Dharmi Chand sends English lads reeling

Karnataka off-spinner Dharmi Chand bagged five wickets for 65 runs to send the visiting England under-19 team crashing to 210 all out in their first innings, on the opening day of the three-day match against Rest of India at the MIG Club in Bombay on Thursday.

The England boys won the toss and elected to bat first. Things looked rosy for them when their left handed opening pair of John Sadler (24 off 41 balls, including five boundaries) and Garry Pratt (78 off 99 balls, with 15 fours) put on 72 runs for the opening wicket in just 13.1 overs.

However, once the Karnataka lad had Sadler caught in the slips by Rest skipper Kashinath Khadkikar, wickets started falling at regular intervals.

Except for a third wicket partnership of 48 runs between Pratt and Kadeer Ali (19 off 36 balls, with two fours and a six) and a patient 39 off 119 balls, with five fours by middle order batsman Ian Pattison, the other English lads caved in to the Rest spinners.

All-rounder Khadkikar (two for 20) and left arm spinner Tushar Saha (two for 28) provided admirable support to Dharmi Chand.

Rest of India were 47 for two in their first innings when stumps were drawn.

Opening batsman Gaganinder Singh was batting on 29, off 57 balls, with five fours, while Khadkikar was on eight.

Left arm fast bowler Justin Bishop picked both the wickets, conceeding 12 runs.

Scoreboard

England (1st innings):

J Sadler c k Khadkikar b D Chand 24
G Pratt c D Chand b T Saha 78
I Bell c P Patel b M Singh 3
K Ali c A Das b T Saha 19
I Pattison st P Patel b K khadkikar 39
G Muchall c Gagandeep Singh b D Chand 4
M Wallace b D Chand 13
R Ferley c Y D Rao b D Chand 0
J Bishop c P Patel b D Chand 7
A McGarry (not out) 1
M Panesar c G Singh b K Khadkikar 0
Extras: (4-b, 15-nb, 3-w) 22
Total: (all out off 76.4 overs) 210
Fall of wickets: 1-72, 2-79, 3-127, 4-134, 5-155, 6-187, 7-188, 8-208, 9-209.
Bowling: Gagandeep Singh 6-1-29-0, Steve Lazarus 4-0-32-0, Dharmi Chand 25-7-65-5, Maninder Singh 6-0-16-1, Tushar Saha 17-8-28-2, Kashinath Khadkikar 17.4-8-20-2, Y D Rao 1-0-1-0.

Rest of India (1st innings):

Arindam Das c J Sadler b J Bishop 4
Gaganinder Singh (batting) 29
Mohnish Mishra c K Ali b J Bishop 1
Kashinath khadkikar (batting) 8
Extras: (4-w, 1-lb) 5
Total: (for two wickets) 47
Fall of wickets: 1-7, 2-27.
Bowling: Andrew McGarry 6-1-21-0, Justin Bishop 6-1-12-2, Ian Pattison 2-0-8-0, Monty Panesar 3-2-1-0, Robert Ferley 1-0-4-0.

Mail Cricket Editor