India Cements lifts Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup

By Our Sports Reporter

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 16. India's latest star on cricketing horizon - Virender Sehwag - made a big impact on the final as he helped India Cements post a convincing, seven-wicket win over MRF (Chennai) and lift the Coromandel King Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup at Gymkhana Grounds here on Sunday.

First, he bowled his friendly off-spinners to telling effect, claiming three for 38 in a crucial spell which had MRF batsmen in a tangle.

It virtually forced them into a dilemma whether to go for runs or defend. In the ultimate analysis, they could achieve neither.

Consequently, the star-studded batting line-up of MRF was bundled out for 208 in 48.2 overs with only Vikram Rathour (55, 84 balls, 6 x 4) batting with the required degree of circumspection and stroke selection. Unfortunately, for MRF, Hrishikesh Kanitkar (22), Rajat Bhatia (19), Hemang Badani (27) and Tanveer Jabbar (13) perished after early promise, more due to indiscreet strokeplay rather than any menacing bowling.

Importantly, India Cements bowlers - Vidyut Sivaramakrishnan (two for 55), Virender Sehwag (three for 38) and S. Suresh (two for 26) - bowled to the field in the middle overs.

That none of the batsmen threatened to tear apart the bowling attack even on such a placid strip was a tribute to the efficacy of the bowlers who stuck to a good line and length.

Sehwag trapped Vikram Rathour lbw and later lured Hemang Badani to have him stumped by Raju. Soon, he had N. Gautham hitting straight to S. Sharath to complete a very effective spell which was largely responsible in MRF being bundled out for such a modest score.

And when India Cements began the chase, despite the early loss of captain S. Suresh (6), Virender Sehwag continued his good form with the bat. After Vidyut (22) left at 52 for two, Sehwag was joined by Rahul Dravid. The two put on 106 runs for the third wicket in 108 balls which virtually pushed MRF out of the contest.

Selective strokeplay

If Sehwag was in a murderous mood in the semifinal, he was more selective in his strokeplay today. He played the waiting game to perfection, not going after the bowling but preferring to punish the erring bowler.

No doubt, he had a charmed life at the crease. First, stumper Tanveer Jabbar was slow to react to a sharp edge off medium-pacer Gautham, then Badani failed to hold on to a difficult chance at mid-wicket off off-spinner Aashish Kapoor (with the score reading 111 for two in the 20th over).

Undeterred by those lapses, Sehwag launched into some lovely strokes on either side of the wicket. The two beautiful sixes - one each off Aashish Kapoor and left-arm spinner Sridharan Sriram - delighted the biggest crowd (of about 5,000) that gathered at Gymkhana for more than 10 years.

The left-armer was also unlucky not to hold on to a return catch off Sehwag when the score read 130 for two in 23rd over.

The only consolation for MRF was that Sehwag (92, 91 balls, 11 x 4, 2 x 6) failed to complete the century as his stumps were re- arranged when he tried to pull T. Kumaran.

The mediumpacer bowled his heart out, repeatedly testing the batsmen with his accurate and nippy off-stump line. He was one bowler who looked like taking wickets.

But the dismissal of Sehwag came too late at 158 for three in 25th over to change the course of the match.

And with India vice-captain Rahul Dravid (51 not out, 56 balls, 4 x 4) and the southpaw S. Sharath (26 not out, 28 balls, 6 x 4) in their elements, there was very little the bowlers could do.

It was indeed a rare sight when Dravid was repeatedly applauding Sharath for some of his stunning boundaries. Sharath's two exquisite off-drives off S. Mahesh were the strokes of the day for sheer timing, elegance and authority as he walked into them, literally.

Definitely, India Cements which had a `lucky' entry into final, displayed its best all-round performance in the tournament when it mattered most to clinch the trophy and the winner's cheque of Rs. 1 lakh. MRF, which was outplayed in all departments today, had to be content with Rs. 50,000. Mr. U. Krishnam Raju, Union Minister of State for Defence, gave away the prizes.

The scores:

MRF, Chennai, 208 in 48.2 overs (Vikram Rathour 55, Virender Sehwag three for 38) lost to India Cements 212 for three in 33.3 overs (Virender Sehwag 92, Rahul Dravid 51 not out).

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