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Laxman , Balaji steer India to win

Tuesday, January 20 2004

Some superb late innings strokeplay from Rahul Dravid & VVS Laxman combined with some incisive spells from Irfan Pathan & Lakshmipathy Balaji has steered India to a tense 19 run win over Australia at the Gabba.

The day did not start well for India with the news that the in form pairing of batsman Virender Sehwag & seamer Ajit Agarkar would both sit out the game due to their respective injuries.
Things soon took an about turn for the tourists with Sourav Ganguly winning the toss & batting on a perfect Gabba strip.

A subdued start followed, as the formidable opening pairing of Ganguly & Tendulkar, reunited due to Sehwag’s injury, got into their strides in the face of a hostile spell from Jason Gillespie.

Ganguly was given an early reprieve by Damien Martyn, steering a simple catch straight to gully only for the West Australian to grass it.

Ganguly eventually decided the scoring rate had to improve & backed away to slap Jason Gillespie over point for a four then a six.

He repeated the feat next over off Brad Williams, however not for the first time a well directed short ball proved Ganguly’s nemesis, Williams taking a simple return catch to send the skipper packing for 18.

It was around this time that Tendulkar, in the process of setting off for a third run, rolled awkwardly on his ankle, he was clearly in discomfort & was unable to run at full pace for the remainder of his innings.

However this turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the master from Mumbai, he & VVS Laxman greeted the introduction of a supposedly rejuvenated Brett Lee with a spate of boundaries on either side of the wicket.

Lee was simply unable to string 2 dot balls together as his first 3 overs cost 30 runs.
Tendulkar brought up his 50 in quick time, and began to dine out on the ineffective frontline bowlers with alarming ease.

However just as 3 figures seemed to be looming the master fell to a ball as innocuous as India’s away record, poking a simple return catch to Andrew Symonds for a spellbinding 86 (95 balls, 8 fours).

However the sight of Rahul Dravid walking to the crease would not have inspired confidence in the Australians after his dominant test series.

And so it was as Australia’s ‘bogey pair’ of Laxman & Dravid did it again, working the ball around initially before accelerating superbly towards the end, their 137 run stand coming from just 118 deliveries, the perfect consolidation act after Tendulkar’s onslaught.

Dravid eventually lofted Ian Harvey straight to Brad Williams for a breezy 74 (64 balls), which included just 4 boundaries.

Laxman made up for his initially slow start by getting stuck into the out of sorts Brett Lee, lofting the paceman over mid-wicket despite the speed gun showing over 145kph.

Lee eventually claimed some reward for his toil, bowling Yuvraj Singh neck & crop for 5, alas it was a forgettable day for the NSW speedster, his 1-83 from 10 overs coming within 2 runs of breaking his own record for most runs conceded by an Australian in a ODI.

Rohan Gavaskar walked out for his much anticipated ODI debut to thunderous applause, and did what was required of him, lending Laxman the strike he required to raise his 3rd ODI century – remarkably all 3 have been against Australia – from the last ball of the innings.

4-303 reads as a formidable total by any standard & the Indians were understandably pleased with their performance, Laxman finishing on 103 not out (113 balls, 8 fours).

Jason Gillespie (0-40) & Ian Harvey (1-61) were the only Australian bowlers to offer the slightest bit of control, while Lee (1-83) was wayward & Brad Williams suffered in the heat.

No one was in any doubt as to how Australia would approach their run chase, and so it was as Adam Gilchrist began an all out assault on the left arm pairing of Nehra & Pathan, things initially paid off as the score raced to 46 in the 6th over, however Gilchrist chanced his arm one time to many, holing out to Balaji at mid on from Pathan’s bowling for 21.

Matthew Hayden continued where his southpaw partner had left off, taking the sword to the Indians & keeping the game alive, however the departure of Ricky Ponting & Damien Martyn with 3 overs to equally immature strokes left Australia reeling at 3-94.

A partnership was needed & Andrew Symonds proved up to the task, however just as he was beginning to look threatening Symonds threw it away, popping a simple return catch to Gavaskar in his first over for 20.

Hayden’s century followed soon after raised from just 97 balls, it was his first ODI hundred for 16 months & silenced whispers about his effectiveness at ODI level.

Just as he appeared set to put the Aussies within reach, Hayden met his downfall caught behind from a brilliant Pathan outswinger for 109 (107 balls, 12 fours).

Michael Clarke soon followed in similar fashion for 42 to all but end Australia’s hopes.
Ian Harvey holed out off Nehra for 13 while Brett Lee & Jason Gillespie both fell slogging as the required rate hit 15 an over.

Rahul Dravid put Australia out of their misery by running out Brad Williams for naught, leaving Michael Bevan stranded on 41 at the other end, Australia still 19 shy of victory.

Balaji (4-48) & Pathan (3-64) both bagged carear bests to seal the win.

Australia remain atop the VB series ladder but have player a game more than India & Zimbabwe.

The two touring teams meet again at the same venue on Tuesday night.

Summary

India 4-303
Laxman 103*
Tendulkar 86
Dravid 74

Australia 284
Hayden 109
Clarke 42
Balaji 4-48
Pathan 2-64

India win by 19 runs
Man of the match VVS Laxman

Posted by DavidH