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MELBOURNE, Jan 14: India crushed Zimbabwe by seven wickets with 74 balls to spare in their triangular series One-day International on Wednesday after openers Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag put on a century stand.
The victory, which came with a bonus point for reaching the target inside 40 overs. Heath Streak and Sean Ervine had earlier boosted Zimbabwe with an unbroken 93-run partnership in 72 balls in a total of 208 for six after Streak won the toss and elected to bat first.
But India were never troubled in reply, scoring 211 for three in 37.4 overs after Tendulkar made 44 in an opening stand of 130 with man of the match Sehwag, who was eventually out for 90.
Sehwag, who was dropped on 27, was caught at cover by Grant Flower off the bowling of left-arm spinner Ray Price at 158 for two after hitting five fours and five sixes in his 102-ball innings.
The defiant Streak finished unbeaten on 59 in Zimbabwe's innings and the skipper found an ally in left-hander Ervine, who clubbed three sixes in his 33-ball innings of 48 not out.
Scoreboard
ZIMBABWE:
V. Sibanda run out 12
S.V. Carlisle lbw b Sehwag 36
S. Matsikenyeri c Badani b Pathan 9
M.A. Vermeulen b Kumble 2
G.W. Flower c and b Sehwag 15
T. Taibu b Badani 16
H.H. Streak not out 59
S.M. Ervine not out 48
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-6, NB-1) 11
TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 208
FALL OF WKTS: 1-14, 2-36, 3-48, 4-78, 5-83, 6-115.
DID NOT BAT: A.M. Blignaut, R.W. Price, D.T. Hondo.
BOWLING: Agarkar 8-2-39-0; Pathan 8-0-30-1 (2w); Balaji 7-2-26-0 (1nb); Kumble 10-1-38-1 (3w); Sehwag 10-0-40-2 (1w); Badani 7-0-31-1.
INDIA:
V. Sehwag c Flower b Price 90
S.R. Tendulkar b Ervine 44
H.K. Badani c Taibu b Hondo 15
V.V.S. Laxman not out 13
S.C. Ganguly not out 32
EXTRAS (LB-4, W-7, NB-6) 17
TOTAL (for three wkts, 37.4 overs) 211
FALL OF WKTS: 1-130, 2-158, 3-172.
DID NOT BAT: R.S. Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, A.B. Agarkar, A.R. Kumble, I.K. Pathan, L.Balaji.
BOWLING: Streak 5-2-23-0 (1w); Hondo 8-0-39-1 (4w); Ervine 8-0-42-1 (3nb); Blignaut 5-0-28-0 (3nb); Price 10-0-67-1 (2w); Flower 1.4-0-8-0.
NEXT MATCH: Australia v Zimbabwe, Hobart, Jan 16.-Reuters
