Pujara's heroics help India A beat WI A - Permaul, Who ?

Cheteshwar Pujara walked out with Veerasammy Permaul for the toss.  Sounds too familiar – was that any Ranji match or a local match in India ?  After the hectic IPL schedule, you most likely may not be following this 4 day First class match played Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados on 2,3,4,5 June 2012

It was between India A & West Indies A.  Indians in their first essay made 277 (Rohit Sharma 94, Saha 56) in reply to WI 252.  In their Second innings WI made 252 setting a target of 186 and Indians had slipped to 22 for 3 at close of play on the penultimate day, a precarious position, in which most of the chasing teams would lose.

Indians fought back after slipping badly and it was largely due to Cheteshwar Pujara who  took a huge step towards Test selection.  He  added 73 with No. 10 Shami Ahmed to take India A to a thrilling win in the first unofficial Test, at Kensington Oval. Pujara remained unbeaten on 96, the highest score in all four innings of the match, and more than thrice the next best effort by an Indian in the final innings. Jason  Holder playing at his home ground, ended up on the losing side despite registering his third five-for in his 15th first-class match. His effort reduced India A to 115 for 8 in a chase of 186.

It might have been an unofficial Test, but the qualities that make Test cricket special were all on display. Two teams full of young men hoping to represent their Test sides went into the final day with all three results possible, and three rain interruptions brought a draw into the picture too. In fact when the players went off the third time, in the last hour of the day, with India A needing 20 runs, it seemed the sides would have to settle for a draw.

Resuming at 22 for 3, India lost Shikhar Dhawan early as he failed to add to his overnight 13. Rohit Sharma and Pujara then fought through a testing period.  Pundits recalled Pujara’s earlier exploits with Saurashtra tail in company in fading lights against Delhi in an earlier Ranji Season. 

India eventually won is a great news for the Indian fan….. do you know the Captains ? – Cheteshwar Pujara walked out with Veerasammy Permaul for the toss.  Permaul is the Captain of West Indies A team.  Veerasammy Permaul is a left-arm spinner who took up cricket in 2002. He made his first-class debut for Guyana in the 2006-07 Carib Beer Series and picked up four wickets against the Windward Islands and also scalped his first five-for against Jamaica in the KFC Cup. Permaul has ambitions of playing for West Indies in the future and is also interested in teaching.

Permaul was born in Guyana in 1989.  He is a right hand bat and a slow left-arm orthodox spinner.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.