Yomahesh’s 6 wickets went in vain

Calcutta: The madness of the the first hour of the match cost us the tie, South Zone captain V.V.S. Laxman said on Tuesday.

“Full credit to the Sri Lankan batsmen (Malintha Warnapura and Kaushal Silva). They applied themselves to the challenge brilliantly and guided the team to victory. However, if I have to pinpoint our defeat to one particular point, it has to be the first-hour debacle on Day I. It cost us the match,” Laxman observed after the match.

South slumped to 14 for five within half an hour of the opening day. Though they recovered to make 266 in the first innings, they could not sustain any pressure on the Sri Lankans.

Laxman also defended his bowlers — notably the off-colour Sreesanth — but was all praise for V. Yomahesh and said he had “a great potential.”

Laxman however, felt that things would’ve been different had Anil Kumble been around.

Yomahesh, who has played both his first-class matches at the Eden (the other being the Ranji tie vs Bengal), hoped to carry on the good works.

“If I keep on performing, who knows, I may even be considered for the World Cup,” the under-19 bowler said.