Indian chase falls short

NAIROBI, OCT 3: India once again lived up to their tag as poor chasers and lost their way in the late stages to crash to a 26-run defeat ...

NAIROBI, OCT 3: India once again lived up to their tag as poor chasers and lost their way in the late stages to crash to a 26-run defeat against South Africa in the final of the LG Cup quadrangular one-day cricket tournament today.

Chasing 236 for victory on an easy paced track, young wicketkeeper MSK Prasad top-scored with 63 braving cramps but both Rahul Dravid 30 and skipper Ajay Jadeja 30 failed to stay put as India lost wickets steadily in the later stages to be bowled out for 209 in 47.3 overs at the Nairobi Gymkhana.

Indian chances looked quite high after they prised out early wickets once Jadeja had put in the opposition. But opener Herschelle Gibbs anchored the innings with 84 runs. A late charge help South Africa post a fighting 235 for nine wickets in 50 overs.

Rahul Dravid 30 from 65 balls and wicketkeeper Prasad 63 off 90 balls added 65 runs for the third wicket, and Jadeja took up the challenge in his run-a-ball effort, but the lower order failed to complete the job under pressureagainst the disciplined South African attacked backed by superb fielding, Jonty Rhodes leading the way as usual.

The last six wickets fell for 46 runs as off-spinner Derek Crookes 3/47, pacemen Shaun Pollock 2/28 and Lance Klusener 2/33 inflicted most of the damage to enable South Africa avenge their loss in the league tie and send Indian hopes for their second successive one-day tournament title up in smoke.

SCOREBOARD

South Africa: H Gibbs b Bharadwaj 84, L Klusener b Mohanty 0, J Kallis c Dravid b V Prasad 9, J Rhodes c Ganguly b V Prasad 0, H Cronje b Chopra 39, D Crookes c M Prasad b Mohanty 25, D Benkenstein b Bharadwaj 18, S Pollock not out 23, M Boucher c Jadeja b Bharadwaj 10, A Dawson run out Ganguly 6, S Elworthy not out 9. Extras b2, lb5, w2, nb3: 12. Total for nine wickets 235.

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-12, 3-18, 4-96, 5-149, 6-187, 7-188, 8-212, 9-219.

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Bowling: V Prasad 10-5-21-2, Mohanty 10-2-36-2, Joshi 10-0-55-0, Chopra 9-0-48-1, Singh 2-0-18-0,Ganguly 1-0-16-0, Bharadwaj 8-0-34-3.

India: S Ramesh c Crookes b Dawson 8, S Ganguly c Boucher b Pollock 10, R Dravid c Rhodes b Crookes 30, M Prasad run out Kallis 63, A Jadeja c sub Dippenaar b Pollock 30, V Bharadwaj c Pollock b Klusener 24, R Singh b Crookes 6, S Joshi st Boucher b Crookes 18, N Chopra c Crookes b Klusener 5, V Prasad not out 3, D Mohanty lbw Kallis 0. Extras lb4, w5, nb3: 12. Total all out, 47.3 overs 209.

Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-25, 3-90, 4-141, 5-163, 6-190, 7-196, 8-201, 9-208.

Bowling: Pollock 9-0-28-2, Dawson 10-1-43-1, Kallis 8.3-0-33-1, Klusener 7-0-33-2, Crookes 9-0-47-3, Elworthy 4-0-21-0

Result: South Africa win by 26 runs

Man of the match: H Gibbs.

Man of the tournament: V Bharadwaj