The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Big win for India

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, May 18, 2006

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Sport - Cricket

Big win for India

Special Correspondent

Montego Bay: India completed a comprehensive 116-run victory over Jamaica in its warm-up match in front of an enthusiastic crowd of nearly 5000 at Jarett Park here on Tuesday. Riding on good knocks by Suresh Raina, Mohammed Kaif and M.S. Dhoni, India scored 289 for seven in 50 overs and bowled its opponent out in 45 overs.

Though Jamaica did not field a full strength side — Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh, and Jerome Taylor, who were named in the West Indies squad, were pulled out by the National selectors — the visitor would be pleased with the tour opener. The chase saw as many as eight Indians turn their arms over.

Impressive Munaf

Irfan Pathan and Munaf Patel — twelfth man, but allowed to bowl — split the first two wickets. Munaf's dismissal of Donovan Pagan with a lifter on a track without much bounce was impressive.

Opener Damion Ebanks began well before R.P. Singh hurried him into a mistimed pull. Skipper Wavell Hinds clubbed Agarkar straight, but the bowler from Mumbai extracted revenge when he had Hinds in front to a shooter.

Among the Jamaicans, only Tamar Lambert crossed 30. He timed a couple of drives sweetly, and skipped smartly down the pitch to Harbhajan; his side never threatened. Daren Powell's meaty blows delayed the end, but India would not be denied. Harbhajan, who bowled with good control, finished with two, while Munaf claimed three.

Earlier, after winning the toss, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag put on 65 for the first wicket before being separated. Suresh Raina, at number three, made good use of an early reprieve to compile 50 (79b, 3x4) before retiring out to let the others have a hit. He added 93 for the fourth wicket with Mohammad Kaif, who made a 60-ball 49. M.S. Dhoni's whirlwind innings of 45 (23b, 4x4, 3x6) fetched him the `Man of the Match' award.

The scores: India 289 for seven in 50 overs (V. Sehwag 33, R. Dravid 31, S. Raina 50 (retd.), M. Kaif 49, M.S. Dhoni 45, A. Richardson three for 47) bt Jamaica 173 in 45 overs (T. Lambert 33, Munaf three for 30).

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