Chapple sets up sweep of series

India A 229 and 136-8 England A 209

Glen Chapple, the 21-year-old Yorkshire-born Lancashire fast bowler, ripped through India A's batting for the second time in three days in Chandigarh yesterday. His 4 for 30, after a haul of 4 for 60 in their first innings, turned the course of the third`Test' once again and left India A only 156 runs ahead with two second-innings wickets standing.

His onslaught should mean England A will have only a moderate target to chase in their bid to complete a 3-0 series whitewash.

After Darren Gough's emergence as a force in the Test team, Chapple's performance on this tour, where he has taken 18 wickets at just 16 runs apiece against India A, raises the prospect of England soon sporting a powerful opening attack.

The chairman of selectors, Ray Illingworth, was well aware of Chapple's potential when he sent him to the tour and likes the fact that he can bat as well.

Phil Neale, the England A manager, said: "His batting technique is solid enough for him to become a No 8 at international level, if not a No 7.

"His bowling has been very impressive and he's not put a foot wrong so far over here. His strength is his consistent line and that he hits the seam every time. He also swings the ball consistently and can achieve reverse swing when the ball is old."

Chapple's maturity on and off the field sets him apart from many his age, as much as his ability. Tall and athletic, he comes across as a solid, dependable character.

Yesterday, for example, he had a good shout for lbw refused soon after breaking an 81-run fourth-wicket stand by having Rahul Dravid lbw for 47, but he did not let it ruffle him. He merely ran in harder to have the same batsman, Rizwan Shamshad, caught behind for four in his next over.

The left-arm spinner Min Patel, with 2 for 34 from 27 overs, provided immaculate control at one end but it was Chapple who produced the telling burst of 3 for 5 in 16 balls midway through the final session.

Only Amol Muzumdar, on 41 not out, now stands between the A team and a clean sweep of Test victories following their wins in Bangalore and Calcutta.

(Third day: India A won toss)

India A - First Iinnings 229 (R S Dravid 59; G Chapple 4-60).

England A - First Innings (Overnight: 145 for 7)

K J Piper lbw b Ganguly 30

R L Johnson lbw b Mhambrey 4

M M Patel c Muzumdar b Mhambrey 35

R D Stemp not out 0

Extras (lb2 nb2) 4

Total (82.1 overs) 209

Fall (cont): 8-153 9-209.

Bowling: Mhambrey 20.1-6-63-4; Ganguly 10-0-32-2; Padmanabhan 10-3-40-0; Singh 20-10-35-2.; Chatterjee 22-9-37-2.

India A - Second Innings *V S Rathore lbw b Patel 18

G K Khoda lbw b Chapple 0

S C Ganguly c Piper b Cork 8

R S Dravid lbw b Chapple 47

A A Muzumdar not out 41

R Shamshad c Piper b Chapple 4

A Vaidya c Piper b Chapple 0

U Chatterjee run out 6

P L K Mhambrey b Patel 4

K Singh not out 2

Extras (b3 lb1 w1 nb1) 6

Total (for 8, 66 overs) 136

Fall: 1-1 2-23 3-33 4-114 5-120 6-120 7-126 8-132.

To bat: K N A Padmanabhan.

Bowling (to date): Cork 10-4-26-1; Chapple 14-1-30-4; Patel 27-11-34-2; Johnson 7-0-19-0; Stemp 8-1-23-0.

Umpires: K Parthasarthy and P R Choudhary.