Story India's International Season [C2005]

[SaiSrini]

And people want Agarakar to be dropped:

He is still a good ODI player. He has been doing really well in the real life tri series also so far, taking 11 wickets and effecting three runouts! He has turned around the corner!

Yap!, what a exciting game?. Finally we did them, Agarkar bowled his career best and India clinches the thriller. grt presentation sai.

Boss

Thanks a lot boss! I hope I keep entertaining you guys!

 

[Cricketman]

i hate agarker lol.

 

[jhnnyby000]

just read this from the start it is great with great presentation a nailbiting first match also
cricket should have a health warning nowadays lol

 

[SaiSrini]

just read this from the start it is great with great presentation a nailbiting first match also
cricket should have a health warning nowadays lol

yeah, and its more so when teams like india-pakistan, england-australia, etc clash!!! its damn terrific!!!!!

 

[Briggsey]

This is looking set to be yet another great story on these threads sai, well done to you mate. Brilliant first match there for you with Agarkar the hero, hopefully you can continue on like this and give us some more nail biting stuff!

 

[ashu2411]

What a victory for India. All credit to Agarkar due to his sensational last over. Really great bowling performance by Indian Bowlers. But this win doesnt mean that we dont need to improve our batting now because still alot of work is to be done in batting. But my heartly congratulations to India on great win. And I hope a better luck for NZ next time.

 

[SaiSrini]

Thanks to all for that encouragement!!!!

Next match to start shortly

 

[SaiSrini]

India vs Zimbabwe - Third ODI at Harare

India vs Zimbabwe - Third ODI at Harare​

India now move on to face Zimbabwe at Harare for the third ODI of the Videocom Cup Tri series. India who had a sensational 10 run victory over New Zealand must now be brimming with confidence having won by a very narrow margin when they were looking to lose the match at one stage with the batting of Fleming and Mc Millan. But Ajit Agarkar turned the tables with a stunning 7 wicket haul that left New Zealand shell shocked.

Zimbabwe do not pose an inch of threat to India though Taibu takes this is an opportunity for them to not have any pressure! Ganguly is confident of a victory and that can be judged through his speech with Ravi Shastri at the toss "We're confident of winning against Zimbabwe. We obviously are not taking them lightly. But its our confidence level which has gone up after that win against New Zealand".

Taibu who won the toss and elected to field had to say this about Zimbabwe's chances in today's match "We're a young and an inexperienced side. We're going out to play positive cricket. We have a good blend of seniors like Streak, Blignaut to compliment our youngsters. We're confident that we will put up a tough fight".

The Indian line up for this match has not been changed from the previous match winning unit!

First Over Update

0.4 ov: Sehwag OUT : Tried to loft the ball over mid off but mistimed the ball to be caught at midwicket. Should be really disappointed with himself as that shot wasnt needed at that moment! India 3/1

 

[ashu2411]

again a bad start for India. What India lacking these days after Sachin's absence is a good opening pair

 

[SaiSrini]

Ganguly OUT - India 57/2

Ganguly & Kaif blast Zimbabwe - India 57/2​

A streak of aggression has cost Ganguly his wicket as India lost him just when they were tearing into the Zimbabwean attack. In a moment of a masterstroke, Tatenda Taibu introduced Mark Vermulean the off spinner in the 8th over of the innings when the seamers where being shredded into pieces. Vermulean stuck immediately off his third ball, trapping Ganguly leg before wicket to a sweep shot that Ganguly would regret for the rest of the day. Ganguly was looking dangerous for a big hundred and he has to blame himself for his dismissal

Ganguly - Looked dangerous befor Vermulean stuck!​

Ganguly and Kaif after a a quiet two overs got into the groove and smashed Streak out of the attack! Ganguly started the blast by hitting Streak for two boundaries through midwicket! Kaif then joined the fun in the 7th over, creaming Streak for four boundaries in an over scoring 16 runs off a single over to zoom ahead of Ganguly! The Zimbabwean looked to be wilting under the murderous assault of both batsmen when Taibu and Vermulean effected a breakthrough that should now quieten things down!

A superb shot through midwicket!​

One of Kaif's boundaries was a lucky one for him with the ball hitting the top edge of the ball and flying over the midwicket fielder's head for four. Rahul Dravid has now joined Kaif in the middle and both should now look to steady the innings further and through the way keep rotating the strike and get the odd boundaries.

A lucky boundary for Kaif​

India 57/2 (9.0 overs) | Kaif 29* (28) | R.Dravid 2* (3)​

 

[Briggsey]

Nice start from Kaif, he should look to be the main stay in the innings now and build a solid partnership with Dravid to guide India to a solid total!

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Vermulean don't bowl...:confused:

 

[SaiSrini]

India 72/3 after 15.0 overs

Kaif and Yuvraj battle it out - India 72/3​

India have lost one more wicket and are now down to 72/3 after 15 overs. Rahul Dravid had to contend with another poor form with the bat, scoring just 7 runs with the bat before he was caught at deep leg off the bowling off Streak. Dravid was looking good and looked positive off the spinner, Vermulean but was out at the wrong time of the innings!

Kaif is at his best form at the other end! He is not out on 34* and is batting at his best at the moment. He has been surprisingly attacking this innings when he specialises in building an innings. He has scord 34* off 38 balls and has scored most of his runs on the leg side! The best shot of the day was his flick off the bowling of Streak which passed past the outstretched hands of Brendon Taylor at midwicket!

Zimbabwe have so far put up a discplined performance and have picked up three important wickets that of Ganguly, Dravid and Sehwag! India now have Kaif and Yuvraj at the crease and would look not to lose anymore wickets and would like to build a solid partnership to take India to a very challenging total! They have been scoring at more than 5+ an over for the first 15 overs and should now look to build on this start and go past 250!

 

[ashu2411]

This is a poor stuff from Indian Top order. They need to show some more responsibility.

 

[SaiSrini]

Indian middle order intact - 119/3

Kaif and Yuvraj flay Zimbabwe​

Mohammed Kaif and Yuvraj Singh are proving how valuable they are to the Indian middle order by flaying the Zimbabwean attack and have put together an unbeaten 51 run partnership thereby taking India to 119/3. Kaif has reached his half century and is looking very good for another big score today.

Yuvraj who started off slowly, found his feet and stuck superb and powerful shots all over the ground with his best shot being the cover drive off Mariller which sped to the boundary! Yuvraj's shots carried more power and brute force as he found his time in the middle to play his shots and the most affected of the bowlers was Heath Streak who went for 65 runs off his 10 overs today!

Yuvraj and Kaif have put together 51 runs for the 4th wicket partnership! They both have handled the mediocre Zimbabwean attack very well unlike their senior pros like Sehwag, Dravid and Ganguly who were more intent on attacking and dismantling the bowling and failing in the process. Off the bowlers, Mpofu is the most economical so far, with figures of 4-1-9-0 and Mariller with 6-0-14-1