A disappointing pitch, a disappointing Zimbabwe team and consequentlya disappointing match
John Ward24-Jun-2001A disappointing pitch, a disappointing Zimbabwe team and consequentlya disappointing match. India were highly impressive, though, and afterbowling Zimbabwe out for 133 at Harare Sports Club, they cantered homeby nine wickets in the second match of the Coca Cola Cup on Sunday.The good news for Zimbabwe was that Heath Streak was back at the helm,the basic matters that had prompted him to resign having beenresolved. He and coach Carl Rackemann have now been added to theselection panel and certain other matters are to be attended to. ZCUpresident Peter Chingoka has pledged his support and asked him to stayon as captain. One would have hoped that Zimbabwe would be encouragedby these developments to play better than they had done against WestIndies. Not at all.In the Zimbabwe team, Dirk Viljoen and Bryan Strang replaced BrianMurphy and Mluleki Nkala. Unfortunately the same pitch was used forthis match as the previous day, and it had been watered overnight,leaving some moisture and promising help for the bowlers. Lady Luckhas an inflexible decree that under such circumstances Zimbabwe shouldalways lose the toss, and Sourav Ganguly naturally put Zimbabwe in tobat. The gate takings from this match are to be allocated to EddoBrandes’ benefit fund, and despite the poor Zimbabwean performance thecrowd seemed to enjoy themselves.With the second ball of the match, without a run on the board, AshishNehra bowled a beautiful delivery that moved away and had AlistairCampbell snicking a catch to the keeper. Dion Ebrahim and StuartCarlisle appeared to be handling excellent bowling with skill when thelatter (6) snicked Zaheer Khan to second slip.Grant Flower immediately lashed a four through the covers and seemedintent on hitting the team out of trouble, but then unluckily choppedKhan on to his stumps. Zimbabwe were deep in trouble at 20 for threeand once again the pitch was playing a significant part in decidingthe match. India used the conditions superbly, but Zimbabwe shouldhave batted better than they did.Guy Whittall had a lucky escape when on one, with Laxman failing tohold a low slip chance. Nehra, in a magnificent spell and moving theball predominantly into the batsman, was the unlucky bowler. AjitAgarkar profited, as Whittall when on 7 lashed a catch to third manoff a wide delivery, while Nehra soon picked up Viljoen (1), flashingoutside off stump to be caught in the slips. Zimbabwe were 39 for fivein the 13th over, but Ebrahim was still hanging in there, showing truefighting spirit.Nehra completed his ten overs without a break for 33 runs and twowickets, but aggravated a hamstring strain in his final over whichcost nine runs. A recovery was in progress, with Streak standing firm,but Ebrahim again failed to reap the benefits of his efforts, caughtat slip off another fine delivery from Agarkar for 32. Laxman, thecatcher, damaged a finger in the process.Further disaster struck as an over-enthusiastic attempt at a single,not the first, led to the crucial run-out of Streak for 16, courtesyof a fine throw by substitute Reetinder Singh Sodhi. At 82 for seven,this virtually ended Zimbabwe’s hopes of a competitive total.Blignaut and Travis Friend played quietly, trying to restore thebalance, but as soon as Blignaut tried to take the initiative he skieda catch off Ganguly to be caught at deepish mid-off for 13. In thesame over Friend (7) edged to slip; 104 for nine.Tatenda Taibu, who deserves to bat higher than number ten, twice hitGanguly through the covers for cracking fours and showed considerablematurity for 19 not out before Strang was bowled by Agarkar for 4,giving Zimbabwe the depressing total of 133. Agarkar finished withthree for 24, while Nehra, the best of the bowlers, and Khan took twowickets each.Ganguly’s poor international form continued, as he edged a finedelivery from Streak to wicket-keeper Taibu in the first over for two.Zimbabwe, knowing their minimal chance of victory required them totake all ten wickets, brought all their fielders inside the circle,even to Sachin Tendulkar, to start with. It was not effective whenFriend pitched short to Tendulkar, who hooked him for two boundariesand glanced a third.Zimbabwe had no answer to Tendulkar, as on this sluggish pitch hedrove boundaries on the up with perfect timing, despite Zimbabwe’sattempts to seal his leg-side shots. Several straight drives wereeffortless and magnificent. On the debit side, he twice came close togiving catches through his eagerness to hit to leg. He was partneredby Hemang Badani, promoted in place of the injured Laxman. The smalltarget put them under no pressure and the enthusiastic crowd was ableto enjoy a classic exhibition by the Indian master.Badani, although overshadowed by sheer genius, also contributed somestylish drives and a pull for six off Strang. When the end came, withalmost half the overs in hand, Tendulkar had 70 and Badani 52,reaching his fifty with a pull for four off Strang to win the match.