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Flower hits fifty to keep Zimbabwe in the hunt
FARIDABAD, India: Andy Flower struck an unbeaten 57 as Zimbabwe, chasing 275 for victory, were 117 for two after 25 overs in the first one-day international against India on Thursday.
Andy Flower hit seven fours and a six over square-leg off Harbhajan Singh, sharing in a 96-run unbeaten third-wicket stand with fellow-left hander Alistair Campbell (38 not out) as the two rescued Zimbabwe after Zaheer
Khan's early blows.
Left-arm paceman Khan struck in the first over, bowling Craig Wishart for one with a delivery that pitched outside off stump and nipped in sharply between bat and pad.
Travis Friend, promoted up the order to pinch-hit, did not last long either. Khan had him playing an outswinger onto his stumps for seven as Zimbabwe slumped to 21 for two.
But left-handers Flower and Campbell did not give up the fight, picking up ones and twos at will and punishing the bad balls as the team's 100 came up in the 23rd over. Flower raised his 47th one-day 50, off 59 balls, with a single off Singh to short cover. Campbell pulled medium-pacer Sanjay Bangar over square-leg for a one-bounce four and then drove him straight down the ground for four more off the next ball.
Flower, using the sweep shot to counter Singh's off-spinners, got plenty of runs backward of square on the leg side. He reverse swept Singh for a boundary to third man and drove Bangar to the cover boundary.
Earlier, India had piled up 274 for six from 50 overs with Vangipurappu Laxman (75) and captain Sourav Ganguly (57) slamming fifties.
The home side suffered a middle-order slump but were rescued by all-rounder Ajit Agarkar, who hammered 40 runs in 19 balls and shared in a 63-run seventh wicket stand off just 38 deliveries with Mohammad Kaif, who scored 39. India had won the recent Test series 1-0.
March 07, 2002 - 0740 GMT
Laxman slams 75 as India pile up 274 for six
FARIDABAD, India: Vangipurappu Laxman struck 75 and Ajit Agarkar hit a rapid 40 to rescue India from a middle-order slump as the home side piled up 274 for six against Zimbabwe on Thursday in the first one-day international of a five-match series.
Laxman struck five fours in his 99-ball knock and shared in a 77-run second wicket stand with Sourav Ganguly, who scored 57 with six fours and two sixes for his 44th one-day fifty.
But it was a 63-run stand off just 38 balls between Agarkar and Mohammad Kaif (39 in 45 balls) that propelled India to a commanding total from their 50 overs. India, who elected to bat first in friendly conditions, were 171 for two in the 34th over before wickets started to tumble.
Rahul Dravid, back in the one-day side after missing the series against England due to injury, was out lbw for 23 to occasional left-arm spinner Grant Flower when he missed an attempted sweep.
Laxman was then run out out with the total on 193 after a misunderstanding with Kaif over a quick single. All-rounder Sanjay Bangar fell for a duck, driving medium pacer Heath Streak to mid-off, where Travis Friend jumped
high in the air to pull off a tumbling catch.
Wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra was then run out for six, stranded at the strikers' end after another confusion involving Kaif as India slumped to 211 for six.
Earlier, Ganguly and fellow left-hander Dinesh Mongia (25), opening for the first time because Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag are out with injuries, had given India a flying start.
Ganguly, who had scored 136 in India's second Test win in New Delhi earlier this week, got a life on 42 when off-spinner Douglas Marillier failed to hold on to a sharp return catch.
The Indian captain took advantage of that lapse, bringing up 50 in 63 balls with a single off medium-pacer Gary Brent to third man. He then danced down the track and hit Marillier for a his second six. He was finally stumped
while giving Marillier the charge.
March 07, 2002 - 0655 GMT
Ganguly hits fifty as India look set for big total
FARIDABAD, India: Skipper Sourav Ganguly cracked a brisk 57 as India looked poised for a big total after they reached 136 for two after 25 overs in the first one-day international of a five-match series against Zimbabwe on
Thursday. Vangipurappu Laxman was batting on 42, hitting five fours in 52 balls.
Rahul Dravid, back in the one-day side after missing last month's six-match series against England due to injury, was on seven. Ganguly vindicated his decision to bat first after winning the toss as he and fellow left-hander
Dinesh Mongia gave India a flying start.
The pair were opening for the first time because Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag are out with injuries.
Mongia chipped paceman Travis Friend for a four over mid-wicket and then cut him to the point fence for four. Friend came in for severe punishment, going for 36 runs from his first spell of five overs.
Ganguly, who had scored 136 in India's second test win in New Delhi earlier this week, flicked medium-pacer Heath Streak to square-leg for his first boundary before driving him straight down the ground for six.
Left-hander Mongia departed for a 24-ball 25 with the Indian total 46 as Streak had him edging to wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu. Number three Laxman was aggressive from the start, driving Streak through the covers for four
and cutting medium-pacer Gary Brent to the third man fence as he and Ganguly added 77 for the second wicket.
Ganguly got a life on 42 when off-spinner Douglas Marillier failed to hold on to a sharp return catch. The Indian captain took advantage of that lapse, bringing up his 44th one-day fifty in 63 balls with a single of Brent to third man.
He then danced down the track to hit Marillier for a his second six. Ganguly was finally stumped while charging Marillier with the total on 123. India won the recent test series 2-0.
March 07, 2002 - 0350 GMT
India elect to bat first
FARIDABAD, India: India captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and elected to bat in the first one-day international of a five-match series against Zimbabwe here on Thursday.
India : Sourav Ganguly (capt), Dinesh Mongia, Rahul Dravid, Venkatsai Laxman, Sanjay Bangar, Mohammad Kaif, Ajay Ratra, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh; 12th man: Sarandeep Singh.
Zimbabwe: Stuart Carlisle (capt), Alistair Campbell, Craig Wishart, Travis Friend, Andy Flower, Dion Ebrahim, Grant Flower, Heath Streak, Tatenda Taibu, Douglas Merillier, Gary Brent; 12th man: Douglas Hondo.
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