After India won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that looked
like it would crumble later in the day, openers Manish Sharma and
Ravneet Ricky got India off to yet another solid start
Anand Vasu25-Jan-2000After India won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that looked
like it would crumble later in the day, openers Manish Sharma and
Ravneet Ricky got India off to yet another solid start. Rofe began
with a maiden over but after that the Indians began to collar the
bowling.Ricky and Sharma alternated well and struck the ball off the meat of
the bat with regularity. The Australians swapped the bowling around a
fair bit. It was only when the spinners came on at 59/0 after 12 overs
that the Australians could check the scoring rate. O’Brien and Hauritz
bowling in tandem kept the Indians quiet for six overs, giving away
just 21 runs in that period.There was not much to choose from in the two openers though Sharma
scored his runs a little faster than Ricky. When Sharma notched up his
fifty in the 21st over, Ricky was still in the thirties. Ricky then
moved into a higher gear and matched Sharma shot for shot. Ricky
brought up his fifty soon after.Just when things were going smoothly for the Indians, a wicket fell
against the grain of play. Sharma went after a wide, full delivery
from Aaron O’ Brien and ended up nicking it to the ‘keeper Hartley who
took a smart catch. O’Brien picked up his solitary wicket in the last
over of his spell, conceding just 24 runs from his 10 overs.When Sharma’s wicket fell, India were on 124. His 65 came of 94 balls
and was studded with nine boundaries. The skipper Mohammed Kaif walked
out to the wicket to join Ricky who was then on 50. Kaif worked the
strike around and fed most of the bowling to Ricky.At the end of 35 overs, India were motoring along 156/1, with Kaif on
16 and Ricky on 64.From the 35th over to the 40th, the Indians batted very sensibly and
pushed the scoring rate without taking undue risks. Mohammad Kaif
found form and stroked the ball into the gaps effortlessly. When the
ball was not there for the big shot, Kaif played it down with soft
hands and was well backed up by some good running by Ricky.Ricky who was well set by this time, went after anything that was
either slightly overpitched or short and spanked the ball to the
boundary.India brought up the 200 in the 43rd over without much
difficulty. Ricky was nearing the three figure mark but did not get
bogged down. He continued to strike the ball fluently and used his
feet well.Just two runs later, Kaif was late on a short ball from off spinner
Hauritz and ended up chopping it through to Hartley who was once again
safe behind the stumps. He snapped up the catch and sent the Indian
skipper back to the pavilion after he had made a useful 29 off 34
balls.Yuvraj Singh then walked into the ground amidst high expectations. He
began slowly, tapping the ball into the gaps for a couple of
singles. In the very next over, Yuvraj began to dominate, hitting
Watson for a huge six over long on. Watson’s full toss was picked up
and hit cleanly out of the ground. He followed that up with a crisp
hit to the midwicket boundary for four. The fireworks had started.In the next over, the 45th, Yuvraj was once again aggressive, tonking
Buchanan for a four and a six. After the 45th over all hell broke
loose. Yuvraj Singh began to see the ball very clearly. Too clearly
for the Australians’ liking. The bowlers rhythm was completely
destroyed and they began to deliver fulltoss after to fulltoss to
Yuvraj. The lad from Patiala had no trouble in despatching the full
tosses to the boudary. More often than not, he hit it clear over the
ropes, picking up six instead of four. He brought up easily the
fastest fifty of the tournament off only 20 balls, having been at the
wicket for just 27 minutes. His innings included five sixes and four
boundaries.Ricky too got into the act and came down the wicket and hit
consecutive boundaries through midwicket. In an attempt to boost the
already bloated scoring rate, Ricky gave himself room and tried to hit
the ball through the off side. Watson had the ball dead on target and
when Ricky missed he hit. Ricky’s 108 included 12 boundaries and was
the backbone of the Indian innings.Soon after Ricky was dismissed, Yuvraj followed him to the pavilion
attempting one lofted shot too many. He was caught in the deep by
Marsh off the bowling of Watson. His 58 off 25 balls included five
boundaries and five sixes that cleared the ropes with ease.After the two settled batsmen were dismissed, the Indians lost two
quick wickets attempting big shots. However, it made little difference
as India posted 284/6, the highest score of the tournament thus far.When the Australian openers walked out to the middle chasing 285 for
victory a lot must have been going through their minds. Shaun Marsh,
son of former Australian opener Geoff Marsh, and Edward Cowan got off
to a shaky start playing and missing at the Indian medium
pacers. Right-arm seamer Mrithyunjay Tripathy got the ball to move
around considerably early on, bowling from the Press Box end.At the other end, Shalab Sriwatsa bowled tidily enough, not giving the
Aussies much room to free their arms. In just the fourth over,
Tripathy enticed Marsh into an extravagant drive to a ball well wide
of the stumps and had him nicking the ball. Stumper Ajay Ratra took a
good catch lunging to his left and that was the end of Marsh’s
essay. Marsh made eight including one boundary. At the end of five
overs India had made their first inroads into the Australian batting
line up.While the Australians did not get off to a flyer they were going along
well when Cowan made the blunder of hesitating while attempting to run
a sharp single. Cowan pushed the ball to extra cover and set off
immediately. Seeing that his partner did not respond he hesitated mid
pitch. By this time, the non striker had set off for the single and
Cowan had to go through. Sensing the possibility of a run out, Ravneet
Ricky through the stumps down. The third umpire was pressed into
service, but the body language of the Indians suggested that they had
got their man. The red light sent Cowan on his way after he had put
together 16.Andrew McDonald breezed in and out of the crease. Shalab Sriwatsa got
a ball to move through the air and beat McDonald all ends up. The ball
moved just enough to clip the outside edge of the bat. Ajay Ratra was
once again impressive behind the stumps as he dove to his left and
took a good low catch. Coming off the right hander’s outside edge, a
combination of the stiff breeze and the effect of the ball clipping
the edge sent the ball drifting down the leg side in unusual
fashion. Ratra was quick enough to adjust and snap the ball up. At the
end of ten overs, Australia were in a bit of strife at 33/3.It was only some good batting by captain Shane Watson that gave the
Aussie innings any respectability. His 38 included some solid drives
straight down the wicket. After he was dismissed the Australians lost
their way completely and folded up rather tamely. In the 35th over,
they folded up for 11 runs. India’s 170 victory sees them storm into
the finals where they take on the hosts.
