Mumbai, Jan 23: Uttar Pradesh have lost the Under-19 Cooch Beher trophy semi-final to Mumbai on the basis of a first-innings deficit. Skipper Akashdeep Nath felt that the inability to adjust to the conditions quick enough cost UP the match. The champions of the one-day Under-19 series now head back home to prepare for forthcoming tournaments.

Excerpts from Akashdeep’s brief interaction with the media:

On what went wrong for the side

We had just come [to the venue] a day before [so we were short of practice]. [We] practiced a little for just one day. […] There was a problem sighting the ball [since the ground has stands]. Then the wickets here are bouncy; the wickets back home are a little low. It is skiddy [back home], here it is spongy. In the first innings, five of our batsmen got out attempting the pull shot. [Back home] the pull shot comes easy. Here it took time for us to adjust. We dropped a lot of catches too.

On what made the difference between the two sides

The fielding made the major difference, the dropped catches cost us. [We had] dropped four or five catches in the first innings itself. The stands surrounding the stadium cause problems when it comes to sighting the ball. We have played in open stadiums so far.

On whether he expected the ball to swing due to the breeze at Wankhede

There was no swing as such. They bowled well, according to plan. It was a batting wicket. The second-innings score [by Mumbai] shows that.

On the plan ahead

Now the season is over, a couple of boys might get selected for the Ranji Trophy one-day matches. […] We have a Challenger Series [in UP]; those who perform there will go ahead. It’s a one-day series. The players who have performed in the Under-19 and Under-22 [categories] and those who are presently playing Ranji [matches], [play the series]. Three teams are formed and matches are played.