Rahul Dravid displayed once again why he is such an important cog in theIndian batting machine when his superb 64 guided India to a four-wicket win overSri Lanka at Edgbastonon Saturday.
The result means India are through to the next Saturday's final at Lord's,and Sri Lanka's fourth successive defeat also assured England a place there aswell.
Earlier, India bowled out Sri Lanka for just 187 after winning the toss andthen met with the same fate as they slumped to 59 for four on a pitch assistingseam movement. But Dravid, caught off a Dilhara Fernando no-ball on nine, andYuvraj Singh (37) steadied the ship in a stand of 91.
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It looked as they would see India home when the Ganguly-led side suffered ahiccup or two. Yuvraj was sent back by a slow full toss from Dilhara Fernando.He faced 68 balls and hit one six and four fours in his latest impressiveinnings this series.
Dravid's 95 ball innings came to an end when he was run out by a direct hitfrom Fernando. He hit one six and five fours and was dismissed with India nineruns short.
Fernando's figures of two for 22 were impressive but it would have takensomething truly extraordinary for the bowlers to defend such a low score.Chaminda Vaas did give Sri Lanka hope when, with the first ball of the innings,the left-arm quick bowled Virender Sehwag off an inside edge.
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In the same over he also had a huge appeal for caught behind against Gangulyturned down by West Indian Steve Bucknor. In the very next over he was droppedby Chandana at backward point off Fernando.
But Ganguly eventually went for 24 when a cut off Pramodya Wickramasingherebounding from Mahela Jayawardene at first slip to wicket-keeper RomeshKaluwitharana. That left India wobbling at 33 for three.
Sri Lanka missed a major opportunity when Sachin Tendulkar (18) was droppedby Fernando off Chandana but Fernando struck back three balls later. Tendulkarhad added just one to his total when he offered an easy catch to Marvan Atapattuoff Fernando.
India, almost declined to 75 for five when Dravid was 'caught' off a Fernandono-ball.
Dravid won the man-of-the-match award but it was India's bowlers who laid thefoundations for victory. Left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra put the block on from thestart, his first seven overs yielding just 10 runs. Nehra finished with two for28.
But it was leg-spinner Anil Kumble (two for 36) who dismissed top scorersJayawardene (36) and Atapattu (50) in the space of nine balls after the pair hadput on 84 in 19 overs.
From there on the rest of the batsman, Vaas' 20-ball 26 excepted, failed tomake much impression, Sri Lanka losing their last eight wickets for 62 runs in18 overs.
