Tiwary questions team management`s decision to go for greentop

Kolkata: Star performer Manoj Tiwary on Friday questioned Bengal team management`s move to go for a `greentop` against Tamil Nadu - a decision that cost them six points.

Tiwary, who struck his fourth successive century from as many matches, to lead Bengal`s rescue act said Bengal batsmen have always struggled on a `greentop`. "If you see the history, our batsmen have never done well on greentop wickets. I don`t understand why we chose greentop?" Tiwary said, recalling the 2007-08 season when they capped four losses to be relegated to Plate. "If you remember, we didn`t do well in Siliguri (against Orissa in 2007-08) and went down there on a greentop before losing to Andhra here," Tiwary said after their match on Friday. Interestingly, it was erstwhile coach Bharath Arun`s decision to go for broke after beating Punjab on a sporting track. Bengal batting collapsed in both innings in that match. The three points under desperate situation helped Bengal keep themselves afloat with eight points from five matches before their last group B away league clash against Baroda. After taking over captaincy from Tiwary, who was on national duty, Sourav Ganguly decided to go for a `greentop` against Tamil Nadu, a match Bengal were thrashed by 10 wickets to concede a bonus point victory. Ganguly in fact had defended his move and said Bengal should have opted for `greentops` against the "weaker teams" like Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. But Tiwary chose to have a different view. "Batting has been a concern for Bengal. The decision to choose a greentop against Madhya Pradesh would have been a dicey one." "Madhya Pradesh are doing very well at the moment and have leading wicket taker in TP Sudheendra (34), so choosing a greentop would not have been a good idea, considering that our batting has been of concern this time. We scored 496 against Madhya Pradesh but still they took a slender lead (37 runs)..." The 26-year-old, who is in the best form of his career with four centuries from four innings including one international hundred, said a victory was a matter of time for Bengal. "We have to be patient. There will always be criticsm but we will have to do our job and play well. A title win is just a matter of time," Tiwary, who aggregates 567 from three matches averaging 195.33, said. Tiwary further lauded youngster Veer Pratap Singh`s unbeaten 15 from 51 balls, an effort that helped them stitch a 43-run ninth wicket partnership and take the lead against Delhi today. "He batted really well. I was really nervous in the last 10 runs to take the lead. But he batted with confidence and hit boundaries to overtake Delhi`s score. He really applied himself well." Bengal coach W V Raman heaped praise Tiwary and his sublime form. "He is really playing well at the moment. It really augurs for Bengal and Indian cricket." PTI