Virender Sehwag slammed a cavalier 90 as India put up a disciplined performance to crush Zimbabweby seven wickets and record their first victory in the triangular series at theBellerive Oval in Hobart today.
Sehwag struck five fours and five sixes as he dominated the 130-run first wicket stand with Sachin Tendulkar (44) asIndia comfortably overhauled Zimbabwe's modest total of 208 in 37.4 overs to collect the maximum six points.
Tendulkar scored his runs at a faster rate, his 44 coming off 60 balls, but the 30-year-old maestro was content to givethe major portion of the strike to his junior partner.
The Zimbabweans wasted another good opportunity to improve upon their image as the underdogs of the tournament,as they were thoroughly outplayed in all departments of the game.
Captain Heath Streak won the toss and elected to bat under perfect batting conditions but hisbatsmen failed to deliver once again and were reduced to 115 for six at one stage.
In the end, Zimbabwe owed their respectable total to some bold hitting in the final overs from Streak (59 not out) SeanErvine (48 not out). The duo added 93 runs in the last 12 overs for the unfinished seventh wicket partnership.
The bowlers made an earnest effort but on a placid track their trundling pace turned out to be easy meat for the Indianstrokemakers.
Streak, dropped by Yuvraj Singh at point early in his innings, made the most of the reprieve to carve out his 11thhalf-century.
But Ervine was impressive as he used the blustery wind conditions to get the better of the slow bowlers. He firstplayed an inside out shot to lift part-time bowler Hemang Badani over the cover boundary. That Badani over cost India 14runs.
After Anil Kumble conceded 13 runs in the 47th over, Ervine clubbed two sixes offAjit Agarkar who was even more expensive ingiving away 20 runs.
Streak reached his fifty in the same over with a thundering strike to the mid-wicket fence. That stroke alsobrought up the 200 which had looked improbable at one stage.
Zimbabwe's third fifty came off 56 balls and the fourth from only 29 as 100 runs off the last 14 overs.
Streak's 59 came off 68 balls and contained four fours while Ervine needed only 33 balls for his 48 which was studdedwith three sixes and a four.
India's batting juggernaut, which had ended on the losing side in the first match against the world champions, did notfalter this time though.
Sehwag rattled up 90 from 102 balls but in his and Tendulkar's approach there was a calm determination that hadcome to characterise India's performance on this tour.
The Indian openers shared their second successive century stand of the series as Indian batting continued toenjoy a golden summer in Australia.
Sehwag, playing his 81st match, was reprieved on 24 by wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu when he slashed a hard chance off Ervine in the 12th over.
He celebrated the reprieve with a soaring six over long on off Ervine and followed it up with one another as hereached his half century off 67 balls with three fours and two sixes.
Sehwag then hoisted left-arm spinner Raymond Price beyond the ground and very nearly into the TasmanianSea as the Indians raced towards the target.
Sehwag moved into 80s with another six, again off Price and into the square leg stands. He hit his fifth six in the sameover before an uppish drive into the covers terminated his innings.
His partner Tendulkar had set the early pace by crashing medium-pacer Douglas Hondo through the covers and thenflicking him sweetly behind backward of square leg.
Tendulkar was let off on 42 at extra cover off Price but departed in the very next over when he attempted a lordlydrive off Ervine and was clean bowled for 44, made from 60 balls with five fours.
Saurav Ganguly finished the match with a flurry of strokes, hoisting Price for a four and a six over mid-off asthe Indians won with 12-odd overs to spare.
PTI
