Guwahati wicket promises another India-Australia run-feast

GUWAHATI - After the run-feast at Hyderabad, fans can expect another high-scoring entertainer between India and Australia in the sixth One-Day International at the Nehru Stadium here Sunday.

Chief curator of Assam Cricket Association (ACA) Sunil Barua said the batting friendly track could produce a 300-run chase.

“The wicket is a sporting one and the team batting first is likely to score more than 300 runs,” Barua said Friday.

Past records at the Nehru Stadium do not augur too well for bowlers. The highest score at this ground is 333 by India which came against Zimbabwe in 2002 with the hosts winning by 101 runs.

“I don’t want to guess as to whether spinners or pacers would get purchase from the wicket, but all I can say is that the wicket is compact and it should be a entertaining match,” he said.

An early sunset in Guwahati has led to a revised timing. The match will start at 8.30 a.m. and continue till 4.10 p.m.

But ACA officials are still worried about fading light as the sun sets Sunday at 4.37 p.m.

“The match can continue till about 4.10 p.m. and not beyond that and so the match timing has been advanced by 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. We are confident the weather conditions should help us get a full match,” a senior ACA official said.

Meanwhile, the two teams arrived in Guwahati Friday afternoon and will take the nets Saturday.