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Agarkar inspires India victory
LONDON: Ajit Agarkar and the rest of the underrated India pace attack were the architects of a four wicket victory over Sri Lanka here at The Oval on Sunday - a result that sent Sourav Ganguly's side into the outright lead of the triangular series table.
Man-of-the-match Agarkar (three for 44) and Zaheer Khan (three for 48) strangled the life out of the Sri Lankan innings after captain Sanath Jayasuriya marked his 33rd birthday by winning the toss.
But India made harder work of their second win in 48 hours than they should have done before finishing on 203 for six with 28 balls to spare in reply to Sri Lanka's 202 for eight.
Sachin Tendulkar top scored with 49 but the real heroes of the innings were Yuvraj Singh (31) and Mohammad Kaif (38 not out), who put on a decisive 42 for the sixth wicket.
Yuvraj's 64 not out helped India beat England by six wickets at Lord's on Saturday and the 20-year-old found himself involved in his second recovery mission of the weekend. Appropriately, Agarkar (seven not out) was on the field at the finish.
For Sri Lanka, Mahela Jayawardene top scored with 62 in a total that never gave the bowlers enough runs to realistically defend.
"I think we played very well," said Ganguly. "It was not an easy pitch to bat on," he added in a reference to the pacey Oval wicket.
"Playing back-to-back one dayers is not too easy. "But we always knew we could take wickets and our form and fitness have improved recently."
Sri Lanka coach Dav Whatmore said: "After we play England (at Headingley on Tuesday) we will be at halfway and if we lose that one it will be very difficult to come back."
Sri Lanka lost to England by 44 runs in Thursday's tournament opener at Trent Bridge. "But I can't fault our team for effort and if they can improve slightly in key areas we can turn things around," Whatmore added.
Vaas' endeavour was beyond doubt, the left-arm quick manfully leading the Sri Lankan attack with two for 38. He had Ganguly plumb lbw to leave India 17 for one in the third over and then had Virender Sehwag (12) caught by Jayasuriya at mid-off, India now 26 for two.
Dinesh Mongia made 33, adding 71 in 86 balls with Tendulkar before mishooking he was caught off Dilhara Fernando by Vaas at fine leg. But as long as Tendulkar was at the crease an Indian victory looked assured. However, one short of fifty, he was caught behind off Zoysa.
Following a prolonged appeal Tendulkar was sent on his way by a nod from South African umpire Dave Orchard.
He faced 70 balls including one six and three fours but Sri Lanka now had an outside chance of a dramatic win. But it was not to be as Yuvraj and Kaif kept their cool.
Earlier India's seamers maintained a disciplined line and length to reel off three successive maidens, Sri Lanka scoring just six runs in five overs from the 16th to the 20th. India's next match sees them take on England at the Riverside, Durham, on Thursday.
June 30, 2002 -
Tendulkar guides India to 108-3 at halfway mark
LONDON: Sachin Tendulkar was 39 not out as India reached 108 for three off 25 overs after being set a target of 203 by Sri Lanka in the third triangular one-day international on Sunday.
Tendulkar was at the crease with all-rounder Rahul Dravid, the Indian vice-captain unbeaten on five. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Sri Lanka struggled to 202 for eight off their 50 overs, setting their opponents a gentle run-rate of 4.06 runs per over.
After taking 10 runs off their opening over, India captain Saurav Ganguly was the first to fall, leg before to Chaminda Vaas for seven in the third over.
Four overs later Vaas claimed his second wicket when Virender Sehwag was caught by Jayasiruya at long mid-off, reducing India to 26-2 after seven overs.
But Dinesh Mongia and Tendulkar steadied the ship with a composed 71-run partnership off of 86 balls, before Mongia (33) was well-caught by Vaas on the fine-leg boundary off the bowling of Dilhara Fernando.
Earlier, Sri Lanka had enjoyed a typically brisk start as openers Sanath Jayasuriya (36) and Romseh Kaluwitharana (15) put on 42 off the first 43 balls.
But their progress was halted by an impressive spell of bowling from Ajit Agarkar, who took three wickets for 20 runs in seven overs, including that of Kaluwitharana with his first ball.
Mahela Jayawardene top-scored for Sri Lanka with a patient 62 off 105 balls. He shared useful partnerships of 43 with Upul Chandana and 42 off 46 balls with Vaas, who finished unbeaten on 26.
June 30, 2002 - 1340 GMT
India bowlers on top against Sri Lanka
LONDON: Sri Lanka could only manage 202 for eight as India's pace attack strangled the life out of their innings in Sunday's triangular series one-day international here at The Oval.
Mahela Jayawardene topscored with 62 but the fact that such a normally fluent player had to face 105 balls
for his runs was testament to his opponents' accuracy.
Ajit Agarkar (three for 44) and Zaheer Khan (three for 48) did the bulk of the damage. Left-arm quick Khan's effort was especially impressive after his first three overs went for 27 runs and no wickets.
At the end of 50 overs, Chaminda Vaas was 26 not out and Buddika Fernando four not out. Sri Lanka, after a
brisk start on a pacey pitch, lost their first wicket for 42.
First bowling change Agarkar struck with his first ball having Romesh Kaluwitharana (21) caught behind by wicket-keeper Rahul Dravid.
Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya appeared to be justifying his decision to bat first, the left-hander typically aggressive as the team's half century came up off 56 balls.
However, in the 12th over, he could only edge a flashing cut off Agarkar, Dravid taking an excellent head-high catch. Jayasuriya's 36 came off 38 balls, including one six and six fours. But three balls later 65 for two became 65 for three when Khan bowled Marvan Atapattu (seven) with the first ball of his comeback spell.
Sri Lanka then slipped deeper into trouble when Russel Arnold (six) was caught behind off Agarkar to leave them 78 for four in the 16th over. India's seamers then maintained a disciplined line and length to reel off three successive maidens, Sri Lanka scoring just six runs in five overs from the 16th to the 20th.
Captain Sourav Ganguly struck next as Sri Lanka continued to struggle. Naveed Nawaz had just edged the first four since the 15th over when, next ball, trying to run India captain Ganguly down to third man he was caught at slip by Virender Sehwag for 11.
Sri Lanka were now 97 for five in the 24th over, Jayawardene and Nawaz having managed to put on just 19 runs in their 50-ball stand. Then new batman Upul Chandana mistimed a hook off Ashish Nehra and was caught on the offside by a diving Mohammad Kaif for 18.
His partnership with Jayawardene was worth 43 runs but it was another slow stand, this time lasting 88 balls.
Eventually, Jayawardene's responsible knock ended in the 47th over when he was caught and bowled off a Khan
slower ball having managed only four fours.
Vaas weighed in with a useful knock but Sri Lanka's total was well below par. India beat England by six wickets in their opening match of the series at Lord's on Saturday while Sri Lanka's tournament started with a 44-run defeat by Nasser Hussain's side at Trent Bridge on Thursday.
June 30, 2002 -
Agarkar takes three wickets as Sri Lanka slump to 98-5
LONDON: India's Ajit Agarkar took three wickets as Sri Lanka were reduced to 98 for five off 25 overs in the third triangular one-day series match on Sunday.
The medium pacer took the wicket of opener Romesh Kaluwitharana with his very first ball and halted Sri Lanka's progress after a promising start by restricting them to just 20 runs from his seven-over spell.
Having won the toss and elected to bat, Sri Lanka enjoyed a typically brisk opening and took 13 runs off their second over. Kaluwitharana first stroked Zaheer Khan through the covers for four before captain Sanath Jayasuriya slashed him backward of square for six.
Kaluwitharana was fortunate to survive the next over. First he appeared to offer an edge to Rahul Dravid off Khan, which the stand-in wicketkeeper failed to hold, and was then almost caught at midwicket.
But with Jayasuriya stroking the ball freely, the openers put on 34 off their first five overs. Two overs later India captain Saurav Ganguly introduced Agarkar into the attack for Khan.
The change reaped immediate rewards, leaving Sri Lanka at 42 for 1 off 43 balls. Having guided Sri Lanka to their 50 off 56, Jayasuriya hit Nehra for consecutive fours in the 11th over, the first over mid-on and the second backward of square off a short delivery.
But two wickets then fell in the next two overs. First their captain slashed at a rising Agarkar delivery and offered a difficult catch to Dravid above his head. Jayasuriya's 36 came off 38 balls and included one six and six fours.
Three balls later Khan bowled Marvan Atapattu (7) off the first ball of his second spell to reduce Sri Lanka to 65 for three. With two new batsman at the crease, India succeeded in slowing the Sri Lankan run-rate and restricted them to 78 off their first 15 overs.
In the next over, Agarkar claimed his third wicket, a Russel Arnold edge to Dravid to reduce Sri Lanka to 78 for four. With Agarkar and Khan bowling a tight line and length, Sri Lanka made just six off the next five overs as Mahela Jayawardene and Naveed Nawaz tried to rebuild.
But Ganguly, bowling his slow medium pace, had Nawaz superbly-caught at first slip by Virender
Sehwag.
June 30, 2002 - 0945 GMT
Sri Lanka elect to bat
LONDON: Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat against India in their triangular series one-day international here at The Oval on Sunday.
India made one change from the team that won their first match of the tournament, against England, by six wickets at Lord's on Saturday, pace bowler Ashish Nehra replacing off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.
Sri Lanka lost their first match of the series, also against England, by 44 runs at Trent Bridge on Thursday. They dropped Kumar Sangakkara with his fellow wicket-keeper Romesh Kaluwitharana staying at the top of the order.
Sangakkara's non-selection allowed Sri Lanka to play another bowler and they called up paceman Buddika Fernando into their attack.
India: Sourav Ganguly (capt), Virender Sehwag, Dinesh Mongia, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh,
Mohammad Kaif, Ajit Agarkar, Ashish Nehra, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan.
Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Romesh Kaluwitharana (wkt), Marvan Atapattu, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Buddika Fernando, Upul Chandana, Naveed Nawaz, Chaminda Vaas, Nuwan Zoysa, Dilhara Fernando.
Umpires: David Orchard (SA), Peter Willey (Eng)
TV umpire: Neil Mallender (Eng)
Match referee: Mike Procter (SA)
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