Jadeja and Tendulkar pull off an amazing win
Sachin Tendulkar failed with the bat, but he still won the man of the match prize.
Puzzled?
Well, when Sachin does not set the stands afire with his majestic batting, the man
decides to bowl his team to an amazing win.
The greatest batsman in the universe -- no information on cricket in the other galaxies has been compiled so far -- took 5 for 32 to spin India to a 41-run victory in the first Pepsi series one-day game against Australia at Kochi on Wednesday.
Earlier, a flamboyant unbeaten century by Ajay Jadeja, coupled with fine half centuries by skipper Mohammad Azharuddin (82) and Hrishikesh Kanitkar (57), helped India pile up its second triple century in consecutive one day internationals, ending the 50 overs at an imposing 309 for five wickets.
When the sides reconvened after lunch, Steve Waugh's side appeared undaunted by the target. The breezy 102 opening wicket stand between Mark Waugh (28) and lefthander Adam Gilchrist (61) meant that many Indians in Kochi and watching the game on telly elsewhere had an acute attack of indigestion.
The Aussies had to score at the rate of 6.2 runs per over in 49 overs to win -- they were penalised for slow over rate -- and wicketkeeper Gilchrist took charge, raising the first 50 in just 5.1 overs against Javagal Srinath and Debashish Mohanty.
Debutant Bombay mediumpacer Ajit Agarkar, who replaced Mohanty in the
seventh over, was then hit for ten runs including two fours. He, however,
beat Mark Waugh twice in succession outside the off stump in his second
over.
Azhar brought Mohanty from the other end in Srinath's place, but it had no impact.
The Oriya paceman conceded 19 runs with Gilchrist and Waugh hitting a six
each over long on and midwicket respectively. The Aussie run-riot meant that 85
runs were scored in the first ten overs.
Srinath broke the partnership when Mark Waugh holed out to Agarkar at 102. Gilchrist followed four runs later, caught magnificently by the skipper. Agarkar had his first ODI wicket.
Lefthander Michael Bevan and Ricky Ponting frustrated the Indians for 7.5 overs, adding 37 runs for the third wicket. Neither batsman looked perturbed against main strike bowler Anil Kumble, Agarkar or offspinner Kanitkar. The Pune lad eventually broke the partnership at 143, the gritty Ponting held by Azhar at
gully.
Dangerman Steve Waugh walked in. The Indians knew that the Aussie captain could turn the game around by his tenacity and strokeplay. And so it seemed when Bevan
and he posted the 150 in 22 overs and the 200 in 30.4 overs, adding 60 runs in 11.3 overs for the fourth wicket.
Azhar brought Sachin on in Kanitkar's place. At Bangalore four days earlier, Sachin had bowled with encouraging guile and in his fourth over, he lured the Aussie skipper to give him a return catch. Steve Waugh 26, Australia 202 for 4.
Bowling leg spin, Sachin claimed his second wicket in his next over trapping
Darren Lehmann (8) plumb in front. Bevan was going strong
at the other end, picking the singles with ease. He reached his half century in just 62
balls.
But Australia's hopes ended when Bevan charged Tendulkar, missed the line and was stumped by Nayan Mongia in the 40th over. He scored 65 in 82 balls and struck two fours.
At 239 for 6, with nine overs remaining and 71 runs behind, the writing was on the wall for the Aussies as veteran Tom Moody (23) went the way of Bevan.
Tendulkar had Damien Martyn caught by Srinath for his fifth wicket. Shane Warne holed out to long on off Kumble and Srinath finished off the innings, having Damien Fleming caught by his Karnataka skipper Kumble.
Australia had collapsed from 202 for three to 268 all out, losing their last seven wickets for 66 runs in 15 overs.
In the morning, Azhar won the toss and elected to bat, but India lost opener Navjot
Sidhu and Tendulkar cheaply. However, the skipper, who went past Allan Border and notched up a record 274th one-day appearance, along with Bombay lefthander
Vinod Kambli (33) and then with the stylish Jadeja, steadied the innings.
Jadeja, after the fall of Azharuddin's wicket, sent the packed (75,000 people came in from every corner of Kerala for the first ODI in the state in ten years) Nehru stadium into raptures, smashing the Aussie bowlers to all sections of the ground.
Jadeja, who hit an unbeaten 105 including 12 fours, put on 121 runs with Kanitkar for the fifth wicket in 16.1 overs.
Sidhu fell in the fifth ball of the second over driving outside off stump to pace bowler Michael Kasprowicz, caught behind by Gilchrist for one run in 8 balls.
Sachin took eight runs off Fleming, but he fell too to Kasprowicz off the fourth ball
of the fourth over, caught by Ponting for 8. India 19 for 2 in 3.4 overs.
The captain who walked in at no 3 and Kambli, recalled in suspended Saurav Ganguly's place, then took it on themselves to keep the runrate ticking.
Taking no chances but playing some delectable shots nevertheless, Azhar and Kambli were severe on Fleming, Kasprowicz and Moody.
But in the 14th over, Kambli trying to play Fleming on the on side was trapped leg
before. He scored 33 and added 61 runs in 9.5 overs for the third wicket.
In Jadeja's company, Azhar batted with aplomb, posting the
team's 100 in 20 overs (in just 100 minutes). Warne,
introduced in Moody's place, could do little to disturb the
batsmen. Azhar reached his 50, driving Warne to long on. This was
his 48th half century in one dayers.
Steve Waugh brought on Bevan and Martyn and kept shuffling his bowlers, but, unfluttered, Azhar and Jadeja posted the 100 partnership in 19.2 overs.
However, Kasprowicz, returning for his third spell, struck
in the first ball of the 33rd over, and had the captain caught
by Mark Waugh at mid wicket. India were in a spot of bother, at 184 for 4 in 33.1
overs.
Enter the hero of India's last ODI game -- the memorable win against Pakistan in Dhaka in January -- lefthander Kanitkar. Under pressure
to step up the run rate, Jadeja and Kanitkar posted a 50 run partnership with in just 8.3 overs. India's run rate was 5.1 per over in the 44th over.
The 100 run partnership came 29 balls later!
Jadeja drove Fleming to long on to complete a brilliant century.
Kanitkar was not to be left behind, scoring his first ODI half century off
51 balls.
This is India's third consecutive one day win against
the Aussies; the earlier wins came in the 1996 Titan Cup
matches at Bangalore and Mohali.
While India meet Zimbabwe at Baroda on Sunday, April 5, the
Aussies take on Zimbabwe at Ahmedabad on April 3.
UNI
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