| |
Videocon
Tri-Nation Cricket Series
Yuvraj, Dhoni take India home
HARARE—Yuvraj Singh stroked a fabulous hundred and Mahendra Singh Dhoni
bludgeoned a 63-ball 67 as India overcame another rotten display from
the top order to ease to a four-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the final
league match of the Videocon Cup. Yuvraj and Dhoni plundered 158 from
just 140 balls to utterly transform a game that had been Zimbabwe’s for
the taking. It didn’t help that Tatenda Taibu, who had sparked
Zimbabwe’s batting revival with a spirited 71, made a hash of a stumping
off Sean Williams when Dhoni had made just 22, with India still 111
short of victory. Yuvraj, though, was magnificent, pacing his innings
beautifully — the 50 took 70 balls — before exploding to life in the
final overs when four and sixes rained down. Zimbabwe’s bowlers, who had
performed so commendably for 30 overs, simply had no answer to the
all-out assault. The disappointment would have been particularly acute
for Taibu, whose 116-run partnership with Charles Coventry had allowed
Zimbabwe to post a challenging total on an excellent batting pitch after
Sourav Ganguly had sent them in.
Taibu’s mood was very different when India’s pursuit started in dismal
fashion, with Blessing Mahwire bowling both Virender Sehwag and Rahul
Dravid. And when Venugopal Rao was run out following a mix-up with
Yuvraj, India were 160 adrift with only the lower order left in the
pavilion. Rao’s sedate 27 had stemmed the initial rot, and he played
some pleasing drives while adding 55 for the fifth wicket. Yuvraj too
found fluency after a hesitant start, as India sought to rebuild the
ruins of an innings.
Sehwag had commenced with a clatter of boundaries, but both he and
Dravid paid the price for lazy stand-and-deliver drives. In between,
Ganguly was superbly taken by Vusi Sibanda at point, as the chase lost
momentum in spectacular fashion, and the descent into despair was
accelerated by Andy Blignaut, who followed up a blistering innings of 41
with a delivery that caught Mohammad Kaif plumb in front and stuck on
the crease. Zimbabwe had also started like a team in strife. Already
missing Heath Streak, Taibu found himself at the crease with the white
ball still shiny and hard, after RP Singh had accounted for both Vusi
Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza. He was initially uncertain coming onto
the front foot against the quicker bowlers, but with Brendon Taylor
taking it upon himself to thump a few leg-side fours, Taibu had time to
play himself in. And though he lost Taylor to a superb piece of fielding
from Yuvraj, he made light of it with some splendid strokeplay against
the slower bowlers, smashing Harbhajan back over his head and them
swatting Jai Prakash Yadav over midwicket.
With options running out, Ganguly pressed himself into service only to
see a disastrous first over go for 15 as both Taibu and Coventry
attacked with scant regard for the situation. Kartik came on, but was
powerless to stop the runs, and a Coventry slog that disappeared way
over midwicket was indicative of how Zimbabwe’s positive approach had
turned the match on its head.
With runs coming steadily and the rate approaching five-an-over, it was
left to Yadav to script the breakthrough, and Taibu’s magnificent effort
ended with a poor swish against the line. But that only exacerbated
India’s plight as Blignaut came in to play a blinder. Yadav’s second
spell was economical, but both RP Singh and Kartik — who also let slip a
chance off Coventry — were given a beating as Blignaut and Coventry
upped the ante. Agarkar, who had bowled as exceptional first spell, also
suffered in his second, but when a low full toss fetched him Coventry’s
wicket, the match turned. Harbhajan and a rush of blood combined to get
rid of Blignaut, and the runs dried up as Agarkar picked up some cheap
wickets at the end. By then though, Zimbabwe had set a challenging
target, one that was so nearly a banana skin for an Indian side still
searching for a semblance of consistency.—Agencies |
|
