MATCH REPORTS
STAT SHEET
DIARY
OTHER SPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
DEAR REDIFF
ARCHIVES

Singer Akai Nidahas Trophy, 1998, Final,
India v Sri Lanka, R. Premadasa Stadium,
Colombo, 7 July 1998

Transcript of the Commentary - India Innings

Prem Panicker (Tue Jul 7 1998 3:21)

that ends over number 18 and at this piont, INdia looking set to post a very challenging score. 260, on a track liable to get slower as the game wears on is very good, anythying more is really a winning total. Sachin meanwhile sweeps Murali, in the air but well short of sweeper midwicket, single, India 116/0.

Murali now going round the wicket to Saurav, on off andplayed defensively.

Ball four, Ganguly nudging the single again, INdia 117/0 and both batsmen cruising along now, with the singles.

Sachin on strike, leans forward, shuts the bat face, gets one more to sweeper at square leg, India 118/0.

The tempo of the baila beat meanwhile dimming, the crowd not quite so effervescent now, as India ends 19th over on 118/0.

44 off 55 to Saurav, doing his stuff very quietly and unobtrusively. Dsena to Sachin who tries to paddle to on, gets it on the pad but the ball outside line of off, ball two driven to long on, single, india 119/0.

Ball three of the 20th, Dsena losing his run up a bit, delay. Ganguly on strike, Ganguly leans forward, works the single square on the on, India 120/0 in 19.3.

Ball four, Sachin onto the front foot, the drive to long on getting another single, 121/0. Teh trouble for Arjuna is if he brings the fielders in, these two hit cleanly over the top, push them back and they are walking singles. Ball five, down the leg, called wide, India 122/0.

Ball five, rebowled, Ganguly pushes on the off but the fielder quickly in from cover, no run. Ball six, same stroke, opening teh bat face and playing it squarer, one more, India 123/0 in 20.

That was brilliant work from Ganguly, Murali bowling round the wicket, Gagnuly on his knee, waits for it, paddles very fine and very late, working it into the gap behind the keeper on the leg and they run three. Ganguly now 49. Next ball, Sachin works one to square leg, India 127/0.

Ganguly back on strike, 49 off 59 balls so far, faces Murali, round the wicket, played to mid on and Murali moved very fast to stop off his own bowling, well done, no run. Fourth abll, an easy on drive and that is Ganguly's 50, superb support to Sachin, 50 off 61 with four fours and a six, going at 81.96. And off the fifth ball, Sachin waits, lets it go past his stumps and nudges past the keeper, delicate late cut, four to third man, superb shot that, alert to the gap. India 132/0.

21 overs gone, sAchin getting another single off the last ball, India 133/0.

This is a terrific start, and both batsmen pacing themselves brilliantly here, using the singles to keep the run rate up there without the least risk and now Dsena goes off, Jayasuriya comes on and Sachin promptly paddles him round for one more, India 134/0,

Jayasuruiya to Ganguly, down the leg side, called wide, India 135/0.

Jayasuruiya to Ganguly, down the leg side, called wide, India 135/0. Next ball, GAgnuly working the single to mid on, one more, India 136/0.

Sachin in his turn, works one, square on the on side, India 137/0. INto the 22nd over here.

Ganguly on strike, to Jaya, drives, finds cover, no run, India 137/0 in 22.

Neither batsman has played any hard hits in a long time, and yet they are going at faster than one a ball, thanks to the way they are getting singles. Sachin on strike to Murali, sweeps, fine, but finds short fine leg, no run. Ball two, swept even finer this time, huge chase for Aravinda at short fine, two more, India 139/0.

This time, Sachin making room and playing to off but point quickly across, checks the run. Murali to bowl, sAchin sweeps, this time on the up, finds the sweeper, one more, India 140/0.

Ganguly now checking the shot, finds the single to mid on, one more, India 141/0.

Better over from Murali, India 141/0 in 23 at the end of it. For the recrod, folks, Chudasama and Otieno of Kenya have the record first wicket partnership, 225 for Kenya against Bangaldesh in Nairobi in October 1997. For India, it is Ravi Shastri and K Srikkanth, 188 for the first against England, Cuttack, in December 1984. Meanwhile, one more to Saurav off the first ball of the 24th, and Sachin back on strike, this is their seventh one day century partnership in 43 innings. One more to tEdnulkar, playing behind square, India 143/0.

Ganguly ondrives, the fielder is nice and deep, one more to the batsman, India 144/0.

Jayasirya the bowler, and both batsman strolling forward and patting him around for singles, interesting mindset, these two in this partnership, a single off every ball so far in this over and Ganguly finishes it with one more, India 148/0 in 24, going at over six an over.

The wicket IS turnign sharply, but these two are batting superbly at this point and now ARavinda brought into the attack, going round the wicket to Ganguly who off drives, one more, India 149/0.

Sachin on strike, ball two, waits for it, pats it past point, single, and that is the 150 of the innings in 24.2. 6.16 the run rate at this point.

Still the calm, effortless milking of singles here, Ganguly getting one more, moves to 57 off 62 and he has had 30 singles so far, which should be a record for a Ganguly innings. India 152/0 in 25.

That's it, then, the halfway stage and INdia wonderfully poised at this stage, putting up a platform where, if they bat sensibly, 300 is not out of the question. Sachin on strike and batting 84 now, off 78, and if he gets his 100 here, he will tie with Desmond Haynes for the highest number of centuries in ODIs. Facing Jayasuriya, defends to the first two balls. Ball three, flat on off and played down the track, fielded on the follow through.

Ball four and again, SAchin unable to work it away, the best over so far in the innings for Sri Lanka. Ball five, played to cover, very quick work there by Murali keeps Tendulkar from crossing. 5 balls, five dot balls and Sachin 84 off 83, last ball worked away behind square, single, Sachin 85 off 84 and India 153/0.

Ball four and again, SAchin unable to work it away, the best over so far in the innings for Sri Lanka. Ball five, played to cover, very quick work there by Murali keeps Tendulkar from crossing. 5 balls, five dot balls and Sachin 84 off 83, last ball worked away behind square, single, Sachin 85 off 84 and India 153/0.

And now Aravinda continuing, bowling to Ganguly, wide of leg and called, one more to the score, Idia 155/0.

And again, Ganguly down the wicket, effortlessly lifting a flighted ball over long on, over the field and six more, his second in the innings, India 161/0.

Sachin back on strike as Ganguly gets one more, now the cut square,s weeper cover finds it and India 163/0 in 27.

Jayasuriya back,and the singles continue. This seems to be a perfectly planned innings, both batsmen knowing exactly what they are doing out there, running with perfect ubnderstanding, adn thus far, not a single half chance for the Lankans. 165/0 in 27.3, Sachin on strike, the paddle, one more, India 166/0.

Gagnuly checking a push to long on and in Ranatunga fashion, walks slowly and calmly off to the other end. 167/0 in 27.5, Sachin on strike, waits, pats behind square, one more, India 168/0 in 28.

Another over, another cover drive, this one from SAchin, finds the sweeper but two more, Aravinda the sufferer, India 170/0 and he is now 92. Correction, 93 as he takes one more off the next ball, india 171/0.

Still the singles, and India after 29, 172/0. Methodical, clinical cricket here, from these two, and an enormous platform buidling for the latter order batsmen. Meanwhile, record watchers, Sachin on the verge of his 17th hundred, and these two on the verge of putting up the best ever opening partnershipfof India.

30th over in progress, here, Sachin on strike to Jayasuruya, flicks one fine, one more, India 174/0.

Jaya to Saurav, onto the back foot, played to square leg, letting the ball come on and playing late, one more, India 175/0.

Jaya to Sachin, overpitched, getnly driven to long off, one more, India 176/0.

Lat ball, Ganguly pushes, one more, India 177/0 in 30.

Ganguly beginning the 31st over, Aravinda, with a lifted drive straight back over the top, long on races across and cuts it off, one more, India 178/0.

Singles. This is becomign predictable, really, the way these two are batting now. 180/0, Sachin tries to make room and cut, the ball turns sharply in, the batsman seeing the ball so well now that he can adjust, check the shot and defend, India 184/0 in 31.

Correction, it is 180/0 in 31, and Upul Chandan now being tried here, Ranatunga just rotating his bowlers around, hoping something will happen. Single to long off to Saurav, India 181/0 and Sachin back on strike, now three short of a world record equalling 17th hundred. Single, moves to 98, India 182/0.

India Innings Continued