India opens campaign with fluent win

The Indian coach, Roger Binny, was satisfied on Wednesday night after a thoroughly professional and disciplined all-round performance by his young Indian side. The team took control of the match right from the start with an opening partnership of 131 and never relinquished control, eventually dismissing the disappointing Bangladesh side for 113 off 34.5 overs, to win the match by 122 runs.

When Bangladesh won the toss and elected to bowl first in damp and overcast conditions, the omens were not good for the Indians. Fortunately for them the Bangaladesh bowlers didn't bowl particularly well and found it difficult to control the swing in the early overs. When they did create two chances, the fielders failed to take the catches. Both catches, the first in the covers and the second by the wicket keeper, were relatively easy and should have been taken.

With the new ball wasted and the pitch quickly drying, the Indian openers worked hard to capitalise on their good fortune and build a solid foundation. Responding to their coach's call for some hard graft and application the batsmen patiently accumulated runs all round the wicket. Boundaries were few and far between, as both openers preferred to push the ball into the gaps for singles and twos.

To the credit of this Bangladesh side they didn't panic after their poor start and gradually pulled themselves back into the match. The off-spinners, R. Alam and M. Kabir, in particular bowled well and didn't let the Indian batsmen accelerate. The pressure created was eventually rewarded when B. R. Das brilliantly caught Manish Sharma (55) on the deep mid-wicket boundary off the bowling of R. Alam. Ravneet Ricky (61) was soon to follow his partner as he popped up the ball to mid-wicket.

Despite a run a ball 30 from the skipper Mohammad Kaif, India began to lose their momentum. The clean hitting Yuvaraj Singh, top edged a sweep off the persevering Alam and was caught at midwicket and R.Sodhi was runout after being sent back by his partner.

The arrival at the crease of the elegant and wristy N. Patel, returned the initiative to India as he ended the innings with a little cameo that included one large six over wide long on. In the end they scored a very competitive 235-5 off their allotted 50 overs.

Bangladesh were immediately in trouble after the resumption of play as Sallab Srivastava clean bowled Hannan Sarker first ball, with a fast inswinging yorker. Spurred on by the wicket, the lithe and rhythmical fast bowler attacked the crease and bowled with considerable pace and not inconsiderable movement, ending the day with 2-32 off his 7 overs. He is clearly a player for the future.

His coach, Roger Binny, agrees. "He is on the right track and I think that in the next 2 or 3 years he will get into the senior team."

Despite the quality of the bowling the Bangladesh batsmen remained positive and the running between the wickets aggressive. Unfortunately they kept losing wickets. Nahidul Haque and Rajin Salah Alam were both adjudged to be LBW when the score was 27 and 48 respectively. When Mohammad Salim was caught behind off the talented Dave, Bangladesh's hope evaporated and the result became inevitable.

After the match Roger Binny appeared satisfied with the performance in general but nevertheless disappointed with the middle order, which had failed to take advantage of the large opening partnership.

"It was a good start for us. Considering that the wicket was not the best for one day cricket, initially we did well and the batsmen worked hard, it's just a shame that we lost it a bit in the middle of the innings."

When CRICINFO spoke to the Bangladesh coach afterwards he was very disappointed with the batting. "When we went into bat we didn't bat well at all and didn't apply ourselves. We were playing in a way that would have been ok in our grounds but not where conditions demand more patience."

India will take great heart from a performance in which the top three batted well, the quick bowlers were penetrative and the spin bowlers very accurate. Their next match is against Holland on Thursday and then against New Zealand on Saturday. Bangladesh face an uphill struggle to qualify but are capable of beating a young New Zealand side.