India put it across Zimbabwe in the most convincing manner, after the cricket-loving (?) people of India expressed their anger in the most uncouth manner. Though Saurav’s dropping down to No.4 helped him somewhat, he scratched around aimlessly and looked under tremendous pressure to perform, as he could not even get the ball off the square to the left-arm spinner Murphy, who bowled below-average stuff. The burning of the players’ effigies back home must have weighed heavily on their minds. However, at the end of the match, the skipper must have heaved a sigh of relief, and must be a happy man, for the Indians showed a much better attitude than ever before on this tour. That’s what’s expected of them when they play such an important event. TOTAL RECALL SHAKING OFF THE MONKEY • It’s been over three months since anyone saw Saurav Ganguly smile, but there were enough of them on display today. Three wickets, each followed by schoolboy excitement. A six in an innings of 24 earlier on. And biggest of all, a win.finally. PURPLE PATCH • Critics came out lashing after he scored two runs in three innings in New Zealand. But Sachin Tendulkar top scored in his third consecutive World Cup match, scoring a sparkling 81. Yet another case of the big stage bringing out the best in the little man. WET BLANKET • If any one Zimbabwe batsman could have taken the match away from India today, it had to be Andy Flower. But the elder Flower scratched around, with a little help from umpire Rudi Koertzen, leading a charmed life, ending with 22. FLATTERING TO DECEIVE • The Zimb bowling pulled things back somewhat in the middle overs, but their openers — Streak, Hondo and Blignaut — disappointed. Especially Hondo and Blignaut. Sachin and Sehwag faced no worries as long as they bowled. BABY’S DAY OUT • Zim ‘keeper Tatenda Taibu took a couple of brilliant catches — off Sehwag and Yuvraj — and then held the Zimbabwe lower order together with a responsible 29 not out. Pressure brings out the best in great players. The more the pressure, the better they perform. Their body language improves, their footwork and reflexes sharpen and that shows in their performance. Sachin Tendulkar looked extremely focused and he must be cross with himself for getting out when all set for a big innings. Nonetheless, his innings had all the ‘Tendulkar ingredients’ in plenty, and must have given tremendous confidence to the other batsmen in the team. I feel the Indian think tank will do well to promote Rahul Dravid to No.3. I am really surprised by the way he has been shunted up and down in the batting order. Rahul likes the ball to come onto the bat and his batting at No.5 is a waste of time. He is much better suited higher up than Mongia. I liked the way Harbhajan bowled to Andy Flower by attacking his leg stump and frustrating him, for he was looking to play the reverse sweep all the time. It called for tremendous accuracy, as there was the danger of the umpire calling the delivery wide if it missed the leg stump even by a whisker. The good thing about his bowling was that he was looking for wickets rather than just containing the batsmen. That’s a good sign. The performance of the Indian fielders, though much better, must improve while effecting run-outs. They missed quite a few chances by not hitting the stumps, which could prove crucial in close games in the remainder of the tournament. Finally, a word about the uncouth so-called fans who attacked players’ houses after they lost to Australia. Yes, they lost, and lost heavily. But so what? The hosts, South Africa, have lost two out of their three games, but has the South African public behaved in such an unruly manner? Indians are perhaps more emotional people but that’s definitely not the way to show one’s feelings. Agreed, emotions do run high in a tournament of such importance but there’s a limit to it. It was the most shameful way of expressing one’s anger.
