Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 420 Mon. August 01, 2005  
   
Sports


Indian Oil Cup
India bounce back


India coasted to a six-wicket victory in their Indian Oil Cup tri-nation one-dayer here on Sunday against a West Indies side missing the majority of their first-team players.

West Indies were reduced to 178 all out, a total India reached with 14 overs to spare.

Spinning duo Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag took two wickets apiece against opponents who were missing 10 players due to a sponsorship row.

And Rahul Dravid was the pick of the Indian batsmen with a half-century.

West Indies captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul won the toss and elected to bat against the same India line-up that lost Saturday's opener against Sri Lanka by three wickets.

His side gave new caps to both Narsingh Deonarine and Denesh Ramdin, who rewarded that faith with knocks of 41 and 24 respectively.

After a slight rain delay, though, their teammates at the top of the order struggled -- the Windies crumbing to 32-3 after 13 overs before settling with the help of Deonarine and Chanderpaul.

The pair put on 52 for the fourth wicket before Chanderpaul was trapped lbw by Suresh Raina, who had earlier run out Sylvester Joseph, and Ricardo Powell followed three balls later after being bowled by Sehwag.

That paved the way for a blisteringly brief knock from Dwayne Smith, who hit two sixes en route to 20 runs off seven balls.

But his blitz ended abruptly when he was caught by Mahendra Dhoni to become Harbhajan's second victim in what was Harbhajan's 100th one-day international.

Despite the fall of wickets, Deonarine managed to stay at the crease until the 42nd over before succumbing to Sehwag.

Tino Best and Ramadin gave West Indies a boost at the end with 24 apiece after Deonarine's departure to at least give their side something to defend.

India, though, rarely looked in danger of failing to reach the target even when Sehwag was trapped lbw by Jermaine Lawson with just three runs on the board.

Mohammad Kaif was then joined at the crease by Raina, and the pair put on a run-a-ball partnership of 65 before Kaif was caught by Joseph off Best.

Raina followed moments later off the bowling of Dwayne Smith before Dravid and Yuvraj Singh virtually assured the win.

Although Yuvraj lost his wicket late on, Dravid remained at the crease to steer India to victory.

Picture
SHINES WITH THE BALL: India's Virender Sehwag celebrates taking a wicket with Mahendra Dhoni at Dambulla on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP