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Windies win as
rain spoils Tendulkar's almighty efforts |
September 14, 2006 (Link to
Scorecard)
 West
Indies defeated India for the fifth time in a
row, this time by a margin of 29 runs (D/L
Method) at the Kinrara Oval, Kuala Lumpur in the
second game of the DLF Cup. On a pitch that was
dangerously up and down, India had posted an
incredible 309 for 5 after electing to bat
first. Sachin Tendulkar carried his bat to
remain unbeaten on a masterful 141. Yet his side
lost as the bowlers sprayed the ball around,
bowled plenty of boundary balls to allow West
Indies get off to a flier. Windies had raced
away to 141 for 2 in 20 overs before incessant
rain had put up a premature end to what would
have been a fabulous chase under lights. Skipper
Brian Lara and his team were smart enough to
play their cricket according to the Duckworth
Lewis Method whereas his counterpart, Rahul
Dravid failed to anticipate that it might rain
any moment. Dravid could have held back his last
powerplay block to protect the boundaries, which
he didn't, and in the end Tendulkar's efforts
went in vain. Tendulkar was happy though to get
his bat do the talking and for his efforts was
awarded as the Man of the Match.
India packed their side with five bowlers which
included a pace quartet and the lone spinner in
Harbhajan Singh. There was no place for Dinesh
Mongia who had to sit out for the much younger
Suresh Raina. Windies on the other hand kept
faith in the same side that had lost the opening
encounter against Australia. Sachin Tendulkar
and Rahul Dravid had opened the innings for
India and the start was a rollicking one with
the two inexperienced Jerome Taylor and Fidel
Edwards bowling lots of loose deliveries. But
there was a chance that was spilled by West
Indies which was just in the 2nd over with
Carlton Baugh going for what could have been a
regulation catch to first slip. It was the
outside edge off Tendulkar's blade that was put
down by Carlton Baugh and that was enough for
Tendulkar to cash in big time. West Indies
finally got the breakthrough in the 15th over
when medium pacer Dwayne Smith's inswinger had
kept very low on stumps to catch Dravid on his
pads. The Indian Skipper's innings was cut shot
to 26 (in 38 balls with 3x4s) with India at a
solid 75 for 1. Irfan Pathan was the no.3 for
this match and he nervously played the next
few deliveries before the rain had visited the
ground to halt the proceedings.
It was a twenty minutes or so break in the
proceedings due to the rain and after that there
was a promising partnership blossoming between
Sachin and Pathan. Both batsmen kept on playing
their shots to anything that was in their zone
and it took the West Indians more than twenty
overs to find their next breakthrough. By then
Irfan Pathan had scored his fifth ODI fifty, 64
from 68 balls (6x4s 2x6s) to be precise. The
partnership for the second wicket was 125 with
Gayle getting Pathan's inside edge to roll back
onto his stumps with a 45mph lollipop. Tendulkar
who had gone past his 73rd fifty was joined by
Virender Sehwag. The going wasn't that easy for
Sehwag, he got one six though, which was a smart
upper cut over the slips, but was soon cleaned
up by Jerome Taylor's short of length delivery
that kept low to beat his defence. Dhoni who had
come in next had exited in a similar fashion
like Sehwag's and to the same bowler Jerome
Taylor.
Sachin Tendulkar was then joined by the young
Suresh Raina and the two took the bowlers on as
India approached towards the end of their
innings. Raina scored his runs through some
crispy chips and drives whereas Tendulkar
started to play some bludgeoning lofted drives
that sailed over the boundary ropes with ease.
Raina fell in the 49th over after he was
brilliantly caught at square leg by Dwayne Smith
after making a 29-ball 34. Sachin Tendulkar
remained unbeaten on 141 (from 148 balls with 13
fours and 5 sixes) to take India to 309, a total
that looked a lot more than what was required.
Jerome Taylor was once again successful but was
expensive with his three wickets coming at 64
runs in 10 overs. Ian Bradshaw was successful in
applying the brakes in the middle overs as he
bowled his 10 overs on the trot giving away just
44.
 When
India had to come down to field, Irfan Pathan
continued to disappoint with the ball as he was
smashed around by Gayle in his opening overs.
That prompted a change and the next bowler, RP
Singh got India the wicket of the dangerous
Chanderpaul hooking him to fine leg. Ajit
Agarkar was impressive but he was soon getting
off the target and was scored off for some runs.
West Indies gained the momentum as Sarwan teamed
up with Gayle to punish the loose ones to the
boundaries. Another bowling change from Dravid
had also worked with Munaf Patel getting the
ball to climb up to force Gayle to edge him
behind. Gayle had done his damage though by
scoring a 35-ball 45 which had 9 fours. Windies
were at 98 for 2 in the 14th over at the loss of
Gayle's wicket. Skipper Brian Lara and
Ramnaresh Sarwan played extremely well to carry
forward the momentum set up by Gayle. The rain
had revisited the ground for the second time in
the match and this time, it was there to stay
long enough to end the match. West Indies were
well placed at 141 for 2 with Sarwan getting a
solid 37 and Lara on 27 which included a lofted
straight drive for a six off Harbhajan. West
Indies were way ahead of what was required for
that situation after 20 overs were bowled to win
the match.
It was the bowling that has let India down and
the way the two matches have gone by, Australia
looks to be a far superior side of the three.
According to Brian Lara and many others, a score
of 250 was difficult to get on this track
batting first. So it was definitely the
lackluster bowling of both West Indies and India
that has let them down. India now takes on
Australia on the 16th and the match would see
Yuvraj Singh coming back most probably. India
might also get in Ramesh Powar instead of RP
Singh.
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