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Natwest Challenge : India Vs England, 3rdd ODI at
Lord's |
India get back to
their best with a 23 run win
Scorecard
Sept 5th,
2004:
The third One Day International of the Natwest Challenge is
more of an academic interest with England
already winning the best of the 3 ODI series.
Sourav Ganguly’s India are down and out just
before the Champions Trophy. They need to win
this match at Lord’s to get back some
confidence in their game. We will have to find
out if that exactly happens today at the
Lord’s.
Flip of
the Coin:
Sourav Ganguly won the toss and India elected to bat first.
India made three changes dropping Rohan
Gavaskar, Ajit Agarkar and Laxmipathy Balaji.
That made way to the young wicket keeper Dinesh
Karthik, Anil Kumble and Ashish Nehra. England
had to rest Andrew Flintoff and his replacement
was Anthony McGrath.
India's
Batting:
Out of form Virender Sehwag was replaced at the top by
V.V.S.Laxman and India had the new opening
combination of Laxman and Ganguly. India were
off to a slow start with Laxman and Ganguly
playing cautiously. Harmison sent in a perfect
yorker in the 8th over to send Laxman
back to the pavilion. Ganguly in the very next
over hit a gorgeous six off Darren Gough. But
the joy was short lived with Md.Kaif needlessly
run out in the 14th over. This time
the culprit was Sourav Ganguly. Sehwag who came
in at no.4 pushed nervously to a Ashley Giles’
flighted delivery only to give a dolly back to
the bowler. India were struggling at 48/3 in the
14th over. Rahul Dravid was the new
batsman and it was innings rebuilding time for
both the Captain and the Vice Captain. Ganguly
kept the momentum going for India with a couple
of sixes and Dravid was also slowly getting into
his groove. Ganguly was getting close to his 100
but it wasn’t going to be his 23rd hundred
today as Steve Harmison got him out pulling into
the hands of mid wicket. Ganguly was out for 90
and India were now safely placed at 141/4 in the
37th over. However the pace trio of Harmison,
Gough and Wharf triggered a major batting
collapse as India slumped down to 141/4 to 204
all out. Except
for Ganguly (90) and Rahul Dravid (52), all the
other batsmen struggled to make a mark. Steve
Harmison continued to torment the Indians, today
he ended his spell of fast bowling with deadly
figures of 4/22.
England's
Chase:
It was just a moderate target of 205 on a good track and a
fast outfield. India were in need of early
wickets and Ashish Nehra did just that. First
Nehra got Treschothick to edge the ball behind
to second slip and next it was Solanki’s turn
to get out as his mistimed pull shot was
straight into Harbhajan’s hands at fine leg.
It was now turn for Irfan Pathan to get some
wickets and he removed Strauss and Anthony
McGrath, both the batsmen getting out lbw to the
late inswingers. England at this stage were 29/4
with Michael Vaughan and Paul Colingwood at the
crease. Next to get out was the dangerous Paul
Colingwood. Collingwood’s wicket was a
combination of a quick reflex stop and throw from
Md.Kaif at short leg and a sharp collection from
Dinesh Karthik. India put the pressure on
England and soon they were down and out at 62/6
after Geraint Jones falling to a brilliant catch
by Sehwag. But Michael Vaughan and Ashley Giles
put a halt to the Indian party and went on to
bat well. Both the batsmen took their
partnership past 50 to put England back on the
track. The much-needed break for India finally
came when Giles got out to a fulltoss from
Harbhajan. Giles had pushed the ball straight
into the bowler’s hands and England were now
154/7 in the 44th over. In the same
over, which was also Harbhajan’s last over.
Michael Vaughan got out to end the hopes of an
England victory. Vaughan missed the line of the
ball and Dinesh Karthik took a sharp collection
down the leg side to complete a dramatic stump
out. Alex Wharf and Darren Gough hit a six each
but India had cleaned up the remaining wickets
to win the match by 23 runs. Vaughan was the top
scorer with 74 and Giles scored 39. For India
all the bowlers were impressive but the stand
out bowler was Ashish Nehra with 3/26. Sourav
Ganguly was the Man of the Match and Steve
Harmison was the Man of the Series.
The action now shifts to the ICC Champions Trophy starting
from September 10th.
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