ID :
97016
Mon, 12/28/2009 - 02:11
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/97016
The shortlink copeid
Kotla fiasco dampens joy of series defeat
New Delhi, Dec 27 (PTI) The Ferozeshah Kotla stood
disgraced Sunday after the fifth and final India-Sri Lanka
cricket one-dayer was abandoned because of a dangerous pitch,
which not only brought about an embarrassing end to the series
but also put a question mark over its stature as an
international venue.
The game was abandoned after 23.3 overs, leading to
unruly scenes in the packed galleries with incensed spectators
hurling water bottles and chair covers and damaging the stands
to bring about a shameful end to the five-match series which
India won by 3-1 margin.
The relaid track at Ferozeshah Kotla was a virtual
minefield as the Sri Lankan batsmen, unlucky to be asked to
bat first, fended for life as odd balls reared up alarmingly.
The Sri Lankan innings was into its 24th over when
Thilina Kandamby complained to the on-field umpires, which led
to a mid-field conference involving Match Referee Alan Hurst,
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his Lankan counterpart
Kumar Sangakkara, coaches from both sides Gary Kirsten and
Trevor Bayliss and the man in the eye of storm, Kotla curator
Vijay Bahadur Mishra.
Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) officials,
including its vice president and former player Chetan Chauhan,
offered another strip to Hurst but the match could not be
saved.
Sunday's incident was uncannily similar to the December
25, 1997 India-Sri Lanka ODI in Nehru Stadium, in the Indian
city of Indore which was called off after just three overs and
the fiasco invited a brief suspension for the venue.
Sanath Jasuriya, who scored 31 Sunday, is the only player
to feature in both the games.
India went into the final match hoping to sign off with a
win but conditions were just not fit for an international
game.
Fiery Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan sustained a
nasty blow when an Ashish Nehra delivery hit his forearm,
leaving him rolling on turf and writhing in pain,
necessitating on-field treatment.
Jayasuriya, who survived longest, copped quite a few
blows on his upper arm and wrist during his 51-ball ordeal,
while others were seen fending nervously.
For some strange reasons, play continued till the 24th
over. It was only after a Sudeep Tyagi delivery had kicked up
that Sri Lankan batsman Thilina Kandamby complained to umpires
Marais Erasmus and Shavir Tarapore and the dead rubber was
eventually abandoned.
But the official announcement came more than one-and-half
hours later and by then the two teams had already left the
venue, along with the officials.
Earlier, it looked a perfect winter morning for the hosts
as Dhoni, back in the saddle after serving a two-match ban,
won a crucial toss and his bowlers took the onus on themselves
to vindicate their captain's decision.
Playing for pride in this dead rubber, the Sri Lankans
watched in horror as the home side bowlers polished off the
top half of their batting order inside 18 overs for 63 paltry
runs.
For India, Zaheer Khan set the tone, ghosting the first
delivery of the match through Upul Tharanga's porous defence.
Ashish Nehra too nearly got Tillakaratne Dilshan (20) with his
first delivery but an airborne Suresh Raina spilled one in
cover.
Uncharacteristically subdued, Dilshan lingered to receive
a nasty blow on his forearm when a Nehra delivery kicked off
the track, leaving him writhing in pain and necessitating
on-field treatment before Zaheer ended his uncomfortable stay.
Kumar Sangakkara's (1) was a brief stay that ended with
the Sri Lankan captain becoming debutant Tyagi's first ODI
victim and this time Raina was bang on the ball.
Sanath Jayasuriya (31), 20 years of one day cricket under
his belt, didn't look comfortable but kept going, poking and
edging all along before Harbhajan Singh got into the wicket
column with his fourth delivery, a top-spinner that trapped
the left-hander plumb in front.
As if it did not look bad enough, Thilan Samaraweera (2)
fell to Raina's direct throw after an almighty mix-up with
Kandamby.
The match lasted another 5.3 overs before it was brought
to an inglorious end. PTI MRM
RDM
disgraced Sunday after the fifth and final India-Sri Lanka
cricket one-dayer was abandoned because of a dangerous pitch,
which not only brought about an embarrassing end to the series
but also put a question mark over its stature as an
international venue.
The game was abandoned after 23.3 overs, leading to
unruly scenes in the packed galleries with incensed spectators
hurling water bottles and chair covers and damaging the stands
to bring about a shameful end to the five-match series which
India won by 3-1 margin.
The relaid track at Ferozeshah Kotla was a virtual
minefield as the Sri Lankan batsmen, unlucky to be asked to
bat first, fended for life as odd balls reared up alarmingly.
The Sri Lankan innings was into its 24th over when
Thilina Kandamby complained to the on-field umpires, which led
to a mid-field conference involving Match Referee Alan Hurst,
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his Lankan counterpart
Kumar Sangakkara, coaches from both sides Gary Kirsten and
Trevor Bayliss and the man in the eye of storm, Kotla curator
Vijay Bahadur Mishra.
Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) officials,
including its vice president and former player Chetan Chauhan,
offered another strip to Hurst but the match could not be
saved.
Sunday's incident was uncannily similar to the December
25, 1997 India-Sri Lanka ODI in Nehru Stadium, in the Indian
city of Indore which was called off after just three overs and
the fiasco invited a brief suspension for the venue.
Sanath Jasuriya, who scored 31 Sunday, is the only player
to feature in both the games.
India went into the final match hoping to sign off with a
win but conditions were just not fit for an international
game.
Fiery Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan sustained a
nasty blow when an Ashish Nehra delivery hit his forearm,
leaving him rolling on turf and writhing in pain,
necessitating on-field treatment.
Jayasuriya, who survived longest, copped quite a few
blows on his upper arm and wrist during his 51-ball ordeal,
while others were seen fending nervously.
For some strange reasons, play continued till the 24th
over. It was only after a Sudeep Tyagi delivery had kicked up
that Sri Lankan batsman Thilina Kandamby complained to umpires
Marais Erasmus and Shavir Tarapore and the dead rubber was
eventually abandoned.
But the official announcement came more than one-and-half
hours later and by then the two teams had already left the
venue, along with the officials.
Earlier, it looked a perfect winter morning for the hosts
as Dhoni, back in the saddle after serving a two-match ban,
won a crucial toss and his bowlers took the onus on themselves
to vindicate their captain's decision.
Playing for pride in this dead rubber, the Sri Lankans
watched in horror as the home side bowlers polished off the
top half of their batting order inside 18 overs for 63 paltry
runs.
For India, Zaheer Khan set the tone, ghosting the first
delivery of the match through Upul Tharanga's porous defence.
Ashish Nehra too nearly got Tillakaratne Dilshan (20) with his
first delivery but an airborne Suresh Raina spilled one in
cover.
Uncharacteristically subdued, Dilshan lingered to receive
a nasty blow on his forearm when a Nehra delivery kicked off
the track, leaving him writhing in pain and necessitating
on-field treatment before Zaheer ended his uncomfortable stay.
Kumar Sangakkara's (1) was a brief stay that ended with
the Sri Lankan captain becoming debutant Tyagi's first ODI
victim and this time Raina was bang on the ball.
Sanath Jayasuriya (31), 20 years of one day cricket under
his belt, didn't look comfortable but kept going, poking and
edging all along before Harbhajan Singh got into the wicket
column with his fourth delivery, a top-spinner that trapped
the left-hander plumb in front.
As if it did not look bad enough, Thilan Samaraweera (2)
fell to Raina's direct throw after an almighty mix-up with
Kandamby.
The match lasted another 5.3 overs before it was brought
to an inglorious end. PTI MRM
RDM
