4th ODI: India v Zimbabwe at Hyderabad, 16 Mar 2002 Anand Vasu |
India innings:
Pre-game: Zimbabwe innings: |
Grant Flower, who has a penchant for playing big shots against the spinners, threw away a period of great application and consolidation when he hit Harbhajan Singh straight down Dinesh Mongia’s throat. His 45 came off just 58 balls and included four hits to the fence.
Murali Kartik, making his limited overs international debut, showed that he had both the technique and the temperament to bowl in this form of the game. The left-arm spinner varied his pace superbly, keeping the batsmen guessing in his spell of 8-0-48-0. The analysis is not flattering, but that was thanks to one man really.
Andrew Flower is the bane of left-arm spinners the world over. If the on-drive was Greg Chappell’s shot, the square cut Gundappa Vishwanath’s trademark, and the cover drive David Gower’s stamp of grace, the reverse sweep must be regarded as Andy Flower’s very own masterstroke. Playing it with more authority, surety and power than anyone else, Andy Flower tormented Kartik, hitting the ball through third man at will.
The fall of Grant Flower, however, saw Andy follow fairly quickly, when the left-hander edged Zaheer Khan through to keeper Ratra. Andy with his 89 (107 balls, 6 fours) was the mainstay of the Zimbabwe innings.
Douglas Marillier (1) and Heath Streak (10) fell trying to accelerate late on. Skipper Stuart Carlisle, coming in at number six, used all his experience to good effect, helping himself to 40 (33 balls, 3 fours) before being bowled by Agarkar off the last ball of the innings. With that wicket, Agarkar sealed a superb spell, ending on 10-2-32-4.
After electing to bat, Zimbabwe found themselves pushed on the back foot by a spell of surprising hostility from Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar. Getting the ball to bounce quite nicely on a wicket that had a few fast patches, the pacemen kept a tight line and length.
Zaheer Khan should have had a wicket early on when an edge from Dion Ebrahim flew to Rahul Dravid at slip. After taking the catch early on, Dravid claimed it, but replays could not conclusively prove that the ball had not touched the turf. The third umpire gave Ebrahim the benefit of doubt but it was not to prove costly.
In just the fourth over of the day, Agarkar removed Alistair Campbell (3), with the southpaw edging a pacy delivery to Dravid at slip. Travis Friend the pinch-hitter found a delivery too hot to handle just three balls later. A quick bouncer surprised Friend and the ball lobbed off glove for Ratra to take a sharp catch.
From 13/2, Zimbabwe consolidated for a period of 15 overs or so. Andy Flower and Ebrahim pushed the score sedately on, milking the bowling. A spell of tidy mediumpace with the ball not really coming onto the bat saw Ebrahim (38 runs, 74 balls, 5 fours) perish. Attempting to hit Ganguly over midwicket, Ebrahim presented Dravid with his second catch of the day.
It was, then, left to the brothers Flower to take the Zimbabwe cause forward. Andy Flower (37 not out) motored along in characteristic fashion as Grant Flower (8 not out) provided good support.
Yuvraj Singh, fresh from a double hundred in domestic cricket, gets a look in, while left-arm spinner Murali Kartik joins Harbhajan Singh in the spin bowling department. Kartik, who has played Test cricket previously, makes his ODI debut here. It was speculated earlier that Ajay Ratra might be left out and Rahul Dravid asked to don the gloves. All-rounder Sanjay Bangar has been left out of the side.
Zimbabwe skipper Stuart Carlisle won the toss for the first time in the series and elected to bat first. On a wicket that is a bit two-paced and unpredictable, Zimbabwe will be happy that they have Andy Flower back in the side after injury. Craig Wishart has been dropped in favour of Andy Flower.
Teams: Zimbabwe: ADR Campbell, DD Ebrahim, TJ Friend, *SV Carlisle, GW Flower, HH Streak, DA Marillier, A Flower, +T Taibu, DT Hondo, M Mbangwa.
India: *SC Ganguly, D Mongia, VVS Laxman, R Dravid, M Kaif, +A Ratra, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, M Kartik, Z Khan, AB Agarkar.
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Date-stamped : 16 Mar2002 - 22:55