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Cricket
Anjum steers India to victory
By Nandakumar Marar
India's skipper Anjum Chopra who won the player of the match award in the India-England Hero Honda one-day women's match, in Mumbai on Monday.-Photo: Vivek Bendre.
MUMBAI, JAN. 21 India's focussed approach, which has enabled it gain a headstart over England's women cricketers in the five- match Hero Honda one-day series was again in evidence in the fourth match on Monday. Skipper Anjum Chopra set exacting standards as player and leader, guiding her team to a five-wicket victory at the MIG Club, Bandra. India leads the series 4-0 with one game left.
The Indian skipper affected a run out through a direct hit, scooped up a brilliant catch at mid-on and then displayed her leadership qualities with a confident 49 not out (96 delivers) as the home side, needing 143 to win after the visitors were bowled out for 142 in 48 overs, overhauled the target in 41.5 overs losing five wickets.
Anjum, later adjudged player of the match, was denied a half-century only because the winning run was a wide. Coming to bat at the fall of Mithali Raj's wicket (49-3 ), the powerful, athletic Indian skipper struck six boundaries, hitting through the line each time, and ran the singles hard to snuff out the English hopes.
The visitors opted to bat after winning the toss, but were under pressure straightaway due to India's attacking fielding, skipper Anjum setting the tone with a direct hit on the run to send back opener Caroline Atkins. Two more run-outs followed and the lower order batswomen fell to spinner Neeta David (4-13) when trying to force the pace.
The scores:
England: C.Atkins 28 (run out), A.Thompson 55 (run out), M.Godliman c Anjum b David 6, J.Hawker 2 (run out), C.Connor c Jain b Kulkarni 7, L.Newton b Goswami 14, J.Cassar b David 5, D.Holden b Goswami 0, S.Clarke 1 (not out), C.Taylor b David 0, L.Pearson lbw David 0. Extras (b-1, lb-6, nb-3, w-13) 23. Total 142 (in 48 overs).
Fall of wickets: 1-89, 2-104, 3-106, 4- 114, 5-120, 6-137, 7-141, 8-141, 9-142.
India bowling: Jhulen Goswami 9-2-26-2, Sunita Singh 7-0-23-0, Mamta Maben 1-0-6-0, Anjum Chopra 4-0-21-0, Deepa Kulkarni 10-1-27-1, Neetu David 10-3-13-4, Amrita Shinde 7- 0-19-0.
India: A.Jain c Godliman b Pearson 0, A.Shinde c Cassar b Pearson 13, M.Raj b Holden 27, A.Chopra 49
(not out), H.Kala c Atkins b Clarke 18, M.Maben 16 (run out), A.Kirkire 1 (not out). Extras (nb-1, w-18) 19. Total 143 for five (in 41.5 overs).
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-36, 3-49, 4-95, 5-138.
England bowling: Lucy Pearson 10-2-24-2, Laura Newton 4-0-23-0, Clare Connor 6-1-19-0, Dawn Holden 8.5-0- 24-0, Clare Taylor 8-1-24-0, Sarah Clarke 5-2-16-1.
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