HIMGANSHU WATTS, Jamshedpur | Sunday 6.00pm.
INDIAN captain Saurav Ganguly hit an aggressive 105 not out to lead India to a six-wicket win in a one-day international against South Africa on Sunday and a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
South Africa, who won the toss and batted, were dismissed for 199 and India reached 203 for four with almost three overs remaining.
Ganguly, who opened India’s innings with former captain Sachin Tendulkar, struck four sixes, three of them off the bowling of Pieter Strydom, and scored the winning runs with his 10th four.
He shared a third wicket stand of 88 with Rahul Dravid, who scored 36 before he was caught by Herschel Gibbs at cover off the bowling of Nicky Boje. The partnerhip steadied the innings after Tendulkar was dismissed for 21 and Sunil Joshi without scoring to leave India on 33 for two.
Mohammad Azharuddin, with 29, took India to the verge of victory but was then bowled by South African captain Hansie Cronje.
Cronje had earlier been the mainstay of the South Africa innings, hitting 71 before he became one of spinner Joshi’s four victims.
Joshi also claimed the wickets of Gibbs, caught behind for 27, Sean Pollock bowled for seven and Derek Crookes caught brilliantly at short cover by Ganguly. Cronje was involved in a 70 runs partnerhip with Nick Boje for the fifth wicket, taking the score to 158 but the last six wickets fell for the addition of only 41 runs.
The South African innings had begun shakily, with Ajit Agarkar claiming the wicket of Gary Kirsten with the fifth ball of the day after they had won the toss and chosen to bat.
Agarkar then had Jacques Kallis caught behind for 18 and claimed the last wicket of the innings when he caught and bowled Steve Elworthy. — Reuters