Windies in semis with fine win

Chris Dhambarage

CRICKET: The defending champions West Indies powered their way into the semifinals with a thrilling three wicket victory over India in their International Cricket Council Champions Trophy Mini World Cup group 'A' fixture played at the Saradar Patel Gujarat Stadium in Motera, Ahemedebad here on Thursday.

After restricting the Indians for a modest 223 for 9 from their 50 overs the West Indies reached their target with just two balls to spare. The West Indian victory was set up by two superb half centuries from Shivanerine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan. The former laid the foundation with a solid 51 from 78 balls with eight boundaries while the latter added the finishing touches by stroking a fluent 53 with two fours.

Even then the West Indies had a real game in their hands after India fought back magnificently to claim four quick wickets for the addition of only seven runs. They were cruising along at one stage at 212 for 4 but soon slumped to 217 for 9 by the 49th over. They needed five runs from the last over and Marlon Samuels held his nerve under tremendous pressure to steer them to victory.

Earlier the West Indies put up a magnificent performance on the field to contain the free scoring Indian batsmen while picking up wickets at regular intervals after skipper Brain Lara had won the toss and decided to field first. The West Indian bowlers certainly responded well and had the opposition struggling at 69 for 3 at one stage.

However skipper Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh led an Indian revival as they recovered from that point to reach a more respectable 130 for 3 at the completion of the 30 overs. India had earlier collapsed to a shaky 69 for 3 following the dismissals of Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan and Virender Sehwag. Opener Sehwag set about his task in his own style smashing three fours in his 20 balls, before he was trapped leg before wicket by Taylor.

Bradshaw then forced Pathan to drag on to his stumps in the sixth over, leaving Tendulkar and Dravid to avoid a major collapse. The West Indies struck two vital blows in the 31st over where they removed both skipper Rahul Drawid and Yuvraj Singh within the space of one run.

First it was Yuvraj Singh who drove uppishly into the hands of Bravo fielding at mid off while skipper Drawid just could not beat a direct throw from Smith while responding for a quick single from Mahendra Dhoni. Smith had only one stump to aim at and he struck it with a superb throw that was powerful and accurate. Drawid looked absolutely in control of the situation until then having stroked six boundaries from his 67 deliveries.

However Mahendra Dhoni gave India some hope with a late flourish where he hammered the bowling to all parts of the ground in making a solid half century from 65 balls including two successive sixes and one four. India were really struggling at 164 for 6 before wicket-keeper batsman Dhoni launched a superb counter-attack before being dismissed in the penultimate ball of the innings.

Dhoni took some time to settle down where he faced as many as 40 deliveries to reach 12 runs after Suresh Raina was brilliantly stumped by Carlton Baugh off right-arm off-spinner Marlon Samuels for 19. However Harbhajan Singh came in and played the perfect supporting role as Dhoni began to provide with his fireworks.

Veteran left-hander Brian Lara was earlier declared fit after struggling with back spasms while batting in their victory over Australia last week. Joining him in the team was Chanderpaul, who replaced Wavell Hinds after recovering from food poisoning. India brought in paceman Rudra Pratap Singh for spinner Ramesh Powar.

INDIA

V. Sehwag lbw b Taylor		17
S. Tendulkar b Bradshaw    	29
I. Pathan b Bradshaw 		0
R. Dravid run out 		49
Yuvraj Singh c Bravo b Bradshaw  	27
M. Dhoni run out  		51
S. Raina st Baugh b Samuels 	19
Harbhajan Singh b Taylor 	15
A. Agarkar run out		1
Rudra Pratap Singh not out  	0
EXTRAS (LB-3, NB-1, W-11)	15

TOTAL (for nine wickets)  	223

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-22 (Sehwag), 2-27 (Pathan), 3-69 (Tendulkar), 4-130 (Yuvraj), 
	5-131 (Dravid), 6-164 (Raina), 7-213 (Harbhajan), 8-223 (Dhoni), 9-223 (Agarkar).
BOWLING: Taylor 10-2-33-2 (w4), Bradshaw 10-0-30-3 (nb1, w4), 
	Smith 10-1-37-0 (w2), Bravo 7-0-51-0 (w1), Samuels 9-0-35-1, Gayle 4-0-34-0.

WEST INDIES

C. Gayle c Rudra Pratap b Patel   	34
S. Chanderpaul c Dravid b Sehwag	51
D. Bravo lbw b Harbhajan   	16
R. Sarwan run out  		53
R. Morton lbw b Agarkar  	45
B. Lara b Pathan 		5
M. Samuels not out   		5
D. Smith b Agarkar      	0
C. Baugh not out		1
EXTRAS (LB-2, W-12)		14

TOTAL (for seven wickets)	224

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-43 (Gayle), 2-100 (Bravo), 3-120 (Chanderpaul), 
	4-212 (Morton), 5-218 (Lara), 6-219 (Sarwan), 7-219 (Smith).
BOWLING: Pathan 5-0-34-1 (w2), Patel 8-2-29-1, Agarkar 9.4-1-52-2 (w5), 
	Rudra Pratap 4-0-29-0 (w1), Harbhajan 10-1-27-1, Sehwag 10-0-36-1 (w4), Yuvraj 3-0-15-0.