Saturday, Nov 16, 2002
Saturday, Nov 16, 2002 |
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By G. Viswanath
Rahul Dravid drives Mahendra Nagamootoo for a four during his century knock.
It was the ultimate challenge for India's senior cricketers on Friday night. They had been on song for better part of the English summer chasing 300 plus targets. All those great efforts came in daylight and not under artificial lights such as the one on Friday night when the West Indies set a target of 325 in 300 balls. To get to that sum total demanded the Indians to play their best cricket in the twilight hours because they were second best while its bowler's were in action. They were up to date with the arithmetic of progressing at six run an over right through the hot run chase. Even then the home needed a thrust after the exit of Yuveraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif to keep the supply of runs flowing as did Chris Gayle for the West Indies. Dravid's best shots alone could not have taken India to the winning post. Bangar was an unknown quantity, but he rose to the occasion like a seasoned campaigner and emerged with a champion display that must have even surprised most of his team-mates who are happy with him playing the sedate role in the traditional format of the game. Two fours of leg spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo gave definite hints of the way he was going to deal with the situation. His first straight hit six of the leg spinners just about confirmed it and when he drove Pedro Collins over cover for his second one had sensed that India was on the road to a great win. In the meanwhile Dravid who struck only seven fours was unwavering in his concentration for three and a quarter hours and reached his eighth one-day International century. He had rescued India forging a partnership of 103 with Laxman and afterwards led Indian challenge. Once described a `dot ball' villain, Dravid played his part, but the Man of the Match still went to Gayle for a super effort. Earlier in the afternoon Gayle took his second century that seemed inevitable the moment he started finding the sweet spot of the bat without any delay in the blazing afternoon. But Ramnaresh Sarwan was left wondering why the game that has already made him a star batsman is still not rewarding him with his maiden international century that batsmen covet for right from they join the boys of cricket and step on the field for their first Test of one-day International. Gayle made his second century against India in four matches, but Sarwan's individual score stood at an unconquered 99 after Ashish Nehra had bowled the last ball of the West Indies innings. Sarwan adjusted his helmet and received the same ovation Gayle got when he returned after cutting and carving India's bowling for 140 runs.
West Indians Chris Gayle (right) and Ramnaresh Sarwan, who put the Indian attack to sword, snapped during their good partnership in the fourth one-day International at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. While Gayle scored a century, Sarwan hit an unbeaten 99. — Photo: Vivek Bendre
The left-hander made seven at Jamshedpur, but contributed to the team's victory with a century at Nagpur. Since he has been in devastating form making another half century at Rajkot. It was just that on Friday he took his batting a little more seriously and went as far as to stay for nearly two-third of the West Indies innings to play a very aggressive, but matured innings. Gayle was off the mark like a man competing in the short sprint. He used his strong shoulders and wrists, hit the ball on the up and at its pitch, cut and pulled at the slightest error in length to produce an innings of top quality.A pull shot of his back foot off Javagal Srinath gave a foretaste of things to come in the course of his two and half hour innings. He was severe on the left arm seamer, who was one of the success stories when the Indians toured the West Indies early this year. Gayle's driving, even when he hit over the top was imperious and elegance personified. Back foot play was the feature of his innings and in particular over off Nehra he three fours and a six. Nehra switched to round the wicket, but the punishment from the blade of Gayle remained the same.Wavell Hinds did not prefer the dynamic and sensational. He bided time before smashing Srinath for two fours and a six. Hinds was at fault in flashing at a delivery that Srinath bowled from round the wicket. The breakthrough in the last ball of the ninth over was celebrated, but it has cost India 80 runs off 54 balls. A smart piece of work by Mohammad Kaif running from mid off resulted in the cheap dismissal of Marlon Samuels, but thereafter it was simply a case of hard struggle for the home team. Though the run rate dropped from an impressive nine plus to under three, Gayle and Sarwan batted sensibly to lift the run rate above six an over. It was on Gayle's splendid century the West Indies built the 300 plus score. Harbhajan and left arm spinner Murali Kartik checked the flow of runs. After his first spell the offspinner had figures of 5-0-6-0. The West Indies openers might have given the impression of being predetermined, but Gayle belied such a belief from the way he focused after the exit of Samuels. He did not hit a four for eleven overs after reaching his half-century in the first ball of the ninth over. Gayle was composed, but made sure that scoring opportunities were not wasted. A parallel six over cover off Kartik was a great shot he struck that saw him near his second century of the tournament which he made in two hours and six minutes, 99 balls and with nine fours and three sixes. Sarwan was all correct footwork and wristy. He manoeuvred shots and made batting look so simple. A glance using showing the full face of the bat to Kartik just about conveyed the confident frame of mind he is in. He placed the ball between big gaps and played with minimum fuss. When the third wicket stand had reached 100 his contribution was an exact fifty. Sarwan and Hooper made sure that the Indian bowlers made no impact on them. The bowling figures of each and every Indian bowler, except Harbhajan and to an extent Kartik was a reflection on the power and depth of the West Indies batting which has not failed even once in this 7-match series. The unfortunate part in the end was Sarwan missing out a personal landmark.
SCOREBOARD
India bowling: Srinath 9-1-71-1, Nehra 5-0-53-0, Harbhajan 10-1-30-1, Kartik 10-0-46-0, Ganguly 1-0-9-0, Sehwag 8-0-49-1, Yuveraj 6-0-48-0, Bangar 1-0-13-0.
West Indies bowling: Dillon 10-0-65-2, Collins 9-0-60-1, Drakes 9.4-0-60-1, Hooper 9-0-61-0, Nagamootoo 9-0-62-0, Gayle 1-0-15-0.
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