After India won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket that lookedlike it would crumble later in the day, openers Manish Sharma andRavneet 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 lookedlike it would crumble later in the day, openers Manish Sharma andRavneet Ricky got India off to yet another solid start. Rofe beganwith a maiden over but after that the Indians began to collar thebowling.Ricky and Sharma alternated well and struck the ball off the meat ofthe bat with regularity. The Australians swapped the bowling around afair bit. It was only when the spinners came on at 59/0 after 12 oversthat the Australians could check the scoring rate. O’Brien and Hauritzbowling in tandem kept the Indians quiet for six overs, giving awayjust 21 runs in that period.There was not much to choose from in the two openers though Sharmascored his runs a little faster than Ricky. When Sharma notched up hisfifty in the 21st over, Ricky was still in the thirties. Ricky thenmoved into a higher gear and matched Sharma shot for shot. Rickybrought up his fifty soon after.Just when things were going smoothly for the Indians, a wicket fellagainst the grain of play. Sharma went after a wide, full deliveryfrom Aaron O’ Brien and ended up nicking it to the ‘keeper Hartley whotook a smart catch. O’Brien picked up his solitary wicket in the lastover 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 ballsand was studded with nine boundaries. The skipper Mohammed Kaif walkedout to the wicket to join Ricky who was then on 50. Kaif worked thestrike around and fed most of the bowling to Ricky.At the end of 35 overs, India were motoring along 156/1, with Kaif on16 and Ricky on 64.From the 35th over to the 40th, the Indians batted very sensibly andpushed the scoring rate without taking undue risks. Mohammad Kaiffound form and stroked the ball into the gaps effortlessly. When theball was not there for the big shot, Kaif played it down with softhands and was well backed up by some good running by Ricky.Ricky who was well set by this time, went after anything that waseither slightly overpitched or short and spanked the ball to theboundary.India brought up the 200 in the 43rd over without muchdifficulty. Ricky was nearing the three figure mark but did not getbogged down. He continued to strike the ball fluently and used hisfeet well.Just two runs later, Kaif was late on a short ball from off spinnerHauritz and ended up chopping it through to Hartley who was once againsafe behind the stumps. He snapped up the catch and sent the Indianskipper back to the pavilion after he had made a useful 29 off 34balls.Yuvraj Singh then walked into the ground amidst high expectations. Hebegan slowly, tapping the ball into the gaps for a couple ofsingles. In the very next over, Yuvraj began to dominate, hittingWatson for a huge six over long on. Watson’s full toss was picked upand hit cleanly out of the ground. He followed that up with a crisphit to the midwicket boundary for four. The fireworks had started.In the next over, the 45th, Yuvraj was once again aggressive, tonkingBuchanan for a four and a six. After the 45th over all hell brokeloose. Yuvraj Singh began to see the ball very clearly. Too clearlyfor the Australians’ liking. The bowlers rhythm was completelydestroyed and they began to deliver fulltoss after to fulltoss toYuvraj. The lad from Patiala had no trouble in despatching the fulltosses to the boudary. More often than not, he hit it clear over theropes, picking up six instead of four. He brought up easily thefastest fifty of the tournament off only 20 balls, having been at thewicket for just 27 minutes. His innings included five sixes and fourboundaries.Ricky too got into the act and came down the wicket and hitconsecutive boundaries through midwicket. In an attempt to boost thealready bloated scoring rate, Ricky gave himself room and tried to hitthe ball through the off side. Watson had the ball dead on target andwhen Ricky missed he hit. Ricky’s 108 included 12 boundaries and wasthe backbone of the Indian innings.Soon after Ricky was dismissed, Yuvraj followed him to the pavilionattempting one lofted shot too many. He was caught in the deep byMarsh off the bowling of Watson. His 58 off 25 balls included fiveboundaries and five sixes that cleared the ropes with ease.After the two settled batsmen were dismissed, the Indians lost twoquick wickets attempting big shots. However, it made little differenceas India posted 284/6, the highest score of the tournament thus far.When the Australian openers walked out to the middle chasing 285 forvictory a lot must have been going through their minds. Shaun Marsh,son of former Australian opener Geoff Marsh, and Edward Cowan got offto a shaky start playing and missing at the Indian mediumpacers. Right-arm seamer Mrithyunjay Tripathy got the ball to movearound considerably early on, bowling from the Press Box end.At the other end, Shalab Sriwatsa bowled tidily enough, not giving theAussies much room to free their arms. In just the fourth over,Tripathy enticed Marsh into an extravagant drive to a ball well wideof the stumps and had him nicking the ball. Stumper Ajay Ratra took agood catch lunging to his left and that was the end of Marsh’sessay. Marsh made eight including one boundary. At the end of fiveovers India had made their first inroads into the Australian battingline up.While the Australians did not get off to a flyer they were going alongwell when Cowan made the blunder of hesitating while attempting to runa sharp single. Cowan pushed the ball to extra cover and set offimmediately. Seeing that his partner did not respond he hesitated midpitch. By this time, the non striker had set off for the single andCowan had to go through. Sensing the possibility of a run out, RavneetRicky through the stumps down. The third umpire was pressed intoservice, but the body language of the Indians suggested that they hadgot their man. The red light sent Cowan on his way after he had puttogether 16.Andrew McDonald breezed in and out of the crease. Shalab Sriwatsa gota ball to move through the air and beat McDonald all ends up. The ballmoved just enough to clip the outside edge of the bat. Ajay Ratra wasonce again impressive behind the stumps as he dove to his left andtook a good low catch. Coming off the right hander’s outside edge, acombination of the stiff breeze and the effect of the ball clippingthe edge sent the ball drifting down the leg side in unusualfashion. Ratra was quick enough to adjust and snap the ball up. At theend 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 theAussie innings any respectability. His 38 included some solid drivesstraight down the wicket. After he was dismissed the Australians losttheir way completely and folded up rather tamely. In the 35th over,they folded up for 11 runs. India’s 170 victory sees them storm intothe finals where they take on the hosts.