Tuesday, March 20, 2007

INDIA BOUNCE BACK AND DESTROY BERMUDA

India turned their shock defeat against Bangladesh around and thumped a totally mismatched Bermuda side at the Queens Park Oval in Trinidad, winning by 257 runs. It was a display of creative and powerful batting, where four of India’s big six racked up 413, a record total in World Cups and the bowlers then did their job, bundling Bermuda out for 156. Bermuda’s David Hemp resisted with an unbeaten 76, but lacked support from the rest of his side in a one-sided contest.

Virender Sehwag, pushed down to the middle-order, began badly, slashing and missing outside the off stump. But soon he settled down, and his half-century came off only 43 balls, with 11 fours. While Sehwag was roaring back to his run-scoring ways, Sourav Ganguly was sedately keeping his end going. When Sehwag was dismissed for 114 (87 balls, 17 fours, 3 sixes) India were 205 for 2, in under 30 overs, with Ganguly on 76 from 94 balls. Soon after, Ganguly too fell, stumped after coming down and having a mighty heave, for 89.

Bermuda never had any realistic chance of chasing 414, Zaheer Khan provided the opening pressure with the help of Anil Kumble, playing in place of Harbhajan Singh. Dean Minors and David Hemp added 43 for the sixth wicket, the best stand of the innings, but Bermuda only managed 156, handing India victory by 257 runs.

Final score:
India: (5 wickets; 50 overs) 413
Bermuda: (all out; 43.1 overs) 156

OUR MAN OF THE MATCH

Virender Sehwag
Full Name: Virender Sehwag
Born: October 20/10/1978, Delhi, India
Age: 28 years
Team: India
Batting Style: Right-hand bat
Bowling Style: Right-arm offbreak

Virender Sehwag is a primal talent whose rough edges make him all the more appealing. By the time he had scored his first centuries in one-day cricket (off 70 balls, against New Zealand) and Test cricket (on debut, against South Africa, from 68 for 4), he was already eliciting comparisons with his idol Sachin Tendulkar. Career highlights include 80 and 100 in consecutive matches on the tour of England in 2002. Sehwag bowls effective, loopy offspin, and is a reliable catcher in the slips.

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