The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : For India, a victory at last!

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 03, 2006
ePaper

Sport

Sport - Cricket

For India, a victory at last!

S. Dinakar

MOMENT TO SAVOUR: Dinesh Karthik (left) and Suresh Raina celebrate the victory over South Africa. — PHOTO: AFP

Johannesburg: Finally, a victory! Never mind if it was achieved against a second string South African side in the Twenty20 format.

Any win, ending the sequence of defeats in South Africa, would have been welcomed by the Indians. And they celebrated with warm hugs.

India's six-wicket triumph with just one ball remaining in the one-off Pro 20 game at the Wanderers should have lifted the side's sagging morale. India's debut in this form of the game had been an auspicious one.

When Dinesh Karthik cut left-arm spinner Robin Peterson past a ring of fielders to the point fence, the Indian supporters in the stands sang and danced.

Karthik played the role of the finisher well. India needed nine of the last over. After Karthik smashed Peterson's first delivery for a six over mid-wicket, the rest was a formality.

His 28-ball unbeaten 31 was a fine effort under pressure. He was, rightly, adjudged the Man of the Match. Karthik might have departed early, when he was caught on the bounce at slips. However, wisely, the third umpire's verdict was sought.

Said Karthik later about the last over. "I had it worked out. There were a couple of areas in the field where I could have hit."

The small-made cricketer has a big heart. Karthik revealed how he had been asked by the team-management to give priority to his batting. The wicketkeeper-batsman looked at the scenario in a positive fashion. "Before I had only one slot to aim at, now I have six slots." He has also put a lot of effort into his fielding.

Karthik, correctly, gave credit to Dinesh Mongia and skipper Virender Sehwag. Mongia's 38 (45b, 4x4, 1x6) was a crisp knock. He was fluent on the leg-side and smashed paceman Albie Morkel for a six over cover. Karthik and Mongia added 37 for the fourth wicket in 6.2 overs.

Earlier, Sehwag gave glimpses of his old form, with scorching drives, slashes and punches. "This is an exciting form of cricket, very fast paced. Could catch on in India," he said.

He added the victory would lift the Indian spirits. "It was a team effort. India won, that's what matters." Sehwag was not worried about his removal as India's vice-captain in Tests.

Charl Langerveldt bowled well for South Africa, swinging the ball, and consuming the batsmen on the drive. Johan van der Wath, achieved movement and gave little away. Perhaps, Smith erred by calling upon Peterson to bowl the final over, ahead of paceman Morkel.

Earlier, South Africa won the toss and elected to bat. It scored 126 for nine in 20 overs.

The scores:

South Africa: G. Smith lbw b Zaheer 16, L. Bosman c Tendulkar b Zaheer 1, H. Gibbs c Raina b Agarkar 7, J. Kemp lbw b Tendulkar 22, A.B. de Villiers c Dhoni b Agarkar 6, A. Morkel c Mongia b Sreesanth 27, J. van der Wath c Raina b Harbhajan 21, R. Peterson (run out) 8, T. Henderson (run out) 0, R. Telemachus (not out) 5, C. Langeveldt (not out) 0; Extras (lb-4, w-8, nb-1): 13. Total (for nine wkts. in 20 overs) 126.

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-31, 3-34, 4-41, 5-64, 6-101, 7-120, 8-120, 9-123.

India bowling: Zaheer 4-0-15-2, Sreesanth 4-0-33-1, Agarkar 2.3-1-10-2, Pathan 4-0-30-0, Tendulkar 2.3-0-12-1, Harbhajan 3-0-22-1.

India: V. Sehwag (run out) 34, S. Tendulkar b Langeveldt 10, D. Mongia c Langeveldt b Peterson 38, M.S. Dhoni b Langeveldt 0, D. Karthik (not out) 31, S. Raina (not out) 3; Extras (lb-7, w-3, nb-1): 11. Total (for four wkts. in 19.5 overs) 127.

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-60, 3-71, 4-108.

South Africa bowling: Van der Wath 4-0-18-0, Langeveldt 4-0-20-2, Telemachus 4-0-28-0, Henderson 4-0-31-0, Morkel 2-0-12-0, Peterson 1.5-0-11-1.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport