Date-stamped : 18 Aug2000 - 14:23
21 February 1996
10th ODI: West Indies v India, Match Report
DJ Rutnagur
World Cup: Luck runs India`s way as Lara is caught out
India (174-5) beat West Indies (173) by five wickets
Riding on a swell of good fortune, India beat the West Indies by
five wickets under floodlights, overtaking their modest score
of 173 with 10.2 overs to spare thanks to a sparkling 70 from
Sachin Tendulkar.
Luck`s first gift to India came early in the match, when Brian
Lara, with only two to his name, was rather dubiously ruled
caught behind by Pakistani umpire Khizer Hayat.
Then, when India batted, West Indies allowed Tendulkar, who
otherwise played quite gloriously, two escapes, at 12 and 22.
The first chance, to square leg, from a firm flick off the legs,
was by no means easy.
But the other was a sitter dropped by wicketkeeper Courtney
Browne, when Tendulkar top-edged a short-arm pull at Ian Bishop.
With Mohammad Azharuddin, Tendulkar repaired the damage done to
the foundations of the Indian innings by Curtly Ambrose in his
first three overs. Adding 70 for the third wicket, they took
India further than halfway to their objective.
The wanton dismissal of Azharuddin, holing out to long on off
Roger Harper, would have proved more damaging to India had
Ambrose, returning for a second spell, not bowled two short
balls to Vinod Kambli which were pulled and hooked for fours,
relieving India of a lot of pressure.
But soon Tendulkar was run out attempting a single for which
the non-striker should have called, as the ball travelled behind
the wicket. West Indies tied the Indian batsmen down and Harper
caught Manoj Prabhakar off his own bowling.
However, wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia, completely unflustered by
the growing crisis, played with a flourish and he and Kambli,
subdued for a long while but now stirred to hit Harper over the
top and pull Ambrose for six, closed the remaining gap of 47
in eight overs.
Richie Richardson and Shivnarine Chanderpaul firmly stopped the
rot
With 20 wanted from 12 overs, Ambrose was brought back in a
desperate attempt to turn the tide. But he could not
summon the inspiration of his first spell, during which he
rattled the stumps of Ajay Jadeja and Navjot Sidhu. His first
over back cost 10 runs, leaving the issue virtually sealed.
The meagre West Indies total was as much a reflection of the
limitations of their batting as it was a measure of the
quality of India`s bowling which, on a sound, slow pitch, was
accurate apart from the early overs. No sooner had Javagal
Srinath found his length than Sherwin Campbell played a square
cut without adequate room and edged it on to his stumps.
In Srinath`s next over came the unfortunate dismissal of Lara,
caught behind. Lara showed displeasure and dismay, but not
dissent at the decision. There was a distinct deflection to a
peach of a ball, angled across him, but television replays
showed it had come from the top of the pad.
Richie Richardson and Shivnarine Chanderpaul firmly stopped
the rot and had the innings beating a healthy pulse for 19
overs, during which they added 75 without alarms. Richardson
was watchful and Chanderpaul looked accomplished as he hit six
fours.
The well-established partnership was broken by Prabakhar, who
had bowled so indifferently at the start of the innings that he
was taken off after just three overs.
Steadier now, he lured Richardson into a fatal hook, caught on
the boundary`s edge. Two more wickets fell in quick succession:
Chanderpaul was brilliantly caught at midwicket from a pull at
Anil Kumble and Roland Holder picked the wrong ball to cut.
Harper and Browne revived the innings somewhat with a
partnership of 42, but could not regain lost momentum.
Man of match: SR Tendulkar
Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http.//www.telegraph.co.uk)
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