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| September 26, 2002 | Thursday | Rajab 18, 1423 |
Stunning win puts Ganguly’s men in final
COLOMBO, Sept 25: India pulled off a nail-biting 10-run victory over South Africa to storm into the Champions Trophy final Wednesday after centurion Herschelle Gibbs’s retirement turned the semifinal on its head.
The match looked in South Africa’s grasp as opener Gibbs hit 116 from 119 balls and shared a 178-run second wicket partnership with Jacques Kallis (97).
But Gibbs, who hit a century in the previous game against Kenya, was forced to retire with exhaustion and cramps in the 37th over with South Africa needing 70 runs from 13 overs to reach their target of 262.
South Africa then lost the initiative as three wickets fell for the addition of 19 runs as tight bowling and fielding strangled their progress, with part time off-spinner Virender Sehwag playing his part — finishing with 3-25.
An unlikely 21 runs were needed from the final over, bowled by Sehwag.
Kallis, who was reprieved on 31 when Vangipurappu Laxman missed a chance at slip, smashed the first ball for six but was out for 97 the next ball.
With 15 needed from four balls all-rounder Lance Klusener could manage only two runs each from the next two deliveries before he was out off the last ball of the match.
India had prised open the innings when off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took two wickets in the 39th over, which included Jonty Rhodes falling to a superb catch by Yuvraj Singh.
It was uphill then on for the 1998 champions with Mark Boucher and Boeta Dippenaar going cheaply.
India’s total of 261 for nine featured a top-score of 62 from Yuvraj Singh while opener Sehwag contributed 59, made from 58 balls.
The innings lost its impetus in the middle overs, with Sachin Tendulkar’s run-out leaving India at 135 for four.
A dejected Pollock blamed his team for their loss.
“We threw the game away,” South African captain Shaun Pollock said. “We have got ourselves to blame. We have to make sure this doesn’t happen.”
Pollock said Gibbs was in no shape to continue.
“It was unfortunate for us. He couldn’t grip the bat with either hand. We can’t have a go at him.”
Ganguly said his side were “down but never out” and praised his players for ensuring the “unbelievable victory”.
INDIA:
V. Sehwag c Klusener b Kallis 59
S.C. Ganguly c D’penaar b Ntini 13
V.V.S. Laxman c Boucher b Donald 22
S.R. Tendulkar run out 16
R.S. Dravid lbw b Klusener 49
Yuvraj Singh c Gibbs b Pollock 62
Mohammad Kaif c Rhodes b Pollock 19
Harbhajan Singh b Donald 4
Zaheer Khan c Smith b Pollock 0
A.R. Kumble not out 2
A. Nehra not out 1
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-1, W-8, NB-3) 14
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 261
FALL OF WKTS: 1-42, 2-102, 3-108, 4-135, 5-207, 6-254, 7-254, 8-255, 9-260.
BOWLING: Pollock 9-0-43-3 (1nb); Ntini 5-0-37-1 (2nb, 5w); Donald 8-0-41-2 (1w); Kallis 8-1-50-1 (2w); Klusener 10-0-40-1; Peterson 10-0-47-0.
SOUTH AFRICA:
H.H. Gibbs retired hurt 116
G.C. Smith c Yuvraj b Zaheer 4
J.H. Kallis c Dravid b Sehwag 97
J.N. Rhodes c Yuvraj b H’bhajan 1
H.H. Dippenaar c Kumble b H’bhajan 0
M.V. Boucher c Yuvraj b Sehwag 10
L. Klusener c Kaif b Sehwag 14
S.M. Pollock not out 0
EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, W-5) 9
TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 251
FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-194, 3-194, 4-213, 5-247, 6-251.
DID NOT BAT: R.J. Peterson, A.A. Donald, M. Ntini.
BOWLING: Zaheer Khan 9-2-27-1; Nehra 7.3-0-41-0; Kumble 10-0-53-0; Harbhajan Singh 10-0-37-2; Yuvraj Singh 3-0-17-0; Ganguly 1.3-0-15-0; Tendulkar 4-0-32-0; Sehwag 5-0-25-3.
RESULT: India won by 10 runs.
UMPIRES: D.R. Shepherd (England) and R.B. Tiffin (Zimbabwe).
TV UMPIRE: D.J. Harper (Australia).
MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Virender Sehwag.
SECOND SEMIFINAL: Sri Lanka v Australia, RPS (D/N), Friday.—Reuters
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