PHOTO: AP

STANDING TALL AMID RUINS: David Hemp, who had toured India as part of the England `A' team, defied the Indian attack to remain unbeaten on an otherwise forgettable day for Bermuda.

Port of Spain: India completed phase one of its rehabilitation programme with considerable felicity. The 257-run win — the highest victory margin in one-day cricket — over Bermuda on Monday fulfilled, simultaneously, two objectives.

Embarrassed by Bangladesh in its first Group match, India needed to win both its remaining league matches; in so doing it had to fatten its Net Run Rate (NRR). This was the first objective.

Its best shot lay in bowling first. But, coerced by circumstance, India's batsmen lifted their game. The finish from Yuvraj Singh and Sachin Tendulkar was an exhibition of hitting so controlled and wilful it was scary.

"We achieved what we wanted in this match," said Indian captain Rahul Dravid. "We set ourselves a margin to get — a margin close to what Sri Lanka had achieved."

Sri Lanka had defeated Bermuda by 243 runs, then the second highest victory margin in World Cups. Despite its record margin, the slowness of India's run-scoring against Bangladesh has ensured its NRR, 2.507 after the win, is lower than Sri Lanka's 4.86. But, Mahela Jayawardene's side has played just one game. Evidence suggests NRR corrects as the games accumulate.

India's quest was held up by a ninth-wicket partnership of 44 between David Hemp and Dwayne Leverock. Towards the second half of the partnership, Dravid was willing to concede the single to Hemp to let his bowlers have a crack at Leverock. But, the left-arm spinner, who had been taken for 96 runs in his ten overs, was keen to get his own back.

With a minimalist backlift, Leverock kept India's bowlers out. Hemp utilised every scoring opportunity to become Bermuda's first half-century maker: a curious honour — the kind that delights trivia hunters — for a man who once toured India as part of an England `A' team. "They had one professional batsman, and he played well," said Dravid. "He took his chances. Having said that, it was a very good wicket to bat on all afternoon."

Each of India's bowlers had his moments at the Queen's Park Oval. Munaf Patel troubled Hemp; Zaheer Khan had too much quality for the openers; Ajit Agarkar got clattered, but returned to finish with figures of three for 38 off ten; Anil Kumble showed the benefits of unyielding attack, though he strayed down the leg-side in trying too hard.

If there is a criticism of the fast-medium bowlers, it's that they weren't straight enough. They bowled like they would against a Test-playing nation. Deliveries that might have found the edge of top-class batsmen comfortably missed the bats of most of Bermuda's batsmen. That seven of the ten wickets were either bowled or leg-before shows India's bowlers struck when they kept it within the stumps.

Sehwag's knock

The most heartening aspect of the win — and India's second objective — was Virender Sehwag's return to form. Dravid, when asked if it was vindication of his decision to back the Delhi batsman, said, "It's not about me, it's not about me at all. Viru (Sehwag) is a key member of our team. It's good that he has struck form before the crucial game against Sri Lanka. After getting back from South Africa, he's put in a lot of work not just at the nets, but also with his fitness. It has been fantastic for me to watch that.

"I generally know when he is a few knocks away from form — during his purple patch there are certain signs, and they were evident to me. But, we haven't brought him here to make just one hundred. We expect a lot from him as we do of all our batsmen."

Sehwag said the fact that the century was scored against a lesser side didn't detract from it. "It gave me a lot of confidence. Making a century is always difficult. This was long overdue, I thank God that it came when the team needed it."

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