Olonga trips India on verge of win

The dreadlocked paceman turned the match on its head by bowling fast and straight to wrap up the last three wickets for just five runs. Robin Singh (35) was brilliantly caught low at short cover at 246. Three hysterical runs later Javagal Srinath essayed an atrocious drive and was castled. Venkatesh Prasad was trapped in front first ball and Zimbabwe had, against all odds, carved out a sensational win.

Earlier in the afternoon, before India nearly found themselves on victory street, their reply lay in a shambles after the main stays Saurav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid failed to make headway. Skipper Mohammed Azharuddin(7) too did not stay long and the side was reduced to 56 for three.

But the left handed Sadagoppan Ramesh, playing in the absence of Sachin Tendulkar, and vice-captain Ajay Jadeja lifted the team out of the rut with a handsome 99-run fourth wicket stand.

Both batted steadily and ran between the wickets with caution against an outstanding fielding team. Ramesh battled hard to make his half century, but then threw it away during a period when his concentration had gone to pieces.Jadeja himself batted with assurance before being trapped in front by Zimbabwe’s most impressive bowler Heath Streak.

For a while Zimbabwe were worried as Olonga bowled without control. However, their spinners man of the match Grant Flower (left arm) and Paul Strang (leg spin) chipped in to fill the slot admirably. All through the fielding was truly spectacular. Olonga’s amazing recovery was the talk of the World Cup well after India succumbed unexpectedly.

Earlier, opting to field first India, bowled and fielded miserably. TheZimbabweans, after losing Johnson early, sent in tailender Paul Strang. His chip and charge tactics on a pitch that had moisture on the surface after being excessively covered these past two days upset the rhythm of the Indian pacemen.

Once the batsmen saw off the challenge from the new ball, it was only Anil Kumble who looked dangerous. The other bowlers, including the experienced Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, bowled well only in patches. By and large it was a terrible performance by the Indian bowlers. They sprayed the ball about and along with the fielders made a mockery of the decision to bowl first.

Worse, the Indians were penalised four overs by the match referee Cammie Smith as they took too much time to send down 50 overs. Certainly th 21 wides and 16 noballs was responsible for this as the Indians sent down an extra six overs! Ganguly and Ajay Jadeja during their short stints at the bowling crease were relatively restrictive. But skipper Azharuddin had little confidence in either theirbowling or in Robin Singh’s.

Kumble was the saving grace. Srinath and Prasad too came back strongly in their later spells.

Group A: India vs Zimbabwe

Toss won by India. elected to field

Zimbabwe

NC johnson c Mongia b Srinath 7 10 1/0

(edged an outswinger which opened him up)

GW Flower c Mongia b Jadeja 45 88 4/0

(Snicked a widish delivery going for a drive)

PA Strang b Agarkar 18 26 1/0

(Stepped out to york himself)

MW Goodwin c Robin Singh b Ganguly 17 40 3/0

(Slashed at away going delivery)

A Flower not out 69 85 2/0

ADR Campbell st Mongia b Kumble 24 29 3/0

(Beaten in the air by a googly)

GJ Whittall b Kumble 4 7 0/0

(Played all over a googly leaving a gap between bat and pad)

SV Carlisle b Srinath 1 2 0/0

(Unable to defend a fast inswinging yorker)

HH Streak c Mongia b Prasad 14 18 2/0

(Snicked an outswinger trying to slash)

EA Brandes c Mongia b Prasad 2 5 0/0

(tried to run a leg-cutter down to third man)

HK Olonga not out 1 40/0

Extras (lb 21, w15, nb15): 51

TOTAL (for nine wickets in 50 overs) 253

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Johnson, 2.4 overs); 2-45 (Strang, 9.5); 3-87 (Goodwin, 21.2) 4-144 (G Flower, 31.1); 5-204 (Campbell, 40.2); 6-211 (G Whittall, 42.4); 7-214 (Carlisle, 43.2); 8-244 (Streak, 47.6); 9-250 (Brandes, 49.2).

Bowling: Srinath 10-1-34-2 (5nb, 1w); Prasad 10-1-37-2 (1nb, 4w); Agarkar 9-0-71-1 (5nb, 4w); Ganguly 5-0-22-1 (3nb, 1w); Robin Singh 2-0-11-0; Kumble 10-0-42-2 (2nb, 2w); Jadeja 4-0-22-1 (3w).

INDIA

(Target: 254 in 46 overs)

SC Ganguly c Brandes b Johnson 9 8 2/0

(Pulled straight to fine leg fielder)

S Ramesh c Goodwin b G Flower 55 76 3/1

(Played a tired stroke to mid-on)

R Dravid c G Flower bStreak 13 14 2/0

(Smashed a wide delivery, Flower plucks a beauty)

Mohammed Azharuddin c Campbell b Streak 7 11 1/0 (pokes at one outside the off-stump)

A Jadeja lbw Streak 43 77 3/0

(Played across to an inswinger)

RR Singh c Campbell b Olonga 35 47 1/0 (Scooped a catch toshort extra cover)

AB Agarkar run out (Goodwin) 1 5 0/0

(Ran for a non-existing single, direct hit from mid-on)

NR Mongia b Whittall 28 24 2/1

(Played across the line to an incoming delivery)

J Srinath b Olonga 18 12 0/2

(head high, played across and lost middle stump)

A Kumble not out 1 1 0/0

BKV Prasad lbw Olonga 0 1 0/0

(Missed the line of an incutter)

Extras (b1, lb4, w24,nb10) 39

Total (all out in 45 overs) 249

Fall of wicket: 1-13 (Ganguly, 1.5 overs); 2-44 (Dravid, 6.4); 3-56 (Azharuddin, 9.0); 4-155 (Ramesh, 27.5); 5-174 (Jadeja, 32.2); 6-175 (Agarkar, 33.2); 7-219 (Mongia, 40.5); 8-246 (Singh, 44.2); 9-249 (Srinath, 44.5).

Bowling: Johnson 7-0-51-1 (5nb,1w); Streak 9-0-36-3 (7w); Olonga 4-0-22-3 (1nb, 6w); Whittall 4-0-26-1(2w); Strang 8-0-49-0; G Flower 10-0-33-1 (1w).

Result: Zimbabwe win by three runs

Man of the match: Grant Flower