Worrisome signs as pace attack goes missing

Ishant Sharma takes 3 for 26 and Rudra Pratap Singh returns 2 for 16 but the Indians are unable to bowl out ACT XI

CANBERRA: After several of their fringe batsmen struggled on the opening day of India’s three-day tour match against the Australian Capital Territory XI, the tourists’ second-string bowlers also failed to impress on Friday.

Only teenage pace bowler Ishant Sharma, who put the controversy and disappointment of the second Test behind him to claim three early wickets, fired as the Indian attack struggled to dismiss a side featuring only one current first-class player.

After India declared at 325 for nine, the ACT XI were 292 for eight at stumps on the second day, with West Australian Test hopeful Chris Rogers making 60 and local unknown John Rogers narrowly missing a century.

The likes of Irfan Pathan, Pankaj Singh and Vikram Singh failed to take their opportunity to press for selection.

Harbhajan Singh was hit in the head by a ball before play started and then struggled to make a major impact in his first outing since being banned for three Tests for racial abuse during the contentious Sydney Test, although he picked up the prized wicket of Chris Rogers. 

With India using nine bowlers, Sharma struck three times in his first spell of the day and finished 26 for three from 11 overs to enhance his chances of retaining his spot for the Perth Test.

With his first ball he found the inside edge of opener Ed Cowan’s bat and the ball ricocheted on to the stumps to dismiss him for 14.

Three balls later, Sharma enjoyed some overdue fortune with the umpires, trapping Jonathon Dean leg-before wicket for a duck as the ACT slid to 2-45.

Chris Rogers and ACT captain Mark Higgs then added 38 before Sharma struck again in his fourth over of the day, dismissing the latter for one, caught behind after edging an attempted pull.

Rogers is tipped to replace veteran batsman Matthew Hayden, who is battling a hamstring injury, at the top of the order in the third Test at Perth’s WACA.  

Scorecard
India (1st Innings) 325 for 9 decl
ACT XI (1st innings: C Rogers lbw b Harbhajan  60, Ed Cowan b Sharma 14, J Dean lbw b Sharma 0, M Higgs c Karthik b Sharma 1, J Rogers c VRV Singh b RP Singh 98, R Starr lbw b RP Singh 27, J Crosthwaite st Kaarthick b Sehwag 27, A Ritchard b Pathan 15, R Sherlock batting 11, L Swards batting 4, Extras (B10 LB12 W2 NB11) 35, Total (for eight wkts; 93 overs) 292, Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-45, 3-83, 4-100, 5-174, 6-241, 7-269, 8-285, Bowling: I Pathan 18-3-56-1, I Sharma 11-4-26-3, Pankaj Singh 14-2-36-0, VRV Singh 11-0-39-0, Harbhajan Singh 13-1-37-1, V Sehwag 11-1-37-1, RP Singh 9-2-16-2, Yuvraj Singh 5-0-21-0