Mohanty, Harvinder savour their moment of glory
1 July 2001
Debashis Mohanty, the almost forgotten seam bowler from Orissa, didn't
get the Man of the Match award - it went to Sachin Tendulkar - but
there is little doubt he was the toast of India's win against the West
Indies in the fourth game of the triangular series yesterday.
The genial bowler himself was modest in his hour of glory, saying all
he did was to put the ball in the right line and length. "I just
concentrated on making the batsmen play - and restrict them even from
scoring singles," said Mohanty, whose 3 for 18 from 10 overs, are the
best bowling figures of the tournament so far.
Mohanty, whose last game was the tour-opener against Zimbabwe A - a
good one month before yesterday's match - said he tries to do his best
whenever given an opportunity. He didn't want to go as far as to
suggest he would be an automatic choice in the eleven for the final.
"It depends on how I do in the next game on Wednesday (against the
West Indies)," said Mohanty, a realistic assessment given the rare
opportunities he gets to play.
The other bowling hero for India, Harvinder Singh, was happy too for
his two for 25 in the game, including just two runs conceded in his
final and 50th over of the West Indian innings.
Harvinder, who began his international career three seasons ago, was
hampered by back injury in recent times which forced him to alter his
action completely - from a side on he is now a front on bowler. "I did
it to avoid injury," said Harvinder.
Indian captain Saurav Ganguly was pleased with the win and said
everything went to plan. "It is good to see youngsters come and
perform and I just hope the habit continues till the final," said
Ganguly.
Ganguly, who looked in good nick yesterday, said he knew it was a
matter of one innings which would get him going again. "After that
knock (of 85 runs) against Zimbabwe on Wednesday, I was moving pretty
nicely in my strokes in yesterday's game."
Ganguly got a harsh decision from the umpire when the ball deviated
off his thigh pads and went to wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs when on 20.
"Everything seems to be falling in place but for the umpire, it seems.
Perhaps I now need to take umpires out for dinners," he said in a
lighter vein.
Most of the Indian team, minus a few seniors, today left for Victoria
Falls, a tourist attraction 350km north of Bulawayo. The team will
play its final league game of the tournament against the West Indies
on July 4 at the Harare Sports Club. The final is scheduled at the
same venue on July 7.
© PTI