India 319 for 6 (Ganguly 84, Dravid 66*, Laxman 55) beat Zimbabwe 255 (Friend 63, Campbell 62) by 64 runs
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A fine team effort saw India win the second one-day international against Zimbabwe and square the five-match series at one-all. Chasing India's mammoth total of 319, Zimbabwe were in the hunt for a while, at 138 for 1 in the 22nd over, but some fine bowling in the middle overs by Harbhajan Singh triggered a collapse that saw them fall 64 runs short.

Zimbabwe had only themselves to blame for their defeat, having given India the upper hand early in the match with some atrocious new-ball bowling. Like starved bovine beasts crazed at the sight of grass on the pitch, Heath Streak, Travis Friend and Gary Brent went overboard, and were liberal with both short and wide deliveries, sometimes both together. Friend, in particular, had found a corridor all his own about a foot outside leg, and kept bowling there with McGrathesque accuracy.

The 11th over, from Friend, saw 11 deliveries being bowled. The 12th, from Brent, saw nine. By that time, they had given away 19 runs in wides, and when they managed to avoid bowling wide, they either overcompensated in line or bowled too short. Sourav Ganguly brought up the Indian 100 with a straight six in the 14th over, and Dinesh Mongia was equally brutal, scoring 45 off 52 deliveries. By the time he was out, holing out to Friend at mid-off in Doug Marillier's second over, India had got just the momentum they wanted (109 for 1).

Ganguly and VVS Laxman kept it going. In the middle-overs where India often falter, they added 81 runs in 14.1 overs, and while their running between the wickets was not quite Bevanish, it had an urgency neither of the men is renowned for. Clearly, John Wright's words were having a salutory effect on the team.

Or perhaps it enthused them too much. Ganguly was run-out attempting a suicidal second run when on 84 (190 for 2), but Rahul Dravid, if anything, lifted the momentum even further. He played like a man transformed, running between the wickets like a hare on steroids, a hard man with soft hands. He added 53 runs in just over 10 overs with Laxman before the next wicket fell – Laxman miscued a pull and was caught at point by Dion Ebrahim, off Travis Friend (243 for 3). He made 52 useful runs, his second half-century on the trot.

Like a serial womaniser, Dravid kept getting new partners, as first Mohammad Kaif, and then Ajit Agarkar and Sanjay Bangar were out attempting to lift the rate. Harbhajan Singh played a nice cameo of 15, off nine balls, regaling his home crowd with a couple of lusty blows, but it was Dravid who kept it all together. Improvising magnificently – his delectable reverse-sweep off Marillier was the shot of the day – he hustled his way to 66 off just 59 balls. A superb riposte to all those who say he is not suited to the shorter version of the game.

Zimbabwe hiccupped at the start, but then roared. Agarkar had Ebrahim edging to Laxman at second slip with his second ball (4 for 1), but pinch-hitter Friend and Alistair Campbell counter-attacked with gusto. Friend's clean hitting, especially his lofted straight-drives, took Zimbabwe to 138 in the 22nd over, when Harbhajan got the breakthrough that had been eluding the Indians. Friend stepped out to Harbhajan a wee bit too early, allowing him to slip in the straighter one that beat him and went through to wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra, who completed a regulation stumping.

Harbhajan struck again in his next over with another straighter one to which Campbell made the injudicious move of playing on the back-foot. He was caught plumb in front for 62 (143 for 3).

A misunderstanding between siblings brought India the fourth wicket when Grant Flower was run-out responding to Andy's call of first yes, then no, for a paltry 9 (166 for 4). Andy Flower and Stuart Carlisle then added 38 runs, but both were out in quick succession, Flower bowled by part-timer Mongia, who finished with three wickets, and Carlisle caught behind off Agarkar.

The slow descent into hell then gathered momentum as the rest of the Zimbabwe batsmen gave their wickets away, more out of desperation than a genuine belief that they could win. India, without Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Javagal Srinath, had come out all guns blazing in a team effort that suddenly made the future look so much brighter.

Teams
India 1 Sourav Ganguly (capt), 2 Dinesh Mongia, 3 VVS Laxman, 4 Rahul Dravid, 5 Sanjay Bangar, 6 Mohammad Kaif, 7 Ajay Ratra (wk), 8 Ajit Agarkar, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 Harbhajan Singh, 11 Anil Kumble.

Zimbabwe 1 Alistair Campbell, 2 Dion Ebrahim, 3 Travis Friend, 4 Andy Flower, 5 Stuart Carlisle (capt), 6 Grant Flower, 7 Craig Wishart, 8 Heath Streak, 9 Douglas Marillier, 10 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 11 Gary Brent.

Amit Varma is assistant editor of Wisden.com India.

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