Effortless Win For India

A disappointing pitch, a disappointing Zimbabwean team and consequently a disappointingmatch. India were highly impressive, though, and after bowling Zimbabwe out for 133 at theHarare Sports Club, they cantered home by nine wickets in the second match of theCoca-Cola Cup on Sunday.

The good news for Zimbabwe was that Heath Streak was back at the helm, the basicmatters that had prompted him to resign having been resolved. He and coach Carl Rackemannhave now been added to the selection panel and certain other matters are to be attendedto. Zimbabwe Cricket Uunion president Peter Chingoka has pledged his support and askedStreak to stay on as captain. One would have hoped that Zimbabwe would be encouraged bythese developments to play better than they had done against West Indies. Not at all.

In the Zimbabwean team, Dirk Viljoen and Bryan Strang replaced Brian Murphy and MlulekiNkala. Unfortunately, the same pitch was used for this match as the previous day. It hadbeen watered overnight, leaving some moisture and promising help for the bowlers. LadyLuck has an inflexible decree that under such circumstances Zimbabwe should always losethe toss, and Saurav Ganguly naturally put Zimbabwe in to bat. The gate takings from thismatch are to be allocated to Eddo Brandes' benefit fund, and despite the poor Zimbabweanperformance the crowd seemed to enjoy themselves.

With the second ball of the match, without a run on the board, Ashish Nehra bowled abeautiful delivery that moved away and had Alistair Campbell snicking a catch to thekeeper. Dion Ebrahim and Stuart Carlisle appeared to be handling the excellent bowlingwith skill when the latter (6) snicked Zaheer Khan to second slip.

Grant Flower immediately lashed a four through the covers and seemed intent on hittingthe team out of trouble, but then unluckily chopped Khan on to his stumps. Zimbabwe weredeep in trouble at 20 for three and once again the pitch was playing a significant part indeciding the match. India used the conditions superbly, but Zimbabwe should have battedbetter than they did.

Guy Whittall had a lucky escape when on one, with V.V.S. Laxman failing to hold a lowslip chance. Nehra, in a magnificent spell and moving the ball predominantly into thebatsman, was the unlucky bowler. Ajit Agarkar profited, as Whittall when on 7 lashed acatch to third man off a wide delivery, while Nehra soon picked up Viljoen (1), flashingoutside off stump to be caught in the slips. Zimbabwe were 39 for five in the 13th over,but Ebrahim was still hanging in there, showing true fighting spirit.

Nehra completed his ten overs without a break for 33 runs and two wickets, butaggravated a hamstring strain in his final over which cost nine runs. A recovery was inprogress, with Streak standing firm, but Ebrahim again failed to reap the benefits of hisefforts, caught at slip off another fine delivery from Agarkar for 32. Laxman, thecatcher, damaged a finger in the process.

Further disaster struck as an over-enthusiastic attempt at a single, not the first, ledto the crucial run-out of Streak for 16, courtesy of a fine throw by substitute ReetinderSodhi. At 82 for seven, this virtually ended Zimbabwe's hopes of a competitive total.

Andy Blignaut and Travis Friend played quietly, trying to restore the balance, but assoon as Blignaut tried to take the initiative he skied a catch off Ganguly to be caught atdeepish mid-off for 13. In the same over Friend (7) edged to slip; 104 for nine.

Tatenda Taibu, who deserves to bat higher than number ten, twice hit Ganguly throughthe covers for cracking fours and showed considerable maturity for 19 not out beforeStrang was bowled by Agarkar for 4, giving Zimbabwe the depressing total of 133. Agarkarfinished with three for 24, while Nehra, the best of the bowlers, and Khan took twowickets each.

Ganguly's poor international form continued, as he edged a fine delivery from Streak towicket-keeper Taibu in the first over for two. Zimbabwe, knowing their minimal chance ofvictory required them to take all ten wickets, brought all their fielders inside thecircle, even to Sachin Tendulkar, to start with. It was not effective when Friend pitchedshort to Tendulkar, who hooked him for two boundaries and glanced a third.

Zimbabwe had no answer to Tendulkar, as on this sluggish pitch he drove boundaries onthe up with perfect timing, despite Zimbabwe's attempts to seal his leg-side shots.Several straight drives were effortless and magnificent. On the debit side, he twice cameclose to giving catches through his eagerness to hit to leg. He was partnered by HemangBadani, promoted in place of the injured Laxman. The small target put them under nopressure and the enthusiastic crowd was able to enjoy a classic exhibition by the Indianmaster.

Badani, although overshadowed by sheer genius, also contributed some stylish drives anda pull for six off Strang. When the end came, with almost half the overs in hand,Tendulkar had 70 and Badani 52, reaching his fifty with a pull for four off Strang to winthe match.

CricInfo