7th Match: India v South Africa at East London, 19 Oct 2001 CricInfo Live Report

7th Match: India v South Africa at East London, 19 Oct 2001
Peter Robinson

India innings: 15 overs, 30 overs,
Pre-game: Toss,
South Africa innings: 15 overs, 30 overs, Innings,

INDIA REQUIRE 122 OFF LAST 20 OVERS TO BEAT SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa took what might prove to be the crucial wicket of Sourav Ganguly for 85 as India’s run chase slowed down in the middle overs of their Standard Bank One-Day International at Buffalo Park in East London on Friday.

With 20 overs of the match remaining, India were 161 for three, requiring a further 122 for victory. At the crease were Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh, with Dravid on 30 and Yuvraj, who who just come in, on

Two wickets in successive overs had checked India earlier after a century opening partnership between Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar.

The first wicket to fall in the innings was that of Tendulkar, bowled off a bottom edged by Jacques Kallis for 37. Tendulkar and Ganguly had put together 101 for the first wicket in a rousing partnership, but the loss of the first wicket was quickly followed by a second.

SS Das had faced only three balls when Ganguly ran Makhaya Ntini down to third man where Andre Nel slipped, fumbled and then recovered the ball before throwing in while still on his knees. His eye was good and Mark Boucher had the bails off before Das could make his ground and India were two down for 103, Das having made 2.

Ganguly was finally undone when South Africa turned to spin as he lifted Nicky Boje down to long on where Kallis came around the boundary to take a fine, sprawling catch. Ganguly faced 95 balls for his runs, hitting six fours and four sixes.

The scoring rate dropped with the loss of the wickets and the South Africans able to spread their fielders and India, who had taken 99 off the first 15 overs, scored only 62 off the next 15.

GANGULY AND TENDULKAR TAKE UP SOUTH AFRICAN CHALLENGE

Indian openers Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly took up the challenge set them by South Africa as they reached 99 for no wicket after 15 overs in search of a winning score of 283 in the Standard Bank One-Day International at Buffalo Park in East London on Friday.

Both batsmen were in excellent form with Tendulkar reaching 37 and Ganguly storming along to 60. The South Africans had been 95 for two at the same point in their innings.

The start of the innings was delayed briefly after a light shower during the supper break and the Indians quickly showed their intentions, Tendulkar taking successive boundaries off Andre Nel’s third over, the first slipping through Makhaya Ntini at mid off.

Ganguly hit an unusual six in Shaun Pollock’s fourth over, the ball landing on, but failing to clear the boundary rope at long off. He repeated the shot in Pollock’s next over, but this time the ball sailed well over both the boundary rope and the advertising hoardings.

The second six brought up the Indian 50 off 54 balls but Ganguly was not finished, lifting Nel high over the backward square boundary for his third six.

Both South African new ball bowlers took punishment, Pollock conceding 35 runs off his first six overs with Nel going for 38 before Ntini and Jacques Kallis were brought into the attack.

Ganguly hit Ntini for four and two at the start of the South African’s second over to reach his 50 off 56 deliveries. He had scored three four and three sixes at that stage and he promptly celebrated by carving Ntini’s fifth ball high over extra cover for his fourth six. He sliced another four over the gully region off the last balls as 16 came off the over.

RHODES, KLUSENER LIFT SOUTH AFRICA TO 282/4 AGAINST INDIA

KwaZulu-Natal team-mates Jonty Rhodes and Lance Klusener put on 79 in an unbroken stand for the fifth wicket to take South Africa to 282 for four in their Standard Bank One-Day International against India at Buffalo Park in East London on Friday.

Rhodes ended the innings unbeaten on 40 with Klusener not out on 38 as the South Africans posted what should be a stiff challenge for the Indians.

It was an innings built around partnerships after Herschelle Gibbs and Boeta Dippenaar had put on 63 for the first wicket, but Rhodes and Klusener provided the final burst with 52 coming off the last five overs of the innings.

Dippenaar and Jacques Kallis put on 103 off 140 balls for the third wicket before Javagal Srinath came back for his second spell and immediately deceived Kallis with a slower ball. Kallis completely misread the delivery, scooping a simple catch to Sourav Ganguly at midwicket for 49 at 196 for three.

Kallis had given a half-chance on 42 when a thin edge off Anil Kumble eluded the gloves of Deep Dasgupta, hitting the wicketkeeper on the inside of his knee.

With Kallis gone, Dippenaar followed soon after, missing out on a chance to record his first one-day century. He was palpably leg before to Srinath, hitting across the line at one that kept a shade low and he went for 81 off 108 balls after hitting five fours.

For the Indians, the 46th over of the innings might still prove to be critical. Klusener ended the over with successive boundaries of Virender Sehwag as, in all, the South Africans helped themselves to 16.

SOUTH AFRICA HEAD FOR BIG TOTAL AGAINST INDIA

With Boeta Dippenaar making his second half-century in as many games, South Africa were well-positioned to set India a challenging target in the Standard Bank One-Day international at Buffalo Park in East London on Friday. After 30 overs, the South Africans had moved to 162 for two.

Dippenaar made an unbeaten 74 against Kenya last Sunday and he had 59 not out on Friday, settling down after a mix-up which led to the run out of Nicky Boje. With Jacques Kallis also promising a big innings, the third wicket pair had put on 69 for South Africa. Kallis had 26.

Kallis had come in at the fall of Boje’s wicket and he settled quickly, sweeping Anil Kumble twice for four in the space of three balls. The pair rotated the strike efficiently, but Dippenaar was a little fortunate to survive on 48 when Harbhajan Singh misread the flight of a relatively simple return catch.

Dippenaar moved on to his 50 off 63 balls with a single off Virender Sehwag and the South African 150 came up in the 29th over of the innings

GIBBS GETS SOUTH AFRICA OFF TO A FLIER IN EAST LONDON

Herschelle Gibbs produced another of his dazzling cameos to send South Africa off to a flying start in their Standard Bank One-Day International against India at Buffalo Park in East London on Friday. Gibbs hammered 47 off 41 balls to lift South Africa to 95 for two after 15 overs.

For all his difficulties with authority, the batting of Gibbs has moved into a new dimension this summer and he was again in punishing mood as he set about the Indian new ball pair.

Ajit Agarkar came in for particular attention, at one point going for four, four six off successive deliveries as South Africa raced to 50 in only the seventh over of the innings.

Agarkar was to take revenge, however, as Gibbs neared his personal 50. Needing only three for his 12th one-day 50, Gibbs tried to clip Agarkar through midwicket, but lifted the shot to give Virender Sehwag a head-high catch. He had helped himself to seven fours and a six and the wicket fell at 63.

South Africa sent Nicky Boje in at three, a ploy that proved immensely successful last summer, but the left-hander was fortunate to survive on 6 when Rahul Dravid at slip sprung to his left but could not hold an edge of Javagal Srinath.

It was not to prove an expensive mistake, however. Boje added only a further 12 before he was run out when he and provincial team-mate Boeta Dippenaar got themselves into a tangle. Dippenaar played Harbhajan Singh to midwicket and as the batsmen hestitated Sourav Ganguly returned the ball to the bowler’s end to catch Boje stranded in midpitch.

Boje made 18 off 17 balls and the second wicket fell on 93.

Boeta Dippenaar had been overshadowed by the brilliance of Gibbs, but he had moved with customary assurance to 25 by the 15-over mark with Jacques Kallis still to open his account.

INDIA MAKE THREE CHANGES FOR EAST LONDON ODI AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa made two changes before winning the toss and electing to bat in the Standard Bank One-Day International against India at Buffalo Park in East London on Friday.

The South Africans brought Jacques Kallis and Andre Nel back into their team with Justin Kemp, who has flu, Charl Langeveldt dropping out. Gary Kirsten is still recovering from a torn muscle in his right thigh and was not considered while Nantie Hayward, drafted into the squad earlier this week, was left out.

India, meanwhile, made no fewer than three changes to the team that suffered a humiliating 70-run defeat against Kenya on Wednesday. Virender Sehwag, Ajit Agarkar and Javagal Srinath all came back into the side with Venkatesh Prasad, Harvinder Singh and Reetinder Singh Sodhi missing out.

South Africa: Shaun Pollock (capt), Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Neil McKenzie, Jonty Rhodes, Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Justin Kemp, Nicky Boje, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini.

India: Sourav Ganguly (capt), Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, SS Das, Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Deep Dasgupta, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Ajit Agarkar, Javagal Srinath.