Date-stamped : 29 Jan95 - 10:32 England "A" v India "A", Test 1 played at KSCA Stadium, Bangalore, 14, 15, 16, 17 January 1995 ====> Prematch Ramprakash under pressure to state strong Test case Mark Ramprakash, the Middlesex batsman, has been given the key No4 position in the England A side for the first five-day inter- national match against India A, which starts in Bangalore today. With the responsibility comes the chance to resurrect his Test career. Ramprakash, 25, must cope with the pressure of knowing he has to show, once and for all on this tour, that he is a player of Test class. The early signs, both in his batting and in his off-field disposition, are that he is mentally atuned to the task. "I have to make the most of my opportunities here," Ramprakash said. "I'm very happy with the way things are going. I have Test ex- perience to draw on, but I feel it is a case of relaxing more in the pressure situations." Others in the A team also have a lot to gain after the failure of Michael Atherton's senior side in Australia. Dominic Cork, for instance, is desperate to show he is worth a Test call-up prefer- ably for the match in Adelaide later this month and Richard Stemp, the Yorkshire slow left-armer, can put pressure on Phil Tufnell's England place if he performs well in India. Stemp has begun well, with the India chairman of selectors, Gun- dappa Viswanath, a veteran of 91 Tests in the Seventies and Eighties, predicting great things for him. Ian Salisbury, 24, the Sussex leg spinner, is, like Ramprakash, bidding to rebuild a faltering Test career. Jason Gallian, the 23-year-old Australia-born batsman, once cap- tained a number of the present Australia Test side at under-19 level, so he has the incentive to do some catching up. Glen Chapple, the highly promising 20-year-old Lancashire seam bowler, has the example of Darren Gough's progress in the last 12 months to spur him on. Less expected, perhaps, is the prospect of a wicketkeeping vacancy in the England side next summer after Steve Rhodes's indifferent form in Australia, which will mean Paul Nixon's performances in the three-match series will be scrutinised. Alan Wells, the England A captain, said: "It is going to be a very tough series, there's no doubt about that. But I have a side full of fighters and if we adopt the sort of attitude and resolve that we have shown in our warm-up games then I am confident that we can do well." "The Bangalore pitch looks slow, and it will take spin even if the cracks don't crumble around the edges. The important thing is that we concentrate all the time if we bat first we must aim solely to put a big score on the board, and if we bowl, we must not give anything away." (Thanks : The Times, 14 Jan 95) Contributed by Ram.Krishnan (rkrishna@garnet.acns.fsu.edu) ====> Day 1, 14 Jan 95 Richard Stemp turned in a superb display of bowling but England A were made to toil by India A. The home side raced to 99-0 after Alan Wells had lost the toss before Stemp took two wickets in the same overs and finished with 2-56. Dominic Cork and Ian Salisbury were disappointing but Glen Chapple worked hard and was rewarded when he struck with the second new ball. Vikram Rathore made an elegant 90 while local hero Rahul Dravid was 50 not out as India A reached 236-4. England A captain Alan Wells was pleased with his side`s efforts after India A made 236-4 on day one. "It was a very hard day and the pitch was pretty lifeless, but the guys stuck at it extremely well," he commented afterwards. "We could have been in a strong position if things had gone our way and I am disappointed we didn`t get more reward for our effort. "We did most things right out there and I thought Richard Stemp bowled some fantastic spells," he added. Source: BBC Ceefax Contributed by Syed.M.Ali (sma@dcs.ed.ac.uk) ====> Day 2, 15 Jan 95 Richard Stemp gave England A`s hopes a huge lift with a six wicket haul as India A were bowled out for 300 just after lunch on the second day in the first Test. The Yorkshire slow left-armer took two wickets on the opening day and a spell of 4-27 from 15.2 overs gave him 6-83 for the innings. Nick Knight and Jason Gallian made half centuries as England made a solid start in reply but both fell to spinners. Mark Ramprakash looked assured in making an unbeaten 30 as they reached 153-3 by close of play. Richard Stemp drew inspiration from Yorkshire teammate Darren Gough`s performance in Australia as he took 6-83 against India A. "If Goughy can do it then so can I. I`m trying to follow his example -- especially the way he goes out there and gives it every thing. "That`s the best I have ever bowled in my career, easily, and I am just so looking forward to bowling these days," Stemp commented. "I`m mentally stronger now and I really do believe I am only just coming up to my peak as a spinner." Source: BBC Ceefax Contributed by Syed.M.Ali (sma@dcs.ed.ac.uk) ====> Day 2, more England A hit back here on Sunday after left-arm spinner Richard Stemp produced a six-wicket haul to help his team stay in conten- tion in the first five-day international against their Indian counterparts at Bangalore. After bowling out the home team for 300, England A reached a commanding 153 for three by close of the second day`s play at the Chinnaswamy stadium. Opener Nick Knight and Jason Gallian, who put on 95 for the second wicket, accumulated impressive half-centuries against the Indian spinners and at stumps Mark Ramprakash was still at the crease on 30, which included one six over midwicket. The hero of the day for the tourists, however, was Yorkshire`s 27-year-old Stemp, who finished with figures of six for 83. The spinner, who claimed two on the first day, picked up four more on Sunday as the last six wickets crashed for the addition of 64 runs. Starting the day at 236 for four, India A lost three wickets in the space of 13 balls -- two of them to Stemp -- to slide to 258 for seven within the first hour. Stemp, whose career-best figures were six for 37 against Derbyshire last sea- son, claimed this was a better performance. "In the match against Derbyshire, the wicket was a real turner, but here the turn is slow and I had to rely on flight to get wickets," he said. Stemp`s performance was, however, deflated by the news that left-arm seamer Mark Ilott is to return home this week be- cause of a strained side muscle. The English team management announced here Sunday that it had not yet undecided whether to seek a replacement for the remaining two five-day internationals and three one-dayers on the tour. Galli- an, the in-form Lancashire batsman, picked up 58 runs before he miscalculated a flighted ball from leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule and was snapped up at silly point by Vikram Rathore. Knight was caught behind off the naggingly accurate left-arm spinner Chat- terjee. Contributed by vasa (Vasanthan.Dasan@Central.Sun.COM) ====> Day 2, more Injured Ilott is heading home - Simon Hughes THE decision to call an end to Mark Ilott's tour took some of the gloss off a successful day for England A in their 'Test' against India A at Bangalore yesterday. In cool conditions, on a surface like a cracked windscreen, England manouevred themselves into a good position during the second day with a combination of craft and graft. By the end of the day the pitch 'supervisor' was even grumbling about the Indian spinners who, in England's previous match, had looked practically unplayable. Ilott's injured side could take at least a month to heal, and the Essex left-armer had delivered only 12 overs since joining the tour from his stopover in Australia as temporary cover for the Ashes party. He said: "Having gone to Australia I know I'm on the verge of the Test side. It's disappointing to have to go home from here, but it's what I do at the start of the summer that will matter." Richard Stemp, the Yorkshire left-arm spinner, won England the initiative with an irresistible spell that had rewarded his perseverance on the first day. In his third over yesterday he turned one sharply across Rahul Dravid's back defences to pin him lbw; in his fourth he spun another at right angles to the left-hander Bahtule who had neglected to play a shot. In between, Glen Chapple removed the other overnight batsman, Vijay Yadav, who sliced a drive to the ever-alert Nick Knight in the slips. Three wickets had gone in 13 balls, and the Indians' fragile tail was exposed. The tail hung on for a while, but they did not trouble the scorers much. This was because of Stemp's accuracy, again supported by unflagging fielding. Straight after drinks a strokeless Rajesh Chauhan was taken at silly point, and Chatterjee edged a waft at Dominic Cork. Only some desperate heaving by the No 11 Kuruvilla - he was the only one to hit Stemp for a boundary all morning - nudged the total to respectability. While Knight and Jason Gallian were firmly repelling the Indian spinners, and taking the odd calculated liberty, Stemp explained his advance. The concave curve in his run-up - developed two months ago with Norman Gifford - meant he was more balanced at the crease, improving consistency and therefore confidence, he said. He had also learned to be more patient and felt that the donning of dark glasses while bowling helped to conceal his emotions from the batsman. Stemp might be joined by Gallian in due course. Gallian's defence is compact, he plays beautifully straight and can up the tempo when necessary. Mark Ramprakash is the only England A batsman who could upstage Gallian, and by the close he suggested he might, playing an innings of calm authority that included a classic off-drive and an astonishing lofted sweep over the barbed wire fence. (c) The Electronic Telegraph is a Registered Service Mark of The Telegraph plc. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by Syed.M.Ali (sma@dcs.ed.ac.uk) ====> Day 3, 16 Jan 95 Glen Chapple and Dominic Cork put England A in command of the first Test on an action-packed third day. Chapple took 3-21 and Cork finished with figures of 2-31 to leave India A reeling on 83-7, a lead of 94. A brilliant innings of 99 from Mark Ramprakash, along with some stout resistance from Glen Chapple, had clawed England A up to 289 following a middle-order collapse earlier on. Ramprakash deserved a century but Rajesh Chauhan went around the wicket for a change of angle to induce a nick to the wicket-keeper. Source: BBC Ceefax & ITN's Telextext Contributed by Syed.M.Ali (sma@dcs.ed.ac.uk) ====> Day 3, more England snatch initiative after Ramprakash 99 - Simon Hughes Even an entire section of this newspaper would not do justice to the commitment and moral fibre that England A displayed on the third day of the first 'Test' against India A yesterday. Marshalled by the regal and unflappable Mark Ramprakash, they virtually drew level with India's first innings and then all but wiped out their second with bowling and fielding of such zest and intensity that the celebration of each dismissal was almost frenzied. Only the 20-year-old prodigy Amol Muzumdar - a miniature Tendulkar - stands between them and a wonderful chance of victory today. Aware that the wicket was deteriorating rapidly, Ramprakash mixed caution with calculated aggression, delicately smothering threatening deliveries, sashaying down the pitch occasionally to plonk the spinners over the top or clip them through midwicket. His shot selection was brilliant, as was his shepherding of Glen Chapple, after three wickets (Weekes, Cork and Nixon) had fallen tamely in the space of eight deliveries from the burgeoning leg-spinner Sairaj Bahutule. Batting of the highest calibre Chapple, to his credit, was not overawed by the sharp turn or the claustrophia of close fielders. They added 52 precious runs until Ramprakash, on 99, got a faint edge to the off-spinner Chauhan's first ball from round the wicket, ending three hours and 40 minutes of batting of the highest calibre. It also prompted Praveen Amre to take the new ball, and this, in the hands of the bustling paceman Mhambrey, finished England off. But what India could do, England could do better, and by the time Chapple and Cork were rested, India were reeling at 46 for five. The wicket was such a mess that the ball jagged about and kicked alarmingly. It swung too, and Chapple bowled an immaculate line, well supported by rapacious fielding. England have decided against replacing the injured Mark Ilott, who is due to leave the A tour on Friday, writes Charles Randall. Worcestershire's Stuart Lampitt is the named reserve, but the official view yesterday was that a new seam-bowler would be unlikely to play enough. (c) The Electronic Telegraph is a Registered Service Mark of The Telegraph plc Contributed by Syed (sma@dcs.ed.ac.uk) ====> Day 4, 17 Jan 95 Mark Ramprakash and Glen Chapple were again the stars of England A in a hard-fought four wicket victory over India A. Ramprakash added 36 not out to his first innings 99, steering the tourists home eight balls after tea. Earlier, 22 year old paceman Chapple took two of the last three Indian wickets to finish on 5-32. That left England A needing only 116 to go 1-0 up in the three match series. However they stuttered to 89-6 but Ramprakash was coolness personified to guide them home. Source :: BBC Ceefax Contributed by Syed (sma@dcs.ed.ac.uk) ====> Day 4, more England`s second-string cricket team restored some of their country`s battered pride with a four-wicket victory over India A in the first five-day international on Tuesday. The narrow but well-deserved win came as a welcome relief to English cricket fans, dismayed by the lacklusture display of Mike Atherton`s senior team in Australia. England A dismissed the home side for 104 in their second innings and then knocked off the victory tar- get of 116 with four wickets and a day to spare. India A had ad- ded 21 runs to their overnight score of 83 for seven before they were bowled out an hour after the start of the fourth day`s play. Amol Mazumdar, 48 overnight and India`s last hope, added three more before being trapped leg before by seamer Glen Chapple for 51 in the fourth over. Chapple, the 20-year-old Lancashire player, was the pick of the English bowlers with figures of five for 32 and a seven-wicket haul in the match. The tourists then defied the Indian spinners on a slow-turning wicket, although they suffered a minor setback when they lost three wickets in the space of six runs to slump from a confident 83 for three to 89 for six in the post-lunch session. But vice-captain Mark Ram- prakash, who made 99 in the first innings, and wicket-keeper Paul Nixon guided their team to victory in the second over after tea. Ramprakash remained unbeaten on 36. England`s former test spinner John Emburey, bowling coach of the touring party, said the victory was "well-deserved and badly needed." He singled out Yorkshire`s left-arm spinner Richard Stemp, who claimed six wickets in the first innings, as the most improved player on the tour. "Richard is learning well and should be a strong challenger to Phil Tufnell for the upcoming home series against the West Indies," Emburey said. Indian manager Sandeep Patil said bad batting cost his team the match. "We had no business to get out for 104 in the second innings," he said. "The wicket was not that bad at all." The second five-day international will be played at the Eden Gar- dens in Calcutta from January 27. The third match is at Chandi- garh from February 4. The tourists will also play three one-day internationals after the unofficial test series. Contributed by vasa (Vasanthan.Dasan@Central.Sun.COM) ====> Day 4, more Chapple leads the remarkable England A victory charge - Simon Hughes A BLACK mat, two redheads and an afro-Asian born in Bushey were the architects of England A's distinguished performance here yesterday. Glen Chapple pierced Indian resistance in the second innings as Richard Stemp had done in the first, and then Mark Ramprakash, the son of a Guyanese man originating from Uttarpradash, stabilised the England reply for the second time. He was there at the end as England stuttered to victory by four wickets just after tea. So where does the black mat come in? It was a crucial ingredient in the team's pre-tour preparation, providing them with a valuable indoor example of what playing surfaces in India would be like. Then, they developed a strategy and stuck to it. Consequently the whole is considerably more than the sum of its parts. The attitude is reflected in the output. England's first major success on the subcontinent for 10 years was achieved not by pie throwers or gnarled professionals but dedicated, enthusiastic bowlers and batsmen able to adapt their approach to the situation. And the fielding was a revelation. Even on a rutted outfield, nothing was fumbled and every catch snaffled. Dominic Cork scooped up a neat one at first slip yesterday off Chapple, whose big heart and natural out-swinger assure him of fine future. It was a deviation the other way that ended India's resolve. Chapple got one to nip back and creep at Amol Mazumdar - the talented 19-year-old from the same school as Sachin Tendulkar - and he departed lbw three balls after completing a cultured fifty. More will be heard of him. Gallian becoming a batsman of pedigree. And probably of Test umpire V.K. Ramaswamy too, but for the wrong reasons. Officiating in India is tricky with all the bat-pad decisions and hysterical appealing, but there is no excuse for the kind of mistakes he makes. He gave Rajesh Chauhan out stumped as India's last man overbalanced sweeping, but then changed it in the pavilion to run out. At least half the decisions he made in the match looked ropey, and he has an unforgiveable habit of remaining rooted to the spot five yards behind the stumps to adjudicate run-outs. Fortunately there was no such eccentricity in England's top-order batting. Michael Vaughan edged a good out-swinger in the third over, but then Nick Knight and Jason Gallian progressed tenaciously as the ball darted and weaved about like the traffic in Mahatma Ghandi Road. They attacked positively too, Gallian once depositing the leg-spinner Bahutule for a huge straight six that no-one who saw his 71/2-hour century at Blackpool would have thought possible. He is rapidly becoming a batsman of considerable pedigree. Ramprakash is already that, and when Knight and Gallian were both out to deliveries which spun wickedly, he was called on again to stimulate the innings. As a mark of respect, the scouts were posted as soon as he took guard, but he has such a delicate touch and range of shots he was able to find gaps, flipping off his hip, forcing past cover. Even his defence is perfectly executed. Wells stayed with him until only 33 were needed, but then three wickets fell in the eighties and the tension mounted. Ramprakash stayed calm and, accompanied by Paul Nixon, edged England home. Considering that they lost the toss and were consigned to bat last on a surface like an urban road map, this was a remarkable achievement. There is no doubt that this is a squad of fast learners - perhaps a product of their youth, as yet untrammelled by the inflexible routine of county cricket. (c) The Electronic Telegraph is a Registered Service Mark of The Telegraph plc Contributed by Syed (sma@dcs.ed.ac.uk)