India fails to topple Australia

By Steve Whiting

CHRISTCHURCH, DEC. 6. India failed in its bid to topple Australia off the top of the round robin table when it was beaten by 51 runs here on Wednesday. Worse still were the rumours starting to gather that medium pace bowler Renu Margrete was a chucker.

India is now in second place with six points from four games after surrendering its 100 per cent record. Australia is still top with eight points from four and New Zealand, which swept aside The Netherlands by eight wickets, is level with India. If things remain like this India will avoid Australia in the semifinals and could still progress to the final on December 23.

India had to start the match without star batsman Mithali Raj, who was top of the leader board for the title of star player of the tournament with five points. She had to see a doctor overnight because of a sore throat and fever. He put her on antibiotics and confined her to bed.

But its bowlers did a magnificent job to contain the Australia to 223 in its 50 overs - still a lot of runs but not beyond India's grasp. It's fielding stood up in the face of some aggressive Aussie running and but for second wicket stand of 110 between Lisa Keightley (74 off 116 balls) and left hander Karen Rolton (61 off 72 balls), Australia would have been in trouble.

In fact once Rolton was brilliantly run out by Margrete, Australia lost four wickets for 16 runs and it took a sixth wicket stand of 42 between Olivia Magno and wicket keeper Julia Price to steer it to 223 for five.

Margrete, the 25-year-old seam bowler from Jalandhar, took none for 23 in her seven overs and was obviously aware all eyes were on her. Cricinfo, the sponsors, had shown a film of her bowling in India's eight-run win over England on Monday to English captain Clare Connor. On Tuesday night she said: ``I cannot comment. If we had lost and complained it would have sounded like sour grapes. If we had won it might have been different.''

Indian coach Sudha Shah stuck up for his bowler, ``she bowls inswingers,'' he said, ``which means she has to push her hand in behind the ball and sometimes it looks as if she is throwing.''

Australia was not complaining. India made good progress up to 140 for two, but then Anjum Chopra committed suicide. On 47 she was missed by Therse McGregor off a simple caught and bowled, but lofted the very next ball to Cherie Bambury at mid-on. After that India lost six wickets for 25 runs and ended on 172 for eight.

Meanwhile New Zealand's easy eight-wicket win over The Netherlands, which it bowled out for 80 in 48 overs, was marked by most economical spell of bowling ever seen in the World Cup. New Zealand's 37-year-old off spinner Catherine Campbell took nought for three runs in 10 overs, with seven maidens.

The scores: The Netherlands 80 in 48 overs lost to New Zealand 81 for two in 16.3 overs (P. Flannery 36 not out).

Australia 223 for five in 50 overs (L. Keightley 74, K. Rolton 61) bt India 172 for eight in 50 overs (A. Chopra 47; T. McGregor three for 38).

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