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Zimbabwe slump to 122-4 chasing 334 for victory
GUWAHATI, India: Zimbabwe, chasing a daunting victory target of 334, were struggling at 122 for four after 25
overs in the deciding fifth one-day international against India on Tuesday.
The visitors, docked two overs for a slow over rate, lost three wickets in a hurry to slump from 111 for one to 114 for four as India took command. Opener Dion Ebrahim scored a patient 69-ball 42, including two fours, and shared in a 61-run second-wicket stand with all-rounder Travis Friend, who scored a 34-ball 31.
But wickets started to tumble once pinch-hitter Friend, who got off the mark hitting off-spinner Vijay Bharadwaj for
the first of his four fours, was stumped by wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra while trying to give off-spinner Harbhajan Singh the charge.
Harbhajan struck again having Andy Flower loft a drive to wide long-off, where Khan grabbed a tumbling catch diving backwards. Indian captain Saorav Ganguly then bowled Ebrahim round his legs with a slow seamer. Grant Flower was batting on one with captain Stuart Carlisle on seven. Zimbabwe had earlier started confidently with in-form left-hander Alistair Campbell leading the way.
Campbell lofted medium-pacer Ajit Agarkar over cover and cut left-arm paceman Khan for a four to the third-man fence. But Campbell was caught at mid-off for 31, off 38 balls, while trying to chip Khan over the in-field for his fifth boundary. India piled up 333 for six from their allotted 50 overs after a masterly unbeaten 159 by opener Dinesh Mongia.
Mongia hit 17 fours and a six in his maiden one-day hundred and shared in an explosive 158-run fifth-wicket stand with fellow left-hander Yuvraj Singh, who scored 75 off 52 balls. Yuvraj had also led India to a 2-2 series-levelling win last week at Hyderabad.
March 19, 2002 - 0830 GMT
Mongia hits 159 as India amass 333-6 v Zimbabwe
GUWAHATI: Left-hander Dinesh Mongia cracked an unbeaten 159 for his maiden one-day hundred as India piled up 333 for six in the deciding fifth and final one-day international against Zimbabwe on Tuesday. The opener struck
17 fours and a six in his 147-ball knock and shared in an explosive 158-run stand for the fifth wicket with Yuvraj Singh, who hammered 75 off 52 balls for his second successive half-century. India had lost two wickets for
eight runs to be reduced to 157 for four before the two left-handers got together.
Mongia lofted Marillier over extra-cover for a one-bounce four and brought up his century off 121 balls, driving Friend through the covers for his 11th boundary. Yuvraj flicked seamer Gary Brent to mid-wicket for four before
cutting paceman Travis Friend to point for a boundary and raising his 50 with a couple to square-leg. The two batsmen hit out in the last eight overs -- including three sixes by Yuvraj -- amassing 111 runs and propelling India to their highest-ever total against Zimbabwe, beating the 319 at Mohali earlier in the series. Yuvraj was finally out driving off-spinner Douglas Marillier straight to Friend at long-on.
India had started slowly after skipper Saorav Ganguly elected to bat, scoring only 18 runs from the first seven overs before the skipper hammered medium-pacer Douglas Hondo for two fours to open the floodgates. Mongia lofted Hondo over his head for a one-bounce four later in the same over.
Ganguly struck two more fours off former captain Heath Streak but was dismissed for 28 when he edged Streak,
wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu took a tumbling catch to his left. Vangipurappu Laxman (16) struck two fours before he was run out after a misunderstanding with Mongia over a sharp single to Andy Flower at short cover.
Dravid was bowled through the gate by Hondo for 26 when he played across the line and Mohammad Kaif, who had hit two consecutive fifties coming into this match, was out for five driving Hondo straight to Andy Flower at short
mid-wicket.
March 19, 2002 - 0330 GMT
India win toss, elect to bat
GUWAHATI, India: Indian captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and elected to bat first against Zimbabwe in the
deciding fifth and final one-day international on Tuesday. India made one change to the team that beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in the fourth match in Hyderabad last week, bringing in all-rounder Vijay Bharadwaj in place of
left-arm spinner Murali Kartik.
Zimbabwe replaced injured medium-pacer Mpumulelu Mbangwa with seamer Gary Brent.
Teams:
India - Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, Vangipurappu Laxman, Dinesh Mongia, Mohammad Kaif,
Yuvraj Singh, Ajay Ratra (wk), Harbhajan Singh, Vijay Bharadwaj, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar.
Zimbabwe - Stuart Carlisle (captain), Alistair Campbell, Dion Ebrahim, Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Travis Friend, Heath Streak, Gary Brent, Douglas Marillier, Tatenda Taibu (wk), Douglas Hondo.
Umpires: K.G.Laxminarayanan and S.Dhandekar
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