Archives

Sa'adi Thawfeeq reporting from England

LONDON, Sunday - Sri Lanka found themselves in danger of failing to qualify for the NatWest one-day series final when they suffered their second successive defeat, when India beat them by four wickets at the Oval here today.

It was India's second successive win of the tournament in as many matches and placed them firmly on top of the table with eight points. England had four from two games and Sri Lanka none from also two matches.

Sri Lanka were restricted to a total of 202-8 in 50 overs and India despite losing half the side for 135, still ran out winners with 28 balls to spare finishing on 203-6.

Sri Lanka's batting was 'done in' by fast bowler Ajit Agarkar who took three wickets for 44 runs off nine overs to take the man-of-the-match award.

It was always going to be difficult for the bowling side to defend a moderate total of 202 against a strong batting line up as India had.

Although Sri Lanka tried hard and captured six Indian wickets, the asking rate was not big enough to pressurize the lower order batsmen into playing any indiscreet strokes.

Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif concentrated on the singles and twos instead of going for the big boundaries, which they scored occasionally when a loose ball came along and carried India almost to the point of victory.

Yuvraj the hero of their victory over England on Saturday, was out at 31 scored off 44 balls with India needing eight for victory. He shared a 60-run partnership off 63 balls with Kaif who finished unbeaten on 38 off 44 balls.

India were made to work hard for the runs by keen Sri Lankan fielding and accurate bowling. They were constantly under pressure to score runs after Chaminda Vaas had struck twice in his opening spell of five overs removing both Sourav Ganguly and Virender Shewag for 26 by the seventh over.

Ganguly was trapped lbw for seven and Sehwag mistimed a drive to be caught by Jayasuriya at mid off for 12. Dinesh Mongia and Sachin Tendulkar set upon repairing the early losses with a third wicket stand of 71 off 86 balls, when Mongia who had been playing very well suddenly lost his cool top edged a hook off Dilhara Fernando and was superbly caught by Vaas running at least 15 metres along the long leg boundary edge. Mongia scored 33 off 55 balls with one six and three fours.

India's innings suddenly lost its momentum when only 23 runs were scored off 10 overs between the 20th and 30th. Rahul Dravid was unfortunate to be bowled off his pads by Chandana for eight and Zoysa returning for his final spell got the big wicket of Sachin Tendulkar when he forced him to get a thin edge to Kaluwitharana behind the wicket. Tendulkar who did not bat with his usual freedom, hung around for 70 balls for 49 which comprised three fours and a six.

Agarkar's initial spell of three wicket broke the back of the Sri Lanka batting after they won the toss and batted first on a pitch which had some bounce. Sri Lanka never recovered from that deadly spell and their moderate total proved insufficient to bring them victory.

Mahela Jayawardene top scored for Sri Lanka with a fighting 62 off 105 balls which comprised four fours, but otherwise it was another disappointing display of batting by the Sri Lankans who have been unable to lift themselves since the Lord's Test after they allowed England to crawl back after they were forced to follow-on.

Sanath Jayasuriya started off as he was back to his old ways of creaming the Indian bowlers as he usually does in the majority of contests between the two countries. But the start he provided only proved to be a flash in the pan.

After a blazing beginning when Jayasuriya and Romesh Kaluwitharana put on 42 off 43 balls things began to fall apart for Sri Lanka when Ajith Agarkar replaced the wayward Zaheer Khan who had gone for 27 runs in his first spell of three overs.

In a morale breaking first spell of seven overs Agarkar removed Kaluwitharana with his first ball, and Jayasuriya and Russell Arnold all caught behind by wicket-keeper Rahul Dravid as Sri Lanka tumbled to 97-5 in 24 overs.

Kaluwitharana went for 15 chasing a wide ball, Jayasuriya made 36 off 38 balls with six fours and one fine six over third man before attempting a cut and, Arnold made six before getting a glove on the forward stroke.

Zaheer returning for a second spell took Marvan Atapattu's wicket for seven as he played on and Sourav Ganguly also picked up a wicket when Naveed Nawaz having steered a four to third man tried to repeat the shot off the next delivery only succeeded in giving Virender Sehwag a straight forward catch at slip. Nawaz made 11.

Upul Chandana helped Jayawardene raise 43 off 83 balls, the highest partnership of the innings, before he attempted to pull Ashish Nehra and top edged a catch to mid off. Chandana scored 18 off 42 balls with one four.

Jayawardene battled on singlehandedly at one end to complete a fighting half-century off 94 balls with four fours. Chaminda Vaas helped him along in another stand that realized 42 off 46 balls for the seventh wicket.

But Zaheer returning for his third and final spell forced Jayawardene into a false stroke when he hit back an easy return catch off a slow ball, and had Nuwan Zoysa caught at cover by Mohammad Kaif as he top edged a pull.

Vaas hit out in the dying overs to take Sri Lanka past the 200-run mark remaining 26 not out off 37 balls when the overs ran out.

All the Indian bowlers a tight line with the exception of the initial overs when they were cartered around by Jayasuriya. Both teams opted for an extra seamer, Sri Lanka including Buddhika Fernando at the expense of Kumar Sangakkara and India Ashish Nehra for off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

[more]

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager