A record 9 for India on the trot by Gambhir
By A.C. De Silva
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Tillekeratne Dilshan the opening batsman who made 38 and
shared that opening partnership of 55 with Jayasuriya.
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Kumar Sangakkara the only Lankan to score a half-century.
He made 56 and helped the Sri Lanka middle-order. |
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Sanath Jayasuriya made 27 and was associated with T.M.
Dilshan in an opening partnership of 55, but he had not much
support from the others and that caused the downfall of the
Sri Lankans. |
Cricket... Here in Colombo Indian opener Gautam Gambhir came into his
own. The runs just flowed from Gambhir's bat even the day was hot and
sunny and he seemed to relish the hot climate and he stroked the ball to
all covers of the field to make a majestic score of 150 to push the
Indians in their forward march when they batted first against Sri Lanka
at the R. Premadasa Stadium to bring India a well deserved win by 67
runs.
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Gautham Gambhir the top scorer with 150 that helped India
to make 352 for 5 wickets in their 50 overs and helped them
to win the game and helped them to win the game. |
This victory was an unprecedented ..... the first for India in
one-day internationals.
India who batted first made 332 with opener Gambhir (150) and M.S.
Dhoni (94) involved in a fine second- wicket partnership of 188.
Nothing, however, comes without hard work and Gambhir's journey to
success is the direct consequence of an improved technique. He has
mastered the technique of playing closer to the body, has tightended the
game closer to the body, that has tightened the game around the
off-stump. Improved methods have meant the left-hander has found the
right mix of flair and solidity.
His shot selection had improved and he has been able to read the
situation.
Gambhir's batting was a thing of beauty and his 147-ball innings
where he hit 14 fours and a six was as much about discipline as
commitment and glorious stroke-play.
The precision in his footwork was admirable and his stroke-play
through the gaps was a thing of beauty. The left-hander was able to play
straight with a high elbow. He was also able to direct strokes square
off the wicket on either side with his supply wrists.
Before he became Sri Lanka's champion bowler Muttiah Muralitharan's
world record 503rd ODI victim, Gambhir played a pivotal role in India
reaching a daunting 332 for five wickets in 50 overs.
The target proved too stiff for Sri Lanka under the lights and India
won the duel by 67 runs. It was the 9th successive ODI win for the team,
the longest sequence of wins for any Indian side in this form of the
game.
Sri Lanka made 265 in their turn in 48 overs.
India came into the picture early around two influential partnerships
- 188 for the second wicket between gambhir and skipper Dhoni who made
94 in 96 balls inclusive of 4 fours and 2 sixes) and 103 runs for the
fifth wicket between gambhir and a stroke-full Suresh Raina who made 49
not out in 37 balls which included 4 fours a six.
Gambhir batted almost right throught the innings. He stroked the ball
to all corners of the field, ran hard and rotated the stroke.India
required such an innings after they last an early wicket.
Gambhir balled particularly well especially against Lanka's are
spinner Muttiah Muralitharan. He used his feet to get to the pitch of
the ball or picked the ball early and played the ball late.
Dhoni coming in at No. 3, rotated the strike initially before
launching into typically powerful and wristy drives. His straigh hits
brought him many runs.
Sri Lanka was up against the Indian bowling. Sri Lanka threatened
initially with aggressive opening pair of Sanath Jayasuriya (27 off 16
balls) and Tillekeratne Dishan (38 off 45 balls), whipping up 55 off
just 7.2 overs.
Jayasuriya struck Indian bowler Irfan Pathan for 2 astonishing sixes
overs covers before a smart catch by Rohit Sharma at short cover ended
his came innings for 27.
However, chasing a target in excess of 325 required sustained spells
of aggression and the Sri Lanka batsmen folded up in their bid to keep
up with the asking rate.
Only Kumar Sangakkara who made (56 in 74 balls with 4 fours) offered
a measure of resistance. Sri Lanka failed to build partnerships.
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Mahendra Singh Dhoni was unfortunate to miss the century as
he was out for 94, but he and Gautham Gambhir (150) were
involved in a second-wicket partnership of 188 for the
second wicket and helped them on to 352 for 5 wkts. |
Farfeez Maharoof though he was one of the pace bowlers he
really could not fit in adequately, but somewhat did his
part in batting and made 28 towards the latter part of the
batting order.
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Irfan Pathan one of the opening bowlers of India. He had a
take of 3 for 58 and was one of the chief destroyers of Sri
Lanka who were all out for 265.
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SCOREBOARD
INDIA
V. Sehwag c Jayasuriya b Kulasekera 05
G. Gambhir c Sangakkara b Muralitharan 150
M.S. Dhoni c Fernando b Jayasuriya 94
Yurraj Singh b Kulasekera 05
Y.K. Pathan b Kulasekera 00
S.K. Raina not out 49
R.G. Sharma not out 04
Extras (lb 9, w15, nb1) 25
Total (for 5 wkts, 50 overs) 332
Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-202, 3-207, 4-207, 5-310.
Bowling (Sri Lanka): N. Kulasekera 10-0-63-3,
F. Maharoof 10-0-60-0,
D. Fernando 9-0-64-0,
A.D. Mathews 3-0-24-0,
M. Muralitharan 10-0-66-1,
S. Jayasuriya 8-0-46-1.
Sri Lanka
T.M. Dilshan c Yuvraj Singh b Praveen Kumar 38
S.T. Jayasuriya c R. Shharma b Pathan.. 27
K.C. Sangakkara c Gambhir & Sehwag 56
M. Jayawardene c Dhoni b Sehwag 28
T. Kandamly lbw b Pathan 10
G. Kapugedera b Ojha 16
A.D. Mathews c Dhoni b Yuvraj 06
F. Maharoof c R. Sharma b I. Pathan 28
N. Kulasekera not out 39
M. Muralitharan c Raina b I. Pathan 00
D. Fernando b Kumar 09
Extras: (lb3, w5) 08
Total: (in 48 overs) 265
Fall of Wickets: 1-55, 2-79, 3-140, 4-163, 5-174, 6-183
7-207, 8-220, 9-220
Bowling (India): Praveen Kumar 9-0-38-2
I. Pathan 7-0-58-3
I. Sharma 5-0-39-0
Ojha 10-0-34-1
Sehwag 9-0-43-2
Y. Pathan 3-0-13-1
Yuvraj 5-0-37-1 |
