da bet7k： India’s hopes of winning the Coca-Cola Cup in Sri Lanka were dealt acrushing blow at the Premadasa International Stadium on Thursday whenthe Clear Black Caps defeated them by 67 runs
Charlie Austin26-Jul-2001India’s hopes of winning the Coca-Cola Cup in Sri Lanka were dealt acrushing blow at the Premadasa International Stadium on Thursday whenthe Clear Black Caps defeated them by 67 runs.India still have a chance of qualifying for the final on August 5,but, to be sure, they need to win their remaining three games and hopethat Sri Lanka defeat New Zealand at the Sinhalese Sports Club nextweek. If they win just two then they are reliant on the vagaries ofnet run rates and the Kiwis losing all their remaining games.This seems unlikely after another fighting team performance by NewZealand today. Fresh from their demoralising defeat yesterday and withtheir captain laid low with a stomach bug, plus a number of otherplayers feeling wheezy, they won the match despite scoring the lowesttotal of the tournament batting first so far.Sourav Ganguly’s decision to field first after the delayed start thismorning raised eyebrows, but it looked to have been an inspireddecision when New Zealand slipped to 143 for seven in the 36th over oftheir innings.But Dion Nash, back in the side having recovered from the stomach bug,rescued the innings with 42 from 56 balls. Adding 43 runs for theeighth wicket with Daniel Vettori (19) he carried the Kiwis to thepsychological 200 mark.Required to score 201 for victory, Sourav Ganguly returned to hisnormal opening slot and choose Virender Sehwag as his partner. Theystarted disastrously, losing both VVS Laxman and Ganguly within thefirst three overs – the Indian captain trapped lbw by an inswingerfrom Kyle Mills and Laxman bowled off the inside edge, as he waftedcarelessly away from his body.Rahul Dravid (27) and Sehwag (33) bolstered Indian hopes with a 50-runpartnership in 13 overs. Dravid was his normal silky self and wasbatting in an assured manner, whilst Sehwag was impressive. Similar inbuild and style to Sachin Tendulkar – a player they miss so obviouslyand greatly – he forced through the covers for consecutive fours andclipped dismissively over mid-wicket.Daniel Vettori, however, came on to bowl and broke through in afortuitous manner. Dravid drove powerfully back to the bowler and thequick-witted spinner fielded. Aware that Sehwag was momentarilystranded having backed up, he rolled over and flicked the ball ontothe stumps.Two overs later Hemang Badani self destructed and charged down thewicket to sky a running catch to the bearded Craig McMillan at midoff. India were 66 for four.Returned to the middle order position that brought him initialsuccess, but scant rewards thereafter, Yuvraj Singh (27) finallystarted to strike the ball with the power that makes him so excitingand his recent failures so frustrating.Yuvraj added 33 with Dravid and fresh life was being breathed into theinnings, when Dravid flicked lazily across the line, only to miss theball and see it bounce off pad onto the stumps.Dravid’s dismissal singled the end and, as dark clouds hung over thissparsely attended concrete stadium, India’s batsmen wilted, losingtheir last five wickets for 23 runs.Earlier, the Kiwi top order made full use of the fieldingrestrictions, racing to 82 for one in the first 15 overs. Theintroduction of the slower bowlers quickly quelled that run ratethough.Ganguly bowled from the Maligawatte End and had Matthew Sinclair (36)caught at mid on, whilst Harbhajan Singh probed diligently from theKhettarama End. Jacaob Oram (40) won the first round when he smashedthe off spinner for 12 in his second, but Harbhajan won the contest ashe was caught at slip while trying to reverse sweep.The New Zealand middle order spluttered along without ever firing.Wickets were lost steadily and the run scoring plummeted to barelythree per over until Dion Nash found a willing partner in DanielVettori. It turned out to be the partnership that turned the game.