Cricket: India bounce back with pace

By RICHARD BOOCK in Johannesburg

Never mind the flashing blades of the Indian batsmen, it's the swerving deliveries of a trio of pace bowlers that should cause the most concern for the New Zealanders this evening.

Whatever great innings have been played so far by the likes of Sachin Tendulkar or Sourav Ganguly, the prominence of India's first seam-dominated bowling attack has proved the big talking point in recent days.

Left-armer Ashish Nehra grabbed six wickets against England at Durban; Javagal Srinath knocked over four against Sri Lanka this week, and Zaheer Khan has also been bowling well, building on his encouraging form in New Zealand.

In years gone by, there were times when the only reason India selected pace bowlers was to have someone quickly taking the shine off the ball, after which the masters of tweak and twirl would strut their stuff and invariably hog the limelight.

However, in South Africa the slow pitches have not offered much encouragement for the spinners, leaving India's strike responsibilities in the hands of Srinath, Nehra and Khan. The trio have taken 37 of India's 61 wickets to win seven of their eight games, the last six in succession. Srinath has 14, Nehra 12 and Khan 11.

Nehra said this week that having Srinath back from premature retirement was the key to India's bowling success.

"He is always giving us his experience and has been stressing the importance of good line and length, especially here at Centurion.

"The wickets are bouncy in South Africa and we have shown discipline."

Srinath, playing in his fourth World Cup, has 226 one-day appearances. Nehra and Khan share 100.

Nehra's best effort at this tournament was his storming spell of six for 23 against England, after he harnessed the extra assistance in the Kingsmead pitch during the second innings.

"Zaheer and I have been bowling well in the last year," Nehra said. "But we missed him [Srinath] during last year's England and New Zealand test series."

The three pacemen were given a chance together after India's nine-wicket drubbing by Australia and have not looked back, knocking over Zimbabwe, Namibia, England, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in succession.

"Whatever we have planned so far has worked," said Nehra. "Sri is concentrating on line and length and Zaheer on movement, which he wasn't doing so well six months back."

Nehra, who usually operates as the side's first change bowler, has been able to watch delightedly as Srinath and Khan made regular inroads into opposition batting lineups.

"Against Sri Lanka, they reduced them to five for 40, and it was my job to come and finish them off."

Srinath, the mainstay of the pace attack since Kapil Dev's retirement in 1994, believes the Indian fast bowlers are enjoying one of their best periods.

"It looks like we have the best fast bowling combination in a long while. It's good that three fast bowlers have cemented their place."

The 33-year-old veteran proved his worth in New Zealand during the summer tour when he grabbed 18 wickets in a series that India lost 5-2. At this tournament he has been Mr Consistency, conceding less than four runs an over and moving into the top 10 strike bowlers in the competition.

"Zaheer and Ashish have bowled so well at the other end, it's given me a new lease of life."

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