India V Somerset At Taunton: India Limp After Willoughby Strikes

Most Indian fans would be thanking their favourite lord that the warm-up game between India and Somerset isn’t being shown live on local televisions. Star Cricket, which has the Indian broadcasting rights for the entire series seemed to have decided that there were other, important cricketing reruns that needed more attention and as a result, the tour game isn’t being shown live.

But after the second of the three days, it does not seem to be such a bad idea after all. Especially not with the setting seeming to have transferred to those yonder days of struggles on pitches abroad, for the Indian batting. Those were days when anything remotely green on the pitch was enough to send the Indian batting scurrying for cover.

So, on the first day, Somerset, a fifth-ranked county in the English domestic structure this season, put the Indian bowling to sword on a pitch that one thought resembled a freshly laid expressway. 329 runs came off 75 overs for the loss of two wickets, but one could have put that down to the bowlers trying out different things before the start of the all-important first Test.

Almost another 100 runs were added on the second day by Somerset, more pertinently in only 21 overs before the declaration came about. This was after much of the first session was disrupted because of rain.

What followed after, was a carnage that would probably befit the Indian team from the pre-2000s. Left-arm bowler Charl Willoughby grabbed four Indian wickets in his first spell, before following up with a fifth one later and was ably supported by the likes of Alfonso Thomas, Peter Trego and debutant Craig Meschede – all of whom got one apiece.

By the time the day had ended, almost as a relief, India had lost eight wickets and scored less than what Arul Suppiah got alone in his 259-ball essay.

It was not always this bad however. Gautam Gambhir got off to a start after having missed out the West Indies series. There were five boundaries in his 21 and the absence of Virender Sehwag seemed not to be felt as India ran up 32 before the fifth over. And then, Gambhir got out to Willoughby.

The rest of the batsmen, save Suresh Raina just caved in. Abhinav Mukund made 18, Rahul Dravid scored a run less, Sachin Tendulkar’s comeback innings after the 40-day break yielded a scratchy 26 while Yuvraj Singh failed justify why he should be selected ahead of Suresh Raina in the first Test. He also failed to score a run.

There was some wagging from Zaheer Khan but barring Raina – unbeaten on 30 – no-one crossed 26. When the stumps were drawn, India were way behind the follow-on mark and while Somerset will not want to allow India to bat again and afford them practice, the circumstances probably demand a second thought.

And as far as the Indian fans are concerned, they will hope that things can only get better from this ebb.