28/11/05 2:58:41 PM
India won the toss, sent South Africa in. I do not think South Africa would have done anything different if they had won the toss. Dew is making the due dents in the minds of the captains and think tanks, most likely.
Irfan drew the first blood, or rather the first two bloods. Last match’s centurion Smith was brought back to the ground by Pathan.
Agarkar didn’t start well. Just in two overs he was taken off (quick decision and good decision) and R.P. Singh was brought on. That checked the run flow to a great extent.
After about 19 overs, Harbhajan was pressed into service and he settled into a nice rhythm immediately. It is nice to see him switch immediately to round the wicket for left handers. That is a welcome change. Earlier, our guys used to give lots of runs bowling over the wicket and then make a change to taste success.
Harbhajan struck in his third over dismissing Prince caught off a sweep shot by Yuvraj. The cool Khalis is still there nudging singles and twos.
The current score is 101/3 after 28 overs. The run rate at 3.61 is not very high but South Africa with their bowling and fielding superiority can still make a 230 look like 270 ~ 280.
28/11/05 3:17:35 PM
Khalis completes a well made half century. He alongwith Mark Boucher are having a partnership progressing. The Score is 115/3 after 32.3 overs. Harbhajan is bowling extremely well with figures of 1 for 18 off seven overs.
At this stage, I think that this match will have a very close finish. No team is going to win it easily.
28/11/05 3:36:29 PM
38 overs have gone. South Africa continuing the slow and steady build-up. The score is 145/3 with Boucher on 30 and Khalis on 65. Virender Sehwag is into the attack. Has bowled two overs for 11 runs.
In another two or three overs, with good number of wickets in hand, SA may start the leather hunt.
28/11/05 3:57:02 PM
Sewhag struck. Removed Mark Baucher caught by Harbhajan for 35. Khalis is the wall of South Africa right now. He is batting on 81, minimum risks and maximum returns. Just four fours in his 136 ball effort so far. Justin Kemp has come in. Score stands at 178 for 4.
28/11/05 6:19:15 PM
I am unable to post even at acceptable irregular intervals. Busy with work. As this is only a diary and not an update on the match, I know I can take this liberty. South Africa made 221 for the loss of six wickets. Kallis missed what would have been a well deserved hundred, by nine runs. The wickets were shared between Pathan 3/20 of 8 overs, Harbhajan 2/32 of 10 overs and Sehwag (who has this uncanny habit of picking up atleast a wicket whenever he rolls his arm over) 1/24 of 5 overs.
India didn’t begin too well. Gautam Gambir got out for ZERO caught by Kemp bowled Ntini and Sehwag went after quick fire 27 of 20 balls with 4 fours and one six (seems he might have only walked for that only single).
The Wall is 22 not out and the former Little Master is in a recent high score of 29 and, hold your breathe, not yet out having seen through Shaun Pollock. Thankfully, the new think tank of Greg and Dravid have not done any unsettling batting order promotions, so far. India is 83 for 2 now and seems to moving along nicely, unless Pollock has other ideas.
28/11/05 6:50:58 PM
I told you! Tendulkar is a past master now. He got out at 30, but for a change this time he got out to Nel. Yuvraj has come in and has started of briskly. He has a good record against South Africans. Indians have now moved to 97 for 3 in 21 overs. Run rate has not climbed up. But, it has not come down either. South Africans can still have hope as also the Indians. It is still a tug of war, no side has a clear hold on the game yet.
28/11/05 9:25:13 PM
India has comfortably won the match with 21 balls to spare. The wall has taken has home. It’s a creditable performance from India to win this match against the second ranked and a very professional one day team in the world. Keep it up guys, we are proud of you and we thank you for making us happy. Keep it up Rahul Dravid!!!
