Sport
-
Cricket
Indians mess up yet another run-chase
By Vijay Lokapally
Sachin Tendulkar, who was run out while backing up far too much, awaits the third umpire's decision called by V.K. Ramaswamy, in the second one-dayer at Cuttack on Tuesday. - Photo: V.V. Krishnan
CUTTACK, JAN 22. The Indian bowlers discovered their batting but it was not enough to pull off a victory. The 16-run win for England was a reward befitting its all-round excellence at the Barabati Stadium here on Tuesday. A late charge by the Indian tail only contributed towards making the finish exciting and making it 1-1 in the six- match series.
The `performance' by the Indian team was in keeping with the form of its leader - inconsistent. Even as Nasser Hussain led from the front, his Indian counterpart was an abject failure in all departments and the defeat put things in the right perspective - the Indians had failed to learn from mistakes. Even as a clueless Sourav Ganguly allowed things to drift, the team management's dismal reading of the situation came into focus. Reckless stroke selection and shoddy running between the wickets showed the Indian team in very poor light.
The team looked up to Ganguly but he failed miserably, once again obliging the slip fielder. Sachin Tendulkar did not exude the usual fire and was run out when backing too far. Dinesh Mongia too did not convince in his innings and was run out in a clumsy manner. For quite some time now the team coach, John Wright, has been talking of strengthening the basics. It is quite obvious that he needs to work more in this area.
The Indian innings lacked the vision and the men to chart the course. There was nothing exceptional about the English attack which was backed by some splendid fielding but the Indians had their calculations wrong. The middle-order collapse was all the more disappointing where someone like Virender Sehwag failed to distinguish between a Challenger Series match and a one-day International. A brief spark was provided by a battling Ajay Ratra but he would take time to develop into a match-winner. Ajit Agarkar showed the spirit but fell at the post.
The English innings was an exercise of wasted opportunities, what with most of the frontline batsmen indulging in indiscretion on a track which was ideal for making runs. Their desire to dominate was understandable but not the means they adopted - especially the openers - who both succumbed to the pull.
Being asked to bat was a challenge in itself for England and it was left to Michael Vaughan and 'Man of the Match' Paul Collingwood to steady the innings after Hussain showed the calibre to guide the side. A cameo by Jeremy Snape meant that England gave itself a decent chance of making India toil for a victory.
The Indians once again fielded poorly, letting off catches and a stumping blunder by Ratra to reprieve Vaughan was a sore point in an otherwise competent work by the wicket-keeper. England got away with some easy runs conceded by lethargic fielders. Harbhajan Singh was the lone bowler to command respect and the man closest to him was veteran Javagal Srinath, playing his 200th one-day International.
The scores:
England: Marcus Trescothick c Mongia b Agarkar 13, Nick Knight c Harbhajan b Srinath 14, Nasser Hussain c Agarkar b Ganguly 46, Michael Vaughan (run out) 63, Paul Collingwood (not out) 71, Andrew Flintoff b Harbhajan 5, Ben Hollioake b Kumble 0, Jeremy Snape (run out) 22, James Foster (not out) 3, Extras (lb-6, nb-6, w-1) 13, Total (for seven wkts. in 50 overs) 250.
Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-45, 3-114, 4- 176, 5-190, 6-193, 7-244.
India bowling: Srinath 9-0-41-1, Agarkar 8-1-46-1, Kumble 10-0-47-1, Harbhajan 10-0-35-1, Ganguly 5-0-29- 1, Tendulkar 6-0-35-0, Sehwag 2-0-11-0.
India: Sourav Ganguly c Knight b Hoggard 14, Sachin Tendulkar (run out) 45, Dinesh Mongia (run out) 49, V.V.S. Laxman (run out) 3, Virender Sehwag c Knight b Gough 5, Hemang Badani c Flintoff b Holliaoke 13, Ajay Ratra lbw b Flintoff 30, Ajit Agarkar c Foster b Gough 29, Harbhajan Singh lbw b Snape 6, Anil Kumble c Collingwood b Gough 20, Javagal Srinath (not out) 7, Extras (lb-3, nb-3, w-7) 13, Total (in 48.4 overs) 234.
Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-99, 3-109, 4- 121, 5-130, 6-147, 7-179, 8-186, 9-224.
England bowling: Gough 9.4-0-46-3, Hoggard 9-0-53-1, Flintoff 10-0-34-1, Holliaoke 7-0-34-1, Snape 8-0-40-1, Collingwood 5-0-24-0.
Man of the Match, Paul Collingwood (second from left), who was involved in a fruitful partnership with Jermey Snape, being congratulated by the latter, as the Indian wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra watches, in the second one-dayer at Cuttack on Tuesday. - Photo: V.V. Krishnan
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Sport
|
