PUNE, SEPT 29: The opening domestic cricket match pitting India A against New Zealand at Nehru Stadium provides the fringe players knocking the doors of Indian team an ideal opportunity to showcase their mettle.The spotlight will be on openers, Wasim Jaffer and Devang Gandhi, left-arm spinner Murali Karthik and all-rounder Sridharan Sriram who have been among the reckoning for a berth in the National squad. A wet spell in the past two days has jeopardised the start of the match. Though the pitch remains dry, the outfield is a cause for worry.
The teams (from)
New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Nathan Astle, Mathew Horne, Craig Spearman, Matthew Bell, Craig McMillan, Chris Cairns, Adam Parore (wicket-keeper), Chris Harris, Dion Nash, Chris Drum, Shayne O'Connor, Andrew Penn, Daniel Vettori and Paul Wiseman.
India A: Amol Muzumdar (captain), Devang Gandhi, Wasim Jaffer, Abhijit Kale, Manoj Mudgal (wicket-keeper), Sridharan Sriram, Connor Williams, Murali Karthik, IqbalSiddiqui, Amit Bhandari, Sanjay Kumar Satpathy, Sachin Nair and Jatinder Singh.
Umpires: AV Jayaprakash (Karnataka) and Madan Singh (Karnataka).
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.