A warm-up remains a warm-up after all --- for players,
officials and everyone. On Thursday and Friday (October 17 & 18), Delhi
played a pre-season practice game against Bengal over two days at the
Ferozeshah Kotla. Delhi batted on Day One and Bengal on Day Two.
Mithun Manhas scored 98 before he was asked to retire hurt,
Puneet Bisht made 67 and Milind Kumar 77 as the hosts made 343/8. But the most
notable of Delhi action came from paceman Ashish Nehra.
Nehra came in on Day One but left immediately after seeing
that he is not required. Delhi batted and their batsmen ensured they got
sufficient batting practice. Nehra walked in on the second morning and started
to bowl in coloured lowers when both the teams were dressed in whites.
The umpires were requested to allow him to play and sources
say that they had to be convinced. According to sources close to Delhi Cricket, the reason given was that
Nehra’s white trousers tore as he stretched in the morning and then had to play
in coloured ones. One wonders what quality trousers an international player
like him was wearing.
The issue would have died but for some members of the sports
committee, who expressed their displeasure at what they described an ‘unprofessional’
sight as the bowler left after bowling just one spell.
On the positive side, the Delhi spearhead bowled nine overs for
33 runs and coach Sanjeev Sharma was pretty happy with his performance. Bengal
ended the day at 220 for four. Thinking that it is after all a practice game, they
left Kotla just after tea, at 3 pm, without playing the full duration. They had
an early flight to catch.
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