Indians post 54-run win
over Leicester
Despite a spirited fightback, Leicestershire could not prevent the Indians from notching a 54-run victory in the third and final practice tour match in England on Wednesday.
Chasing a stiff target of 316, Leicester could manage
only 261 for seven in the allotted 50 overs.
For India, Yuvraj Singh picked three wickets for 48
runs.
Earlier, the Indians brushed aside the 21-run upset against Kent to post a massive 315 for
seven in 50 overs.
Virender Sehwag doused a bit of his coach's ire with a
quickfire 98 and skipper Sourav Ganguly again shone with the
bat, slamming a 43-ball 68 in what was India's final lead-up
game before their tri-series encounter against England on
Saturday.
Sehwag, criticised by coach John Wright for throwing his
wicket all too often in the 30s and 40s, put his head down to
make 98 from 87 balls, with nine fours and three sixes and
laid the ground for a strong Indian total.
But the Indians squandered the opportunity to post a
a total in the excess of 400 runs as the middle order once
again flopped.
Still it was an impressive total given that star batsmen
Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar were rested for the game.
The more belligerent Sehwag was overshadowed by Ganguly
today as he watched in awe his skipper blast 12 fours and two
sixes, or 60 runs in boundary hits en route to his 68.
The duo put on 132 runs for the first wicket in just 13
overs. India's 100 was up in the 10th over, 150 in the 16th
but then wickets started to fall and run-making was reduced to
a trickle.
V V S Laxman (15) spooned an easy catch to extra cover;
Yuvraj Singh (1) tamely lofted to midwicket fielder and Dinesh
Mongia (8) hit in the air for the fielder to take a catch at
long off.
But the job had been already done. Ganguly hit at will
against a modest home attack, lifting it over the fielders'
head and improvising to guide a few from his stumps down to
the fine leg boundary.
Sehwag drove and swept slow bowlers effectively before he
was run-out going for a second run off a flick to fine leg.
Ganguly was annoyed with himself for hitting it straight
to Grant Flower at deep midwicket off a full toss from Paul
Crowe.
While Ganguly raced to his half century from just 31
balls, Sehwag took 36 balls for his 50.
Mohammad Kaif, late in the innings, stepped up the scoring
with a 52-run knock, including four fours, characterised by
hectic running between the wickets.
The home bowling, missing experienced Phil DeFreitas and Devon Malcolm from the line-up, wilted in the face of the
Indian assault in perfect batting conditions on a lifeless
track.
The Indians had won their first practice match against Sussex
by three wickets before going down by 21 runs against Kent
on Monday.
Mail Cricket Editor