The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Sehwag, Yuvraj spur India Seniors to victory

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Saturday, Oct 02, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

Sehwag, Yuvraj spur India Seniors to victory

By K.C. Vijaya Kumar

PERFECT TIMING: Yuvraj Singh of India Seniors found his touch with a century against India `A' in Bangalore on Friday. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE, OCT. 1. Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh's return to runs spurred India Seniors to a five-wicket win over India `A' in a practise match that concluded at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday. The duo scored blistering centuries to help Sourav Ganguly's team stamp its authority after being dominated for the first three days.

The turnaround in fortunes hinged on Sehwag (146) and Yuvraj's (115) 279-run opening-wicket partnership. It helped India Seniors make a mockery of the 387-run target in its second innings. Yuvraj set the tempo, easing Amit Bhandari repeatedly into the covers. Yuvraj's growing confidence rubbed onto Sehwag, who then proceeded to whip S.S. Paul.

He then attempted a reverse sweep off left-arm spinner Murali Kartik. However Sehwag failed to connect but by then his confidence was up. The reverse sweep was mastered in the next few overs of Kartik and the power-packed shots made the fielder at sweeper-cover redundant.

The stage was set for more fireworks as Yuvraj and Sehwag moved their feet with increasing assurance and the recent slump in form became a mere aberration. Sehwag then indulged in his favourite signature - reaching a milestone, this time his 50, with a six off Kartik.

Yuvraj also shifted gears and toyed with Bhandari and hit three fours on the off-side despite a packed field in one over. Bhandari suffered again as Sehwag sauntered past his 100 with a six.

Sehwag then slammed Kartik for 34 runs in over with five sixes and a four, and the harried spinner also bowled a no-ball to make matters worse.

India `A' skipper Dinesh Mongia (three for 39) finally stepped in with his left-arm spin from the Pavilion End and struck twice as a tiring Sehwag and Yuvraj succumbed to tame shots. Then Aakash Chopra top-edged a sweep, Rahul Dravid mistimed a pull and V.V.S. Laxman failed to beat Sriram's throw before a 40-run unbeaten sixth-wicket partnership between Parthiv Patel and Harbhajan Singh took the Seniors to victory.

However, on a day of batting delights it was a no-ball that heralded victory as Dheeraj Jadhav over-stepped and Harbhajan was left regretting his earlier copy-book defence against some low full-tosses!

The scores: India `A' — 1st innings: (for nine wtks.) 302.

India Seniors — 1st innings: 213.

India `A' — 2nd innings: (for five declared) 297.

India Seniors — 2nd innings: Y. Singh c Nehra b D. Mongia 115, V. Sehwag c S.S. Paul b D. Mongia 146, A. Chopra c V. Rao b D. Mongia 25, R. Dravid c S.S. Paul b Sriram 9, V.V.S. Laxman (run out) 0, P. Patel (not out) 44, Harbhajan (not out) 17. Extras: 31 (b-4, lb-5, nb-21, w-1). Total: (for five wkts.) 387

Fall of wickets: 1-279, 2-280, 3-302, 4-302, 5-347.

India `A' bowling: Bhandari 8-1-50-0, S.S. Paul 9-1-39-0, Kartik 26-3-129-0, V. Rao 1-1-0-0, Sarandeep 4-0-19-0, J. Sharma 8-0-22-0, Nehra 8-3-16-0, D. Mongia 11-3-39-3, Sriram 11-3-62-1, Jadhav 0.5-0-2-0.

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