da betcris： The England Under-19 team saved the final `Test’ match against IndiaUnder-19 from the jaws of defeat
Santhosh S30-Jan-2001The England Under-19 team saved the final `Test’ match against IndiaUnder-19 from the jaws of defeat. A brilliant unbeaten 53-runpartnership for the ninth wicket off 17 overs between Robert Ferley andJustin Bishop helped the England colts frustrate the Indians at theLal Bahadur stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday. England were 279/8 atfinal draw of stumps, with Ferley and Bishop unbeaten on 37 and 21respectively. The Indian lads thus clinched the series by virtue oftheir victory in the first `Test’ at Mumbai. The second `Test’ atChennai was also drawn.Resuming their second innings at 58/0, after being 176 runs in arrearson the first, England colts were, for most part of the day, looking atdefeat. The pitch remained true even on the fourth day, offeringlittle assistance to the bowlers. It was a hot day and the Englishboys put up a poor show for the best part of the day.England colts started off steadily with John Sadler and Nicky Pengshowing some good form. Peng got to his half century in style, playinga beautiful cover drive off Nitin Aggarwal.The score had slowly moved to 104, when Peng stepped out and droveAmit Mishra straight into the hands of the cover-point fielder, AlindNaidu. Peng made 72 attractive runs that included 11 boundaries. Fourruns later, Sadler danced down the track to Vidyut and was beatencomprehensively by the flight. Ajay Ratra wasted no time, to stumpSadler out for 27.Gary Pratt came in riding on his first innings century. He neverlooked comfortable against the spin bowlers. On 11, he decided tochance his arm against the leg-spin of Mishra. Pratt’s attempt toclear the field was in vain as he ended up giving Maninder Singh aneasy catch at mid-off.England Under-19 resumed after lunch on 138/3, and quickly foundthemselves with their feet stuck against some purposeful spin bowling.Ishan Ganda struck twice to reduce England to 174/5. First to bedismissed was Muchall. Trying to play at a ball fired down the legside, he only managed to edge the ball to Ajay Ratra. Muchall faced 70balls in making three runs. He had earlier got off the mark with astreaky shot, between the legs of the forward short leg fielder, AlindNaidu.The tall figure of Chris Tremlett walked out to take on the spinners.But he was all at sea against the slow turn the Indian bowlers wereable to generate out of this fourth day pitch. His stay at the creasewas terminated when Naidu gleefully took the catch, close to thewicket off the bowling of Ganda. Tremlett made just one run.Ian Bell was the only man who looked like keeping the Indian spinnersat bay. He played some lovely drives off them, on either side of thewicket. Bell’s vigil came to an end after making 61 runs off 163balls. He struck seven boundaries in his fighting inning, before beingcaught by Ratra off the bowling of Vidyut. The England juniors went infor the tea break at 207/6 in 102 overs.Though the BCCI playing conditions stipulate that the new ball has tobe taken after 100 overs are bowled, the umpires seemed to have gottheir numbers all mixed up. They let India bowl the 103rd over alsowith the old ball.Nitin Aggarwal took the second new ball and India juniors wererewarded immediately to reduce England colts to 226/8. England had athin lead of 50 runs and just two wickets in hand and the Indian coltshad a good chance of winning the match.Wallace was the first to be dismissed in the session, trapped in frontby Aggarwal for 22 runs at 220. Kyle Hogg made just two runs and wascaught behind by Ratra off the bowling of Aggarwal, leaving Englandreeling.Aggarwal bowled a fine spell of 5-2-16-2. But that was that forAggarwal, for Ratra relied on his spin bowlers for the rest of thesession to get the remaining two wickets and go for a run chase. Heeven gave Gautam Gambhir and YG Rao a bowl, but the English tailwagged to safety.Bishop and Ferley however batted confidently against the spin bowling.Vinayak Mane dropped Ferley off the bowling of Mishra in the 115thover, the last of many dropped catches in the match. Play was calledoff, with five minutes remaining. Ferley’s innings was decorated withsix boundaries and Bishop’s with three.