Ganguly regains form as India win by three wickets

An attacking unbeaten 74 off just 52 deliveries by Sourav Ganguly, helped India to beat Sri Lanka A by three wickets with nine balls to spare in their practice match at the NCC in Colombo on Wednesday. This is the only practice match the visitors have before they play their first match of Coca Cola Cup on Friday against New Zealand.

Ganguly came to the wicket with his team in trouble at 138 for four in the 32nd over in reply to the home team's total of 261 for eight. After coming to the crease, he saw Hemang Badani, Virender Sheweg and Sameer Dighe depart without giving him much assistance. However, he found an able ally in Reetinder Sodhi and the pair who came together with the score on 178 for seven remained unbeaten till India reached the target.

Ganguly and Sodhi added 84 runs off just 48 deliveries and it was this partnership that helped India to go past the target. It not only gave India a moral boosting victory ahead of the series, but also helped the Indian captain to get back to form. "Yes, I am feeling good about this knock" said a happy Ganguly. "But the bad patch might occur again in the future in a long career, and people might say lot of things but you got to keep your head high."

Ganguly decided to send Amay Khurasiya and Yuvraj Singh to open the innings, a move which didn't pay dividends. But dropping himself down the order worked well. "We have been playing a lot of cricket. As the captain, I need a break at some time. I have been playing non-stop cricket for five and half years. These are the games you can have a break and give the youngsters a chance."

Earlier, vice captain Rahul Dravid made a valuable 59 off 64 balls with six boundaries while Khurasiya made 34 off 57 balls. Apart from these two and Sodhi down the order, none of the Indian batsmen came to terms with the Sri Lankan bowlers. Fast bowlers sent down the first 22 overs of the Indian innings.

Ganguly played both spinners and fast bowlers well as he guided his side to victory. He hit three consecutive sixes off the off spin of Jehan Mubarak in the 44th over, over the head of long on. Altogether Ganguly hit five sixes and a boundary.

For the home team, skipper Thilan Samaraweera bowling his quota of 10 overs picked up two wickets giving away 46 runs. Muthumudalige Pushpakumara too picked up two wickets but he was given just five overs.

Earlier, a 129-run third wicket partnership between TM Dilshan and Jehan Mubarak and some big hitting from Jeevantha Kulatunga, Upul Chandana and Kaushalya Weeraratne towards the end of the innings, helped Sri Lanka A to set India a victory target of 262.

Dilshan who joined Jehan Mubarak with Sri Lanka on 37 for two played brilliantly. Dilshan who has been dumped from the senior side attacked the Indian spinners, scoring most of his runs against through the sweep. He even played the reverse sweep well. His half-century came off 57 balls and 76 minutes with five boundaries.

Mubarak at the other end played more of a supportive role. He reached his 50 facing 97 balls in 121 minutes with four boundaries. The hundred run partnership came in the 31st over.

As both the batsmen were cruising along, Ganguly introduced Zaheer Khan from the Tennis Count End. In the very first over of his second spell, Dilshan smashed two straight boundaries over the head of Khan.

With the score on 166, Dilshan essaying a sweep off Yuvraj Singh, top edged to Khurasiya at backward square-leg. His fall ended the third wicket alliance with Jehan Mubarak.

In the next over, with two runs added, Mubarak too departed clean bowled by Zaheer Khan, going for an ambitious drive. Mubarak, who opened the innings, made 70 from 115 balls.

The first six of the innings came from the bat of Jeevantha Kulatunga who cut Ajit Agarkar over the head of deep point. Some big hitting from Kulatunga helped Sri Lanka to push the run rate. He made a quick 31 from 31 balls with three boundaries and a six before VVS Laxman took a catch at long on off Harbhajan Singh to send him back to the pavilion. He and Upul Chandana had added 45 runs off 49 balls for the fifth wicket.

Chandana too made a quick 34 off 30 deliveries with two boundaries and a six before he became Zaheer Khan's third victim of the day when he skied the bowler to wicketkeeper Sameer Dighe.

Towards the end of the innings, some big hitting by the Sri Lankan tailenders helped them to get to 261 in their allotted 50 overs.

For the Indians, Zaheer Khan was impressive with four wickets for 40 runs.

Ganguly, speaking after the game said he was not bothered overmuch about giving away more than 260 runs. "We were trying out a few things," the Indian skipper said. "We got the guys who normally don't bowl to bowl in the slog overs. These are the games where you try and experiment. It's the international matches that matter. If we can find good cricketers, that's it. We might give away 30-40 extra runs, but it doesn't really matter."