A swashbuckling 90 from Virender Sehwag saw India coast to a seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the third game of the VB Series at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Wednesday.
Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar put up a 130 run partnership that ensured that India would reach the modest target of 209 without any hiccups.
Earlier in the day, a 93 run stand between skipper Heath Streak and Sean Ervine rallied Zimbabwe past the 200 run mark.
Streak elected to bat after winning the toss, but the Zimbabwean top order collapsed, more because of rank bad shot selection than good bowling, before rearguard action by the skipper and Ervine saw the Africans reach 208-6 in 50 overs.
After the Indians had restricted the Zimbabweans to 114 for 6 in the 38th over, Streak and Ervine got into the act and took full toll of a lackadaisical bowling attack, plundering 81 runs off the last 10 overs.
Streak topscored with 59 runs off 71 balls while Ervine played a breezy 48 off 33 that provided the impetus to the innings. Their 93 run partnership came off a mere 72 balls.
Zimbabwe, who suffered a 99 run defeat to Australia in Sydney, had named an unchanged side while India included lefthanded all-rounder Hemang Badani in place of Sanjay Bangar.
Zimbabwe Innings:
On a Bellerive Oval wicket full of runs for the taking, Streak opted to bat first, well aware of the fragility of his middle order. As it turned out, the middle order played with the imprudence of a club XI. When the top five batsmen in a side together put on 74 runs on a flat wicket, it explains the reason for the team languishing at the bottom of the ICC's rankings.
After getting a measure of the wicket on a windy Hobart morning, Vusimuzi Sibanda was run out, courtesy a brilliant piece of fielding by Yuvraj Singh. Stuart Carlisle played the ball to point and set off for a single. Yuvraj dived to his right, picked up the ball and threw it to Ajit Agarkar at the non-striker's end. Sibanda's bat had crossed the popping crease, but was in the air.
Matsikenyeri is an exciting batsman, but the excitement is usually more in anticipation of when he plays his first rash stroke and wastes the enormous talent he possesses. With Sibanda gone early, it was imperative that he stayed at the crease and consolidated the innings. But he went about thwacking the bowling and holed out to Badani at cover off Irfan Pathan.
The absence of Andy Flower in the middle order has never been more apparent for this Zimbabwean side. Matsikenyeri at number three is an indication of the paucity of top-quality batsmen in Zimbabwe cricket. Add to that the colour quota pushed by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union and the team's cup of woe is full.
Mark Vermeulen, a refugee at the crease, struggled for 24 deliveries until leg-spinner Anil Kumble put him out of his misery off the first ball after the drinks break with one that crashed into his stumps. Two runs off 24 balls and Zimbabwe were heading for another collapse. After 20 overs the score was a paltry 50 for 3 on a flat batting wicket.
Carlisle held one end up watching his teammates disappoint one after the other before an error in shot selection did him in. With skipper Sourav Ganguly employing spin at both ends, Carlisle tried to sweep Sehwag across the line and was trapped in front for 37 (78-4).
Grant Flower, the mainstay of the Zimbabwe middle order, batted time, trying to find form after the long injury layoff. But the rustiness showed as he patted the simplest of catches back to Sehwag for 15.
Before three figures were reached, five wickets were down and Zimbabwe had effectively lost the chance to put up a fight.
Ganguly, resorting to spin, ensured that the batsmen had to force the pace. Tatenda Taibu got off to a start, but was bowled through the gate for 16.
With the Zimbabwean innings in tatters at 115-6 in the 38th over, the Indian bowlers relaxed. When they walked off the ground for lunch 12 overs later, Zimbabwe had added 93 runs with a rollicking stand between Streak and Ervine.
Yuvraj Singh dropped Streak early in the innings at point and it probably made the difference between Zimbabwe being bowled out for under 150 and crossing the 200 run mark.
Streak, the most underrated all-rounder in world cricket, propped up the innings yet again with an innings blended with caution and aggression. Never missing the chance to run the singles, he let Ervine collar the bowling early on and in the last seven overs played the big shots, with the Indian bowlers obliging.
The 93 run stand between Streak and Ervine also asked some uncomfortable questions of the Zimbabwe top order.
Streak has been Mr Consistent in the Zimbabwe side over the past 12 months, averaging 39 with the bat. He has fifties against the West Indies, South Africa, New Zealand and India. With the ball he has 30 wickets at an average of 27.
A measure of an all-rounder's genuineness is that he averages 30-plus with the bat and takes his wickets at an average of less than 30. With this yardstick, Streak was arguably the most consistent all-rounder of 2003.
Ervine, a prodigious striker of the ball, ruined Kumble's bowling figures. The leggie, who had conceded 20 runs off his eight overs, went for 19 off his last two. Ditto Ajit Agarkar, who had a respectable first spell before he was collared for 20 in his last over, which saw two mighty heaves for six.
The last five overs had just three dot balls, which exemplifies the clinical approach of the batsmen.
Sehwag, however, impressed with his immaculate line and length and bowled his full quota of ten overs for 40 runs and two wickets.
Indian Innings:
With India's batting coming good of late, 208 never looked threatening. But taking the foot off the gas can sometimes invite the danger of being run over by the opposition. Sehwag and Tendulkar opened the innings and, chasing a modest target, eschewed the big shots early on. But once they got their eye in, it was mayhem. Runs flowed and the fact that Streak had to employ four bowlers inside the first 15 overs bore testimony to the opening dominance.
Barring Streak, none of the bowlers impressed. Ervine had a sniff of success when Sehwag edged him in the twelfth over, but Tatenda Taibu grassed the chance despite a valiant leaping effort. Sehwag slapped a six off Ervine in the same over to rub it in.
With 88 runs for no loss in the first 16 overs, the result of the match was a foregone conclusion. Two overs later, India crossed the 100 run mark and Sehwag had scored yet another half-century.
Though Tendulkar seemed in delectable touch, it was Sehwag's show and as long as the team's chase was on course no one was complaining, least of all Tendulkar. After the match, Sehwag said the openers had planned to play their strokes in the direction of the strong wind on the ground instead of against it. The plan worked to perfection.
Tendulkar, six short of his half-century, shaped to slam Ervine without moving his feet and was bowled with the ball moving in a tad. India had lost their first wicket for 130. With victory a formality, the team management decided to send Hemang Badani ahead of V V S Laxman to get some time in the middle for the big games ahead.
Sehwag, meanwhile, was toying with the Zimbabwean bowlers. Left-arm spinner Ray Price came in for special treatment with two successive sixes in one over that saw Sehwag race to the nineties in quick time.
But his adrenaline cost him another limited overs hundred when he chipped a widish delivery from Price to Grant Flower at cover point. He was gone for 90 off 102 balls, studded with five sixes and five fours.
Badani, who has a hundred against Australia, got a golden opportunity in the absence of Mohammad Kaif. Though he failed today, nicking while trying an expansive drive, a good showing in the VB Series could see him stake a regular claim for the number seven slot.
Skipper Ganguly and Laxman then saw India home with seven wickets and more than 12 overs to spare. India got the bonus point as well for achieving the target inside 40 overs.
