Zimbabwe v India, Videocon tri-series, Harare

1. Zimbabwe v India
   

Yuvraj and Dhoni take India home

The Bulletin by Dileep Premachandran

September 4, 2005

48.1 overs India 255 for 6 (Yuvraj 120, Dhoni 67*) beat Zimbabwe 250 for 9 (Taibu 71, Coventry 74, Agarkar 3-34)by 4 wickets

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Yuvraj Singh rescued and took India to victory with an outstanding century © Getty Images

Yuvraj Singh stroked a fabulous hundred and Mahendra Singh Dhoni bludgeoned a 63-ball 67 as India overcame another rotten display from the top order to ease to a four-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the final league match of the Videocon Cup. Yuvraj and Dhoni plundered 158 from just 140 balls to utterly transform a game that had been Zimbabwe's for the taking. It didn't help that Tatenda Taibu, who had sparked Zimbabwe's batting revival with a spirited 71, made a hash of a stumping off Sean Williams when Dhoni had made just 22, with India still 111 short of victory.

Yuvraj, though, was magnificent, pacing his innings beautifully - the 50 took 70 balls - before exploding to life in the final overs when four and sixes rained down. Zimbabwe's bowlers, who had performed so commendably for 30 overs, simply had no answer to the all-out assault. The disappointment would have been particularly acute for Taibu, whose 116-run partnership with Charles Coventry had allowed Zimbabwe to post a challenging total on an excellent batting pitch after Sourav Ganguly had sent them in.

Taibu's mood was very different when India's pursuit started in dismal fashion, with Blessing Mahwire bowling both Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid. And when Venugopal Rao was run out following a mix-up with Yuvraj, India were 160 adrift with only the lower order left in the pavilion. Rao's sedate 27 had stemmed the initial rot, and he played some pleasing drives while adding 55 for the fifth wicket. Yuvraj too found fluency after a hesitant start, as India sought to rebuild the ruins of an innings.

Sehwag had commenced with a clatter of boundaries, but both he and Dravid paid the price for lazy stand-and-deliver drives. In between, Ganguly was superbly taken by Vusi Sibanda at point, as the chase lost momentum in spectacular fashion, and the descent into despair was accelerated by Andy Blignaut, who followed up a blistering innings of 41 with a delivery that caught Mohammad Kaif plumb in front and stuck on the crease.

Zimbabwe had also started like a team in strife. Already missing Heath Streak, Taibu found himself at the crease with the white ball still shiny and hard, after RP Singh had accounted for both Vusi Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza. He was initially uncertain coming onto the front foot against the quicker bowlers, but with Brendon Taylor taking it upon himself to thump a few leg-side fours, Taibu had time to play himself in. And though he lost Taylor to a superb piece of fielding from Yuvraj, he made light of it with some splendid strokeplay against the slower bowlers, smashing Harbhajan back over his head and them swatting Jai Prakash Yadav over midwicket.

With options running out, Ganguly pressed himself into service only to see a disastrous first over go for 15 as both Taibu and Coventry attacked with scant regard for the situation. Kartik came on, but was powerless to stop the runs, and a Coventry slog that disappeared way over midwicket was indicative of how Zimbabwe's positive approach had turned the match on its head.

With runs coming steadily and the rate approaching five-an-over, it was left to Yadav to script the breakthrough, and Taibu's magnificent effort ended with a poor swish against the line. But that only exacerbated India's plight as Blignaut came in to play a blinder. Yadav's second spell was economical, but both RP Singh and Kartik - who also let slip a chance off Coventry - were given a beating as Blignaut and Coventry upped the ante.

Agarkar, who had bowled an exceptional first spell, also suffered in his second, but when a low full toss fetched him Coventry's wicket, the match turned. Harbhajan and a rush of blood combined to get rid of Blignaut, and the runs dried up as Agarkar picked up some cheap wickets at the end. By then though, Zimbabwe had set a challenging target, one that was so nearly a banana skin for an Indian side still searching for a semblance of consistency.

How they were out

Zimbabwe

Sibanda lbw RP Singh 1 (4 for 1) Trapped in front by one that nipped back.

Masakadza c and b RP Singh 0 (4 for 2) Looped up to the bowler's right off bat, pad and glove.

Taylor run out (Yuvraj) 26 (50 for 3) Sent back after calling for a risky single, and caught well short of his crease by a sensational off-balance throw.

Taibu b Yadav 71 (166 for 4) Heaved at a ball that pitched in line with the stumps, and missed completely.

Coventry c Kartik b Agarkar 74 (227 for 5) Yorker-turned-full toss smacked straight to long-off.

Blignaut stumped Dhoni b Harbhajan 41 (232 for 6) Came down the track for the big heave, missed by a long way.

Sean Williams run out (Agarkar) 8 (246 for 7) Short of his ground despite a full-length dive, after a fine throw from deep midwicket.

Ewing lbw Kartik 8 (248 for 8) Rapped in front by the arm ball.

Utseya b Agarkar 0 (249 for 9) Played all over a yorker.

Mahwire b Agarkar 2 (250 all out) Missed a full delivery that zoned in on to the stumps.

India

Sehwag b Mahwire 12 (15 for 1) Inside-edged one on to his stumps.

Ganguly c Sibanda b Ireland 2 (23 for 2) Slapped one to the right of point, beautifully caught.

Dravid b Mahwire 6 (34 for 3) Carbon copy of the Sehwag dismissal, undone by minimal footwork.

Kaif lbw Blignaut 8 (36 for 4) Caught on the crease by one that shaped back.

Rao run out (Debangwa) 27 (91 for 5) Sent back by Yuvraj, caught yards short of the crease.

Yuvraj c Dabengwa b Blignaut 120 (249 for 6) Leading edge ballooned to point.

India v Kenya A record-shattering performance from Ganguly and Tendulkar

Standard Bank Triangular Series, match 9 India v Kenya

Almanack home 2003 home

At Paarl, October 24 (day/night). India won by 186 runs. India 5 pts. Toss: India.

A record-shattering performance from Ganguly and Tendulkar helped India forget their humiliation at Port Elizabeth. In the 16th over, they passed 100 together for the 16th time as an opening pair, breaking Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes's record; in the 35th, they raised 200. They had overtaken the first-wicket record in one-day internationals - their own 252 against Sri Lanka in 1997-98 - to reach 258 when Ganguly fired yet another disdainful drive, this time down the throat of long-on. His 18th one-day international hundred had carried him past 7,000 runs. Tendulkar seemed to have the first double-century at this level within reach; instead, two overs later, he hit a full toss tamely to mid-wicket. It brought no respite: Sehwag hammered an unbeaten 55 off just 23 balls, including 20 from Martin Suji's last four deliveries. Only the newly arrived Laxman missed out as Kenya conceded 350 for the second time in three days. With the result beyond doubt, Kenya seemed content to bat out their 50 overs against uninspired bowling. Modi, called up from his holiday to replace Angara, batted competently but could not avert India's biggest one-day victory.

Man of the Match: S. R. Tendulk

SC Ganguly - 1st innings

Left-hand batsman Runs: 111 Balls faced: 125 Strike rate: 88.80 Scoring shots: 63 0s 62 1s 43 2s 8 3s 2 4s 7 5s 0 6s 3 7+ 0

7 runs 1x4 0x6 2ss 4 runs 0x4 0x6 4ss 16 runs 0x4 1x6 9ss 24 runs 2x4 0x6 15ss 16 runs 1x4 1x6 6ss 12 runs 1x4 0x6 8ss 9 runs 0x4 1x6 4ss 23 runs 2x4 0x6 15ss on-side 48 runs 2x4 3x6 21ss off-side 63 runs 5x4 0x6 42ss

SR Tendulkar - 1st innings

Right-hand batsman Runs: 146 Balls faced: 132 Strike rate: 110.60 Scoring shots: 82 0s 52 1s 52 2s 13 3s 0 4s 17 5s 0 6s 0 7+ 0

9 runs 1x4 0x6 4ss 15 runs 3x4 0x6 5ss 16 runs 0x4 0x6 11ss 36 runs 5x4 0x6 18ss 22 runs 2x4 0x6 15ss 31 runs 5x4 0x6 15ss 9 runs 1x4 0x6 6ss 8 runs 0x4 0x6 8ss off-side 56 runs 4x4 0x6 36ss on-side 90 runs 13x4 0x6 46ss

ar.

NatWest Series 2002, Final England v India

NatWest Series 2002, Final England v India Lawrence Booth

Almanack home 2003 home

At Lord's, July 13. India won by two wickets. Toss: England.

Zaheer Khan and Mohammad Kaif start the celebrations after India's unlikely win © Getty Images

This game wasn't merely a case of saving the best until last: it was one of the most thrillingly topsy-turvy limited-overs internationals ever played. At 146 for five in pursuit of 326 - more than they had ever scored batting second - India were down and out.

Their four senior batsmen were all back in the pavilion, and only Yuvraj Singh, aged 20, and Mohammad Kaif, 21, stood between England's bowlers and the tail.

But Yuvraj played some punishing strokes off the back foot, Kaif was all wrists through mid-wicket, and the pair added 121 in less than 18 overs. When Yuvraj top-edged a sweep to short fine leg, Harbhajan helped add a quick 47 with Kaif to take India to the brink, but Flintoff tilted the balance once more with two wickets in the 48th over.

Even so, India needed just 11 runs off 12 balls. Kaif thick-edged Gough to the third-man boundary to reduce the target to two off six, and Zaheer Khan stole the winning runs with three balls remaining courtesy of an overthrow. As England's players wandered off in a daze, the Indians celebrated in style.

In an echo of Flintoff 's antics at Mumbai five months earlier, Ganguly whipped off his shirt and whirled it round his head on the players' balcony, before running through the Long Room to kiss the Lord's turf and embrace Kaif. The capacity crowd, many of them Indians, stood and cheered. After nine consecutive defeats in one-day finals, India had made it tenth time lucky.

But for most of the match their losing streak had seemed certain to continue. England's innings of 325 for five, their fourth-highest in this form of the game, had inspired drama of its own. In his 72nd innings, Hussain reached his first one-day international century, a dogged but scratchy innings, full of miscues and failed reverse sweeps.

When he reached three figures, from 118 balls, he embarked on an impassioned series of gestures to the press box, where several commentators - "ex-players", Hussain later said - had questioned his position in the batting order. Hussain held up three fingers and gesticulated angrily to the No. 3 on the back of his shirt. It was pure theatre, and almost overshadowed an outstanding display from Trescothick, who added a joyous 185 for the second wicket with Hussain in just 177 balls. Trescothick moved to a 40-ball half-century, his most memorable shot a flick for six over mid-wicket off Zaheer, and motored to his third one-day century in 89 balls with some hammer-on-anvil cover-drives. Flintoff bullied 40 off 32, and England had rewarded Hussain's decision to make first use of a belter.

Needing six and a half an over, India came racing out of the blocks too. Ganguly pummelled his way to fifty in just 35 deliveries, and his opening partnership with the dashing Virender Sehwag had reached 106 in the 15th over when Ganguly aimed an ambitious slog at Alex Tudor and was bowled.

It was the first of five wickets to fall for 40 runs in less than ten overs - including Sachin Tendulkar, bowled as he made room. The game seemed over. But England had reckoned without the youthful daring and verve of Yuvraj and Kaif.

Man of the Match: M. Kaif.
Man of the Series: M. E. Trescothick.

Vidarbha C.A. Ground, Nagpur, on 21 January 2007 (

India v West Indies, 1st ODI, Nagpur

India edge past despite Chanderpaul's masterclass

The Bulletin by Siddhartha Vaidyanathan in Nagpur

January 21, 2007

India 338 for 3 (Ganguly 98, Gambhir 69, Dhoni 62*, Dravid 54*) beat West Indies 324 for 8 (Chanderpaul 149*) by 14 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Risk without recklessness symbolised Sourav Ganguly's spectacular comeback © Getty Images

Sourav Ganguly followed up his impressive Test comeback with a spectacular return to one-dayers, but even his outstanding 98 was overshadowed by a stunning unbeaten 149 by Shivnarine Chanderpaul as the Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground saw the most number of runs ever scored in a one-day international in India. On a belter of a pitch, India rode on Ganguly's knock and a late fourish to pile up a gigantic 338 for 3. That seemed to be way beyond West Indies' reach, till Chanderpaul turned it on towards the end. Even his blistering strokeplay wasn't quite enough, though, as West Indies finished on 324 for 8, allowing India to sneak through by 14 runs.

On a day when boundaries rained from start to finish, India were the early aggressors. Ganguly smashed 98 from 109 deliveries, and with Gautam Gambhir in spectacular form as well, the new opening combination put a rollicking 144 for the opening wicket - the first century partnership for India in ODIs for close to nine months. Sachin Tendulkar, walking in at No.3, showed the creativity he could offer in the middle overs, while Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rahul Dravid provided a lustrous polish at the end of the innings, pillaging 119 off the last 11.5 overs and erecting an awesome skyscraper.

That skyscraper, though, was in serious danger of crumbling as West Indies put together an inspired run-chase. Requiring more than a run a ball, they got off to a frenetic start too, as Chris Gayle and Chanderpaul added 80 in less than 13 overs. Like the two left-handers who opened for India, Gayle and Chanderpaul complemented each other with their contrasting styles. While Gayle was all brute force, freeing his arms against some wayward bowling, Chanderpaul resorted to touch, cannily finding the angles. Gayle had two let-offs - on 2 and 12, both off Sreesanth - and he made the Indians pay for their lapses, swinging through the line and creaming boundaries almost at will.

Subsequently, Harbhajan Singh's double-strike pegged them back and following Gayle's dismissal things slowed down considerably for them, reaching 139 for 2 at the 25-over stage. Chanderpaul was methodical and sly in his run-gathering. He glided Zaheer wide of first slip, top-edged Harbhajan over the same fielder, pulled Ajit Agarkar for six over square leg, pushed, tapped and burrowed. He didn't try anything silly when India didn't enforce the Power Plays - between the 10th and 14th over - but cashed in when the field was up soon after. He lost a couple of partners - Gayle was foxed by an offbreak from Harbhajan while Runako Morton had no clue against a doosra - but brought up his half-century in 52 balls and kept his side in the contest.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul combined sly accumulation with blistering strokeplay © Getty Images

Earlier, India got the start they needed. Gambhir set the ball rolling with a salvo of boundaries early on and was especially severe on Jerome Taylor's wide offerings. He didn't miss out on anything wide and, once he'd gauged the true nature of the surface, even endeavored to pull the short ones.

The story of the morning, especially when one considers what went before, was Ganguly. Returning to the one-day side after a gap of 15 months, he didn't take long to find his groove. Displaying divine touches when he slashed through the off side, and showing no fear in charging down the track, he rattled West Indies. The shot with which he brought up his half-century encapsulated the mood: with an important landmark ahead and a chance to strengthen his case, he walked down the track to Daren Powell and smote him over extra-cover for a six. Risk without recklessness seemed to be the motif for the day.

He was commanding against spin - whacking Gayle and Samuels straight over their heads - and showed enough energy when he ran between the wickets. He was always on the look out for a single but his eagerness led to his dismissal, falling two short of his first century in close to four years. Chancing Dwayne Smith's arm at short midwicket, he was caught napping against a direct hit. The packed stands applauded his fine effort and one banner in particular - "The Tiger's back" - said all that was needed.

What eventually made the difference was the 71 runs in the last five overs, with both Dhoni and Dravid going ballistic. Dwayne Bravo's slower deliveries proved effective initially but Dhoni soon teed off with a muscular approach that few can match. He jumped down the track to the fast bowlers and stung with an array of unorthodox slogging. Dravid, at the other end, was more delicate in approach but as deadly in execution. His three sixes were like flowers transforming into grenades - one over cover required just one hand - and the contrasting styles completely put off the bowlers. The stage was set for an interesting denouement and though the West Indies responded bravely India just had too many runs on board to seal their success.

However, India's slow over-rate marred the victory as the players were individually penalised 5% of their match fees. Dravid, on the other hand, copped a higher 10% fine.

India v South Africa ODI 2000-01

India v South Africa ODI 2000-01

Almanack home 2002 home

At Gymkhana, Nairobi, October 13. India won by 95 runs.
Toss: India.
The favourites ran into a breathtaking innings from Ganguly, who creamed an unbeaten 141 from 142 balls, his 14th hundred in one-day internationals. India were heading for 300 until he lost the strike in the last over, bowled by Donald, which yielded three wickets and just two runs. Ganguly had started temperately, but went airborne when left-arm spinner Boje came on at the halfway stage. Three of his six sixes came during Boje's two overs, which cost 26 runs and opened the floodgates for some rousing strokeplay. Ganguly had one lucky break, on 75, when he guided a Klusener no-ball to backward point. Under pressure to score quickly, South Africa lost their top four inside eight overs. Ganguly then continued his masterclass by dismissing Boucher, their top-scorer, for 60, but his exertions finally caught up with him: fielding at slip, he dropped Boje twice in two balls. Telemachus was later suspended for one game for barging into Dravid

India get their own back with interest

India get their own back with interest

Geoffrey Boycott

November 8, 1999

Geoffrey Boycott analyses the second one day international between India and New Zealand at Hyderabad

After the beating India took at Rajkot, I think the Indian team said whatever you can do we can do better! And they did with an awesome batting display which was reminiscent of Ganguly and Dravid at Taunton in the World Cup.

This time it was Tendulkar who was determined to make up for his last match dismissal and Dravid who looked in great touch from the first ball. The New Zealanders were stirred up with superb cricketing shots and perfect placement. Both batsmen kept pace with each other and 300 runs always looked on the cards. What we did not expect was the carnage that took place once they had made centuries. Dravid accelerated so quickly after reaching the milestone that he outscored Sachin plundering runs all over the park with effortless classic strokes. Eventually he succumbed to a mistimed slog to mid-wicket.

At the other end Sachin would not be outdone. He improvised with quick thinking and enormous power. Young bowlers like Chris Drum tried to stick it in the block hole but the master got his left leg quickly out of the way and kept smashing to and over mid-wicket. At one stage the young seamer bowled four full tosses and was hit in four different places. He was trying for yorkers but by this time the brain was scrambled. Nobody was queuing up to bowl as Sachin moved around the crease. Sachin was awesome as he out thought, out hit and out batted the bowling. They couldn't live with his stroke play as he plundered boundary after boundary beating and bashing the bowling into submission. By the time New Zealand walked off the field they must have been shell shocked. Records came and went as Tendulkar and Dravid claimed the highest partnership ever in one day cricket and Tendulkar the highest score by an Indian. In years to come people will say I was there. I saw it and it was mind blowing.

Once fielders and bowlers have had such a pounding and mauling it depresses the dressing room. Nobody is in the right frame of mind to bat and batting is always the mental thing. Psychologically the New Zealanders would have to concentrate on scoring 7-1/2 runs an over for 50 overs. That scoring rate plays on the mind as batsman after batsman has to keep up the run rate by playing chancy strokes. Sometimes the risky shots come off but more often than not when you are up against it then your batsmen 'hole out' and so it proved as Tendulkar was able to spread his men out immediately onto the 30 yards circle. He could give the batsmen singles but try and cut off the boundaries and wait for the New Zealand batsmen to commit harakiri. Spearman mis-hit to deepish mid-on, Astle mis-pulled to mid-wicket, Twose tried to work across the line a straight ball and the captain Fleming tried a big hit into the deep. The match was over by the fifteenth over. Parore got himself stumped off a wide and the dangerous Cairns was run out again by a team mate. The whole innings was in shambles as wickets tumbled at regular intervals and lower down the order O'Connor and Vettori got run out through bad calling. The pressure of the mammoth total scored by India killed the New Zealand batting.

India were outplayed in Rajkot but here in Hyderabad they got their own back with interest. Whichever side bats first on these flat pitches has the best chances of batting the other team out of the game but even with changes to the Indian squad I think they will have the better of New Zealand in the 5 match series.

World Cup 1999---India v Sri Lanka

World Cup 1999, eleventh group A match India v Sri Lanka

Almanack home 2000 home

Toss: Sri Lanka.

Undisciplined Sri Lankan bowling, a pitch of even bounce, short boundaries and batting which ranged from the classical to the brutal set a welter of one-day international records. Ganguly and Dravid's partnership of 318 in 45 overs was the highest in any limited-overs international, surpassing the previous record of 275 set by Azharuddin and Jadeja against Zimbabwe in 1997-98. Ganguly made 183 in 158 balls, with 16 fours and seven sixes, the fourth-highest one-day international score, and the second in World Cup history behind Gary Kirsten's 188 not out against the United Arab Emirates in 1996. India's 373 for six was the second highest total in limited-overs internationals after Sri Lanka's 398 for five against Kenya in the 1996 World Cup, and thus the highest against Test opposition.

Ranatunga's decision to bowl seemed justified when Vaas cut the ball back sharply to hit Ramesh's off stump. However, Dravid, aggressively, and Ganguly, elegantly, soon gained complete dominance, with even Muralitharan unable to stem the flow of runs. Dravid established himself as the pacemaker, reaching his second successive hundred at almost a run a ball. But Ganguly made his own century, from 119 deliveries, then began to hit over the top, racing to 183 in another 39 balls. Sri Lanka restored Kaluwitharana to open the innings but, once he and Jayasuriya were out within five overs, the game was all but finished. Likewise Sri Lanka's defence of their crown.

Man of the Match: S. C. Ganguly. Attendance: 6,778.

pc

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Kirsten signs deal to coach India

Kirsten signs deal to coach India

December 4, 2007

Gary Kirsten, the new India coach, will join the team in their Australia tour for the third and fourth Tests © Getty Images

Gary Kirsten has signed a two-year deal to coach the Indian national team. He will start work on March 1, 2008, almost a year after his predecessor, Greg Chappell, resigned from the post.

Kirsten signed the contract after clarifying a few last-minute dailsetpertaining to his young family and also to the feelings of senior players in the team who had been anonymously quoted as saying that the appointment of a coach was "unnecessary."

Sharad Pawar, the Indian board president, told Kirsten on Tuesday afternoon that all the senior players were looking forward to having him on board and agreed with Kirsten's suggestion that he meets up with the team before they depart for Australia.

"I will go back to India soon to meet up with the squad before they fly to Australia on December 17 and then I will join them again in a transition phase for the third and fourth Tests against Australia in the New Year," Kirsten said. The Indian board, in a press release, has confirmed that Kirsten would interact with the squad during the third Test against Pakistan in Bangalore.

"It is a huge honour and I'm looking forward to the challenge with as much enthusiasm as any challenge I've ever faced. I'm not naive - I know how big the job is and I know it won't be easy, but it's also something I really want to do, and do well," Kirsten said.

When Kirsten takes over full-time, his first assignment will be a three-Test series against South Africa. "That's exciting. I really don't think it will feel strange or odd. I will be doing everything I can to help India win. But Australia comes first and everybody's energy must be focussed on producing success on what is the hardest tour in cricket," Kirsten said.

India v Pakistan

India v Pakistan - One-Day Internationals

, India v New Zealand, Coca Cola Cup, Statistical Highlights

2nd Match, India v New Zealand, Coca Cola Cup, Statistical Highlights

July 22, 2001

• It was the 1736th ODI in cricket history.

• It was India's 470th and New Zealand's 381st match - 59th between these two sides. The record now reads : New Zealand 26, India 30, abandoned 3.

• Umpires DN Pathirana and G Silva were officiating in their 11th and eighth match respectively.

• Rahul Dravid was playing his 150th match. He became 56th player overall and tenth Indian to do so.

• Zaheer Khan became second Indian after Debabis Mohanty to claim a wicket off the first ball of the match when he trapped Matthew Sinclair LBW. Mohanty had West Indian makeshift opener Ridley Jacobs caught by Nikhil Chopra at Singapore (Kallang) on September 5,1999. In addition there have been four instances of an Indian bowler capturing a wicket off the first ball of the opponent's innings (second innings of the match).

• Nathan Astle (117) scored his tenth hundred in ODIs in his 135th match. The hundred was Astle's third against India which equals the tally of Chris Cairns for New Zealand.

• The hundred was fifth for Astle in his 51st floodlit matchonly one less than all other Kiwi batsmen have scored in floodlit matches. Others with hundred in floodlit matches for New Zealand are Stephen Fleming (2), Matthew Sinclair (2), Chris Harris (1) and Chris Cairns(1).

• Astle, on 26,completed his 2000 runs in `away' matches for New Zealand. At the end of this match Astle has a tally of 2091 runs from 77 matches. He became 62nd batsman in all and fifth New Zealander after Martin Crowe (2820 runs in 86 matches), John Wright (2752 in 106),Stephen Fleming (2323 in 89) and Adam Parore (2032 in 90) to do so. Incidentally India's Sachin Tendulkar with 6712 runs from 183 appearances holds the record of aggregating most runs in a career in `away' matches.

• India's total (127) was its second lowest in all matches against New Zealand after the 113 (in 44.2 overs) at Perth on January 18,1986.

• India's total was the joint sixth lowest total to include an individual fifty (Laxman- 60). It was also the second lowest such total for India. The accompanying table has the details :

Total (Overs)	Batsman (Score)	Countries	Venue	Date
101 (26.5)	HH Gibbs (59*)	SA v Pak	Sharjah	28-03-2000
117 (41.3)	Inzamam-ul-Haq (51*)	Pak v WI	Kingston	12-04-2000
123 (40.3)	NC Johnson (54)	Zim v Pak	The Oval	11-06-1999
125 (48.2)	IT Botham (60)	Eng v WI	Kingstown	04-02-1981
125 (45)	SC Ganguly (50)	Ind v Pak	Sharjah	16-04-1999
126 (37.2)	MA Taylor (50)	Aus v NZ	Wellington	24-03-1993
127 (27.2)	EH Mattis (62)	WI v Eng	Kingstown	04-02-1981
127 (31.3)	CJ Nevin (50)	NZ v Pak	Sharjah	15-04-2001
127 (40.1)	DI Gower (53)	Eng v NZ	Christchurch	26-02-1983
127 (41.1)	VVS Laxman (60)	Ind v NZ	Colombo RPS	20-07-2001

• Laxman's 60 represented 47.24% of India's total - the fourth maximum by any Indian batsman in a completed innings.The details :

Batsman	%	Score	Total	Vs	Venue	Date
AD Jadeja	48.78	100*	205	Aus	The Oval	04-06-1999
SC Ganguly	47.48	113	238	SL	Colombo RPS	20-08-1997
NS Sidhu	47.24	94	199	SL	Singapore	03-04-1996
VVS Laxman	47.24	60	127	NZ	Colombo RPS	20-07-2001
M Azharuddin	46.15	90	195	SA	Calcutta	24-11-1993
NS Sidhu	45.63	73	160	NZ	Napier	16-02-1995
SR Tendulkar	45.37	93	205	SL	Dhaka	01-06-2000
AD Jadeja	45.19	61	135	Pak	Jaipur	24-03-1999
Kapil Dev	45.08	87	193	WI	Nagpur	08-12-1987
DB Vengsarkar	44.00	77	175	Aus	Trivandrum	01-10-1984
M Prabhakar	43.88	86	196	SL	Colombo RPS	12-08-1993
M Amarnath	43.04	34*	79	Pak	Sialkot	13-10-1978
SM Gavaskar	40.65	63	155	Pak	Sharjah	17-11-1985
SR Tendulkar	40.43	93	230	Pak	Hobart	21-01-2000
SR Tendulkar	40.31	77	191	WI	Brisbane	11-01-1992
SC Ganguly	40.00	50	125	Pak	Sharjah	16-04-1999

• Chris Harris by holding four catches equalled the record of most catches by a fielder in a match for New Zealand. Ken Rutherford had taken four catches also against India at Napier on February 16,1995. Harris also became 14th fielder in ODIs to take four catches in a match as a fielder with South African Jonty Rhodes being alone in holding as many as five.

• India suffered its third worst defeat against New Zealand in terms of margin of runs. New Zealand had beaten India by 108 runs at Dunedin on March 1,1990 and by 99 runs at Nagpur on November 26,1995.

• Nathan Astle was winning his 17th Man of the Match award. He is now only three away of Martin Crowe's New Zealand record of 20 MoM awards.

2nd Test, India v Sri Lanka, Statistical Highlights And Ganguly Best and lucky captinsa

2nd Test, India v Sri Lanka, Statistical Highlights

August 26, 2001

• It was 1558th Test in cricket history.

• It was India's 343rd and Sri Lanka's 113th Test match.

• It was the 22nd Test between these two sides. The record now reads : India 8, Sri Lanka 2 ,drawn 12.

• It was the 11th Test between these two sides. The record now reads : India 2, Sri Lanka 2,drawn 7.

• Tyronne Wijewardene was making his debut as a Test umpire. He became 16th Sri Lankan to officiate in a Test match. The other umpire Steve Bucknor was officiating in his 60th match.

• Chaminda Vaas was playing in his 50th Test. He became the seventh Sri Lankan and the 172nd player in all to do so. England's Andrew Caddick became 173rd player to appear in 50 or more matches a day after Vaas doing so.

• Hashan Tillakaratne became fourth Sri Lankan to complete 3000 runs in a Test career when he scored his 7th run in second innings. He was playing his 58th match and 94th innings. Others with 3000 plus runs for Sri Lanka are Aravinda de Silva (5952 runs in 89 matches), Arjuna Ranatunga (5105 in 93) and Sanath Jayasuriya (3730 in 61).

• Muralitharan (67) made his maiden fifty in his 67th Test. His innings was the second highest by a number nine batsman for Sri Lanka after Graeme Labrooy's 70* against New Zealand at Auckland in 1990-91. Muralitharan's previous highest was 39 against India at Colombo SSC in 1997-98 which was also the previous highest score for Sri Lanka against India at number nine.

• The 64-run partnership between Muralitharan and Ruchira Perera in second innings was Sri Lanka's best for tenth wicket against India. The previous best was 44 between Asoka de Silva and Rumesh Ratnayake at Nagpur in 1986-87. The pair however just failed to better Sri Lanka's best tenth wicket partnership in all Tests which still remains as 73 between Hashan Tillakaratne and Sajeewa de Silva against Pakistan at Dhaka in 1998-99.

• Venkatesh Prasad's second innings figures of 5 for 72 are the best bowling figures by an Indian in Sri Lanka bettering Anil Kumble's 5 for 87 in first innings of Colombo (SSC) Test in 1993-94.

• Saurav Ganguly's 98* was his first fifty in 14 innings. After his unbeaten 65 against Zimbabwe at Delhi in 2000-01 he scored 30,8,1,23,48,22,4,5,9,0,15,4 and 18.

• Ganguly's innings equalled the highest unbeaten score in the nineties by an Indian batsman. Dilip Vengsarkar had scored an unbeaten 98 also against Sri Lanka at Colombo SSC in 1985-86. Other Indian batsmen who remained unbeaten in the nineties are Gundappa Viswanath (97* v West Indies at Madras in 1974-75) and Ajit Wadekar (91* v Australia at Delhi in 1969-70).

• Ganguly also became the seventh Indian captain on the eighth occasion to record a score in the nineties. Sachin Tendulkar has suffered this fate on two occasions. Interestingly Ganguly is the only among the seven to end on the winning side.

• India's total of 264 for three was its second highest in the fourth innings to win a Test . It was also only the third time India successfully chased a target of 250 plus in the fourth innings of a Test. The first instance came on October 15,1964 against Australia at Brabourne Stadium in Bombay when India made 256-8 chasing a target of 254. The second instance was against West Indies on April 12,1976 when India made history by making 406-4 after being set a target of 403. India's total in that Test remains the highest ever winning total achieved by any side in the fourth innings of a Test.

• The 264-run target set by Sri Lanka provided the 67th instance when India was asked to score over 250 in the fourth innings to win a Test match. India has won only three, tied one (v Australia at Madras in 1986-87), drawn 28 and lost 35. The accompanying table lists India's wins after being set a victory target of 125 or more by opponents in the fourth innings :

Total	Opponents	Target	Venue	Test	Season
406-4	West Indies	402	Port-of-Spain	3rd	1975-76
264-3	Sri Lanka	264	Kandy	2nd	2001
256-8	Australia	253	Bombay	2nd	1964-65
200-5	New Zealand	199	Dunedin	1st	1967-68
190-3	Zimbabwe	189	Delhi	1st	2000-01
184-2	Zimbabwe	183	Bulawayo Q.C.	1st	2001
181-3	Australia	180	Delhi	3rd	1969-70
174-6	England	172	The Oval	3rd	1971
155-8	Australia	154	Madras	3rd	2000-01
151-2	New Zealand	150	Bangalore	1st	1995-96
136-5	England	133	Lord's	1st	1986
125-7	West Indies	124	Madras	4th	1978-79
125-3	West Indies	123	Port-of-Spain	2nd	1970-71

• With the win over Sri Lanka in Kandy Test, Saurav Ganguly equalled the record of winning most Tests on foreign soil as Indian captain. This was Ganguly's third Test win away from home. The other being v Bangladesh at Dhaka in November 2000 and v Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in June this year. He thus equalled the tally of Bishan Singh Bedi and Nawab of Pataudi junior for India who have also won three Tests apiece. India has won only 16 Tests on foreign soil out of a total of 161 . Following are the lucky captinsa:

Total	Matches	Won	Lost	Drawn	Ties	Winning %
SC Ganguly	5	3	2	0	0	60.00
Nawab of Pataudi jr.	13	3	10	0	0	23.08
BS Bedi	14	3	8	3	0	21.43
AL Wadekar	11	2	3	6	0	18.18
Kapil Dev	14	2	3	9	0	14.29
SM Gavaskar	18	2	6	10	0	11.11
M Azharuddin	27	1	10	16	0	3.70

• Kandy once again proved to be a jinxed venue for Sri Lanka who lost their third successive Test here after taking a 1-0 lead in the series. England and South Africa, the previous two countries to tour Sri Lanka earlier, had both conceded a 0-1 lead to the hosts at Galle in their three-Test series but equalised at Kandy. Out of a total of 12 Tests played at Kandy, Sri Lanka has lost seven, drawn three and won only two.

• Saurav Ganguly was winning his third Man-of-the-Match award in Tests. His other awards were against England at Nottingham in 1996 and against Sri Lanka at Mumbai in 1997-98.