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| October 27, 2003 | Monday | Sha’aban 30, 1424 |
Tendulkar, Laxman celebrate Australian revenge
GWALIOR (India), Oct 26: Sachin Tendulkar struck 100 and Vangipurappu Laxman a stylish 102 as India reversed the World Cup final result by beating world champions Australia by 37 runs.
Tendulkar, whose failure against Australia in the Cup final earlier this year sealed India’s fate, recorded his 35th one-day century in Sunday’s triangular series encounter.
For Laxman, meanwhile, it was a second One-day International hundred as the pair came together for a 191-run stand, laying the foundation for India’s 283 for five on a flat, slow wicket.
Australia replied with a 132-run opening partnership between Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, the first 50 coming up in the seventh over.
But Gilchrist’s departure, bowled by Zaheer Khan for an entertaining 79-ball 83 which included eight fours, sparked a top-order collapse as four wickets tumbled for nine runs. The visitors ended on 246 for nine.
Australia had retained the World Cup by thrashing India by 125 runs in Johannesburg earlier this year.
That day, Australia had amassed 359 for two, built on an unbeaten 140 by captain Ricky Ponting. Tendulkar, in reply and after a fine tournament, had made four.
Sunday was his day, however, as the 30-year-old hammered nine fours and a six in his 119-ball stay.
India had started badly, losing opener Sehwag for a three-ball duck after stand-in captain Rahul Dravid elected to bat.
Left-arm paceman Nathan Bracken, opening the bowling in the absence of the injured Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee, had Sehwag caught at slip off a wide delivery.
Tendulkar, though, got into his stride quickly, cutting Bracken for two fours to the point fence and then immaculately driving him down the ground.
Laxman, back in the team after being left out for the World Cup, joined in by flicking Andy Bichel through square leg and then driving Brad Williams through extra-cover.
Tendulkar, playing his 316th one-dayer, got to his century with a single to third man but fell two balls later when he nicked Bracken to wicket-keeper Gilchrist.
Laxman was run out by a direct hit from Andrew Symonds soon after completing a 132-ball 100 but Yuvraj Singh (44 off 33 balls) and Ajit Agarkar (22 off 11) came up with blistering cameos to improve the Indian total.
Australia were always stuggling after slipping to 141 for four, with Ponting this time departing for two as 30,000 home fans celebrated by bursting firecrackers and lighting flares a day after Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.
Leg-spinner Kumble was India’s best bowler with figures of 10-1-28-2. Khan grabbed three wickets for 49 and occasional spinner Virender Sehwag chipped in with two.
The opening match of the tournament between India and New Zealand had been abandoned due to rain in Chennai last week.
Scoreboard
INDIA:
V. Sehwag c Hayden b Bracken 0
S.R. Tendulkar c Gilchrist b Bracken 100
V.V.S. Laxman run out 102
Yuvraj Singh c Symonds b Williams 44
A.B. Agarkar c Symonds b Bracken 22
Mohammad Kaif not out 1
EXTRAS (LB-8, W-6) 14
TOTAL (for five wkts, 50 overs) 283
FALL OF WKTS: 1-1, 2-192, 3-256, 4-264, 5-284.
DID NOT BAT: R.S. Dravid, P.A. Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, A.R. Kumble.
BOWLING: Bracken 10-0-53-3 (2w); Williams 10-0-67-1 (2w); Bichel 7-0-38-0 (1w); Harvey 8-0-46-0; Hogg 10-0-47-0; Symonds 5-0-24-0 (1w).
AUSTRALIA:
A.C. Gilchrist b Zaheer 83
M.L. Hayden st Patel b Kumble 47
R.T. Ponting c and b Kumble 2
D.R. Martyn b Sehwag 16
A. Symonds lbw b Zaheer 1
M.G. Bevan b Sehwag 18
I.J. Harvey b Tendulkar 4
G.B. Hogg st Patel b Harbhajan 29
A.J. Bichel c Kaif b Zaheer 14
B.A. Williams not out 11
N.W. Bracken not out 7
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-4, NB-6) 14
TOTAL (for nine wkts, 50 overs) 246
FALL OF WKTS: 1-132, 2-135, 3-140, 4-141, 5-176, 6-177, 7-185, 8-225, 9-229.
BOWLING: Zaheer Khan 10-0-49-3 (3nb, 2w); Agarkar 6-0-42-0 (1w); Kumble 10-1-28-2 (1nb); Harbhajan Singh 10-0-43-1 (1w); Tendulkar 6-0-39-1; Sehwag 7-0-36-2 (1nb); Yuvraj Singh 1-0-5-0 (1nb).
RESULT: India won by 37 runs.
UMPIRES: K. Hariharan (India) and N.A. Mallender (England).
TV UMPIRE: A.V. Jayaprakash (India).
MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Sachin Tendulkar.
NEXT MATCH: Australua v New Zealand, Faridabad, Oct 29.—Reuters
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