India complete third successive triumph in Coca-Cola Cup
John Ward - 30 June 2001
India continued their run of success in the triangular tournament,
with a six-wicket victory over West Indies, who found themselves two
wickets down after three overs on a flat but sluggish pitch, and were
never in the game thereafter.
On another clear Bulawayo morning, India won the toss again and put
West Indies in. Perhaps the move was due to some suspicion of early
life in the pitch, although in the present dry conditions that was
likely to be minimal, and also because they are playing a
predominantly seam attack, resting Harbhajan Singh.
West Indies lost Chris Gayle (0) in the second over, trapped back on
the crease without footwork and lbw to seamer Harvinder Singh,
recalled to the Indian team after a long absence. Daren Ganga (2)
followed, caught in the covers off a leading edge to Debashish
Mohanty, and West Indies were reeling at 2 for two wickets, with the
bowlers finding a good amount of swing, even if the pitch gave them
little help.
Wavell Hinds and Shivnarine Chanderpaul struggled against good
bowling, most of their runs coming in quick singles. Eventually Hinds
(9), frustrated, lashed out at Mohanty and gave Reetinder Sodhi his
second catch in the covers. Chanderpaul (10) followed a ball from
Harvinder that moved away, edged to the keeper, and at 26 for four
West Indies appeared virtually out of the match. Mohanty's opening
spell of seven overs cost just 8 runs for two wickets. Sharp Indian
fielding also kept the runs to the minimum.
After 20 overs West Indies were only 33 for four, but then Carl Hooper
decided to open up more. He hit Zaheer Khan high over his head for
four but, tied down, hit the same bowler to mid-on to be caught for
14. In the 25th over, West Indies were in desperate need of a miracle
at 47 for five.
They didn't get one, but at least Marlon Samuels played a calm,
responsible innings, ably assisted by Ridley Jacobs. The pair added
72 most commendably in 92 balls before Mohanty returned to break the
stand, having Samuels (44) caught at deepish mid-on. Mahendra
Nagamootoo (17) continued the good work until he was out to a fine
full-stretch return catch by Khan, just before Jacobs reached an
invaluable fifty off 69 balls.
Mohanty finished with three for 18 off his ten overs, and India never
really lost their control, hard though the West Indian lower order
tried. Jacobs, as he has done so often, held it all together, this
time with 53 not out, and West Indies finished on 169 for seven.
India began their reply quietly, almost somnolently, scoring just 24
without loss in the first ten overs. The West Indian bowling was not
particularly threatening but it was accurate enough to restrict the
scoring, especially Cameron Cuffy, and Sachin Tendulkar was again
surprisingly restrained; he did not reach double figures until the
14th over but had less than his share of the bowling.
Sourav Ganguly (20) was first to go, controversially given out caught
down the leg side. Cuffy completed his ten overs for just 20 runs,
taking one wicket, the next one falling ironically to the erratic
Wavell Hinds, who had Dinesh Mongia (8) caught at the wicket. Rahul
Dravid began with a sweetly timed drive through midwicket for three,
but had added only a single when he unexpectedly came down the pitch
to Mahendra Nagamootoo to be 'gated' and stumped.
Tendulkar on 46 appeared to have a fortunate escape from being given
out caught at the wicket off Hooper. Soon afterwards he reached his
fifty off 86 balls. He then began to open up and the remaining West
Indian hopes disappeared rapidly. Badani scored 27 before he skied a
return catch to Mervyn Dillon, but Virender Shewag (11) stayed with
Tendulkar (81) until victory was completed without pressure and with
more than six overs to spare.
© CricInfo
Teams
|
India,
West Indies.
|
Players/Umpires
|
Chris Gayle,
Harvinder Singh,
Debasis Mohanty,
Wavell Hinds,
Shiv Chanderpaul,
Carl Hooper,
Marlon Samuels,
Ridley Jacobs,
Mahendra Nagamootoo,
Cameron Cuffy,
Dinesh Mongia,
Sourav Ganguly,
Sachin Tendulkar,
Rahul Dravid,
Hemang Badani,
Mervyn Dillon,
Virender Shewag.
|
Tours
|
West Indies in Zimbabwe
|
Tournaments
|
Coca-Cola Cup (Zimbabwe) |
Scorecard
|
4th Match: India v West Indies, 30 Jun 2001 |
Grounds
|
Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
|