Ganguly helps keep slate clean

Set to reach 278 in 42 overs, Zimbabwe were overwhelmed by the Indian off-spin attack of Nikhil Chopra (4-33) and Vijay Bharadwaj (3-34).

Ganguly, adjudged Man of the Match, hit five sixes and put on 70-runs with fellow opener S Ramesh (31) and 107 runs for the second wicket with Robin Singh (41).

Openers Neil Johnson (52) and Grant Flower (38) gave a good start as the Africans made a game bid to make a match of it, but the initial asking rate of 6.61 runs per over kept growing before the spinners struck telling blows.“It definitely is amorale booster, but Sunday can be another day and we have to keep the good work going,” said a pleased but cautious skipper Ajay Jadeja after the match. (PTI)

Scoreboard

India: S Ramesh b G Whittall 31, S Ganguly c Campbell b Olonga 139, R Singh c sub (Blignaut) b G Whittall 41, R Dravid lbw Goodwin 12, A Jadeja c Johnson b Olonga 8, V Bharadwaj not out 6, S Joshi b G Whittall 25, N Chopra not out 2; Extras (lb5 w8) 13.

Total (for six wickets in 50 overs) 277

Fall of wickets: 1-70, 2-177, 3-213, 4-224, 5-245, 6-274.

Bowling: N Johnson 4-0-14-0, P Mbangwa 10-1-54-0, H Olonga 10-0-48-2, A Whittall 10-0-68-0, G Wittall 10-0-55-3, G Flower 4-0-21-0, M Goodwin 2-0-12-1.

Zimbabwe: N Johnson c Joshi b Chopra 52, G Flower c Dravid b Prasad 38, A Campbell run out 2, S Carlisle c Dravid b Mohanty 21, M Goodwin c Jadeja b Chopra 11, A Flower lbw b Chopra 0, G Rennie c R Singh b Bhardwaj 20, G Whittall c V Prasad b Bhardwaj 11, A Whittall c Jadeja bBhardwaj 6, H Olonga c Ramesh b Chopra 4, M Mabangwa not out 0; Extras (lb1, nb2, w2) 5.

Total (in 38.3 overs) 170

Fall of wickets: 1-52, 2-65, 3-92, 4-120, 5-120, 6-131,7-155, 8-160, 9-170.

Bowling: V Prasad 8-1-23-1, Mohanty 8-0-45-1, Chopra 8.3-0-33-4, Joshi 7-0-26-0, Bhardwaj 6-0-34-3, Ramesh 1-0-8-0.