg, no run.

ADS sweeps again. And again -- this guy would make a good advertisement for a keep your city clean campaign, the way he is sweeping tonight -- perfectly splits the gap between midwicket and backward square, four more, 218/4. Next ball, off the back foot, single, 219/4 and ADS 81, despite his hobble, playing a masterly knock here.

Mahanama drives, gets the single to long on, SL 220/4 in 35.5,.

Kantikar driftingt one outside off, ADS cuts, misses, big appeal for caught behind but no touch there. End of 36, SL 220/4.

Kumble continues, bowling to Mahanama and bad fielding that by Prasad at backward point, overrunning the ball in his hurry, there was no run there, by the time he chases it down, they take three. Now that at this stage oft he game is very, very bad. He took his eye off as he was bending to pcik it up, sloppy technique. 223/4. Next ball, cut, finds Azahr at short cover, no run.

ADS sweeps again, misses. Next ball, played through cover, single, SL 229/4.

Single off the last ball, leg bye this time, appeal for LBW but the batsman well forward, SL 230/4.

Kumble, judgign by that replay, has some cause to feel aggreieved, taht looked like he got Mahyanama in front of the stumps. 227/4 in 37.

Teh score, corrected, 227/4 in 37, folks, sorry for the earlier post.

Kanitkar continues, Mahanama drives, wide of loong on, good running, they take two, Jayasuriya really pushing on the second. 229/4. Next ball, rapped on the pads, no run.

Mahanama ball three, playing it down to backward point, single, 230/4.

78 now off 75. The good point for SL is that though the ask is over one a ball, the closer to the finish you get, the easier it is as wicketts remain standing. Meanwhile, DSilva trying to dab one down to third man, misses, and so doesthe ball, missing the stump by about the width of a hair. ADS smiles at the bowler, who glares right back.

OUtside off, too far outside that is, and wide called. Kanitkar to Mahanama, last ball, and again, misfield, fielder at midwicekt overrunning theball and two wehre there was none. I dont care how many runs hyou have on the board, this kind of fielding is just not on.

234/4 in 38 and Sachin coming on now. I know he keeps pulling off surprises but suspect he is being brought on too late. He is good only when he attacks, but with less than a 100 to bowl against now, he cant really do too much of that. Going to bowl leg breaks here.

74 from 72, Sachin to ADS, sweeps, and Jadeja scrambles on the line and lets it through. the fielders really falling apart out here, and ball two, lots of turn, takes the edge and down to third man, three more to add to the four so that is seven off the first two.

SRT nw to Mahanama. The funny thing is, the second ball bounced and turned like a top -- byut he cant afford close in fielders now and with the field spread out, edges get three, like that last ball. 242/3 in 38.3 SL.

Sweep again, against the turn, ball in the air but short of the fielder at midwicekt. Ball five, Mahanama pulls, one more, SL 244/4 in 38.5.

Now that is the silliest thing I have ever seen. Last ball of the over, gentle push to cover, easy single taken and for no reason, a throw slammed at the stumps, before the keeper was even aware it was coming,t wo overthrows. Tell you what, India on the performance on the field, doesnt deserve to win this one. 246/4 in 39.

40th over in progress and Aravinda gets one more, moves to 96 off 83 and Kanitkar continues, now to Mahanama.

Drive, through covers, two more, SL 251/4 and now, coasting.

Both batsmen now pushing it, taking singles, scrambling them really, ADS sweeeps and it is one more, SL 253/4 in 39.5,

End of 40, SL 254/4 and now should be favoured to win from here. If one aspect of the game could be held responsible for the inevitable loss, it would be the fielding, it just went to pieces in the middle and took the pressure right off the batting side, just when the squeeze shouldhave been tightest.

Prasad now being brought back on but his body language is pretty awful here, slumped shoulders, his misfielding seems to be preying on his mind. single off ball one. ADS drives ball two, single behind point. 256/4.

52 off 58 and a hold up in play as the umpires confer.

Break in play, guys, taking a quick breather here, been a long day, be right back.

Now this is something I dont quite follow... te umpires seem to be chatting, but I cant see anything having happened to merit the chat. Meanwhile, everyone gets a rest.

VP to Mahanama, the edge as he tries to run it down but this time, Mongia dives, ets his glove but cant hold on to that one. On par, given the way the fielding has slipped, thouhg that was a tough one. ADS flicks, throuwh squaer, and that compelts a brillaint 10-0, SL 259/4 in 40.4.

Not enough runs on the board now, so the Lankans I ssuspect will now begin to step on it. 260/4 in 40.5, ADS 100 coming off 87 balls and a superlative knock it has been, his 11th century.

261/4 in 41, SL.

This guy, Aravinda, is some kind of marvel -- time and again, he grabs his team by the neck and single handed, hauls it to safety, and he's done it again here. AGarkar back, bowlign to Mahanama, inswinging yhrorker, Mahanam flicks, Azhar fields at midwicket.

Ball two, dabbed to backward point, a favourite Mahanama shsot, single.

AGarkar has only one more over after this one, ball three, ADS plays to long on, one more, SL 263/4.

Mahanama flicks, behind square, one more, SL 264/4.

Now in a position of safety, the clinical finish on the cards from the Lankans, they know what to do in these situations, ADS pushes straight for one more.

Mahanama dabbing one behind square agvain, no ball called as well so he will have to bowl that last ball again, SL 269/4 in 42.5. Bowls, ADS drives, single to deep cover, SL 267/4 in 42.

Sri Lanka Innings Continued