Zimbabwe v India, 3rd One-day International

By John Ward
30 September 1998

End of Match report

Zimbabwe 259/5; India 222. Zimbabwe won by 37 runs.

Zimbabwe were indeed inspired in the field; it has taken them three matches to wake up, but today they finally played very close to the best. India were on the back foot throughout the afternoon and, hard though they fought, they were nevre quite able to make up the deficit.

There was a sensational start as Sachin Tendulkar, with only two runs to his credit, clipped Heath Streak to midwicket for Craig Evans to take a good low catch. Genius though he is, Tendulkar has perhaps been a little too casual about keeping the ball on the ground during this series, and his one good score came in the first match only after being dropped twice. This vital wicket inspired Zimbabwe further, and they played with a fire and a passion which had been lacking in Bulawayo. When Mohammad Azharuddin also fell for two, caught at slip off Eddo Brandes and the score was 10 for two, Zimbabwe really knew they could win.

Brandes and Streak were together again in partnership and both bowled well, although perhaps not quite as magnificently as they have at times in the past. Saurav Ganguly and Ajay Jadeja were forced to fight for survival. As the required scoring rate began to mount, they knew they had to take risks and hit a few uppish strokes. Ganguly in particular took his chances against Evans, hitting him for three uppish fours in four balls. Jadeja was first to go, though, attempting to hit Pommy Mbangwa for six over long-off and being well caught by the tall Andrew Whittall high on the very edge of the boundary. Ganguly soon followed, caught at the wicket by Andy Flower down the leg side as he attempted to glance Adam Huckle.

Then came a good partnership between Rahul Dravid and Robin Singh. In the past Zimbabwe have often put them- selves into a winning position, only to have it taken from their grasp by a good fightback. This time India put together a few promising partnerships, but just as they were beginning to look dangerous Zimbabwe broke through again. After a stand of 57 Dravid drove a catch straight to mid-on, but this was followed by another good partnership, of 54, with Mongia. Singh looked particularly dangerous, especially when some of the Zimbabwean bowlers allowed him free rein on the leg side, where he hit three huge sixes. In the end, though, he perished by the sword, caught on the deep square leg boundary.

India did keep themselves in with an outside chance as their later batsmen swung gallantly, but nine or ten an over, with so few wickets in hand, was always a tall order. The running became rather frantic and, after most of the match had passed without the services of the third umpire being required, there followed five referrals in quick succession. The first three were negative, the last two positive. Mongia was caught at extra cover, while Agarkar went for his strokes before having his stumps thrown down in a fine reflex action by Andy Flower behind the stumps. The situation now demanded a miracle, which was not forthcoming. Sanghvi was bowled by Streak and finally the third umpire was called upon to adjudge Harbhajan Singh run out at the bowler's end, following a direct hit from Brandes.

Zimbabwe found their best form too late, but this win will have given them a boost for the Test match. Craig Wishart's century earned him the Man of the Match award; the Man of the Series was rather more difficult. Only Campbell, with two fifties, had really starred in more than one of the three matches, but adjudicators Mike Haysman and Ravi Shastri decided on Tendulkar.

Lunch-time report

Zimbabwe 259/5.

Zimbabwe have improved with each game in this three-match one-day series, and this morning put up an impressive batting display despite the early loss of their captain. Whether their total will be good enough to test the powerful Indian batting line-up remains to be seen, though.

India again had the good fortune to win the toss, and followed their tried and tested policy of sending Zimbabwe in to bat. Alistair Campbell gave the innings a spectacular start by pulling the first ball of the innings for a superb one-bounce four to midwicket. However, almost as spectacularly, four balls later he lost his middle stump to Agarkar. The ball apparently jagged back sharply from the off; this information came over the internet courtesy of an Indian cricket-follower who was watching on television in his own country. That detail was not apparent to members of the press box, who have again been sited at ground level beyond the long-leg boundary with a most unsatisfactory view of the play.

Murray Goodwin took less time than he usually does to play himself in; twice in one over he leapt down the pitch to hammer Mohanty to the cover boundary. But he failed to carry it through to a major score, being caught at the wicket off a thin bottom edge for 22. Andy Flower was almost immediately dropped off a head-high chance to Tendulkar at first slip, and this lapse almost certainly proved crucial to the course of the innings, as another 113 runs were to pass under the bridge before the tourists were to strike again. Craig Wishart, opening in place of Trevor Madondo, looked uncomfortable at times early on, but in partnership with the experienced Flower he gradually came out of his shell. He went through a stage of taking a risk or two, a couple of shots just clearing the fielders, but then settled down to master the bowling. Gradually the balance of the match began to swing in Zimbabwe's favour.

Flower ran to his fifty with some powerful strokes, including sixes over midwicket and over the bowler's head, but in going for another straight six skied a catch to mid-off. At 152 for three, the stage was set for Craig Evans to do what he knows best. Despite being dropped off a skyer to third man, he played some pulverising strokes, only to be cut off in his prime when he swept at Harbhajan Singh and umpire Kevin Barbour adjudged him lbw in response to a remarkably muted Indian appeal.

Gavin Rennie came in and pushed and dabbed to good effect as Wishart, whose previous highest one-day score was 53, approached his century. He was now playing with rare confidence and progressed through the nineties with calm and maturity. He showed his delight on reaching his century (118 balls, 180 minutes), and it is to be hoped that this will prove the turning point in this superbly talented but rather enigmatic batsman's career. He did not last long afterwards, swatting a return catch in an effort to speed up the scoring rate even further. Rennie and Heath Streak kept up the good work until the innings closed.

Realistically, though, the odds must still favour India, who won the Bulawayo matches so decisively and will enjoy good batting conditions here. If Zimbabwe are to win, they will need to bowl and field as if inspired, or else India will have to give it away. But, whatever happens, if Tendulkar gets going there is little anybody can do about it.

Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)