South Africa defeat India in LG Cup final
South Africa's superior bowling and fielding skills enabled them to win the LG Cup final against India by 26 runs at Nairobi on Sunday
Partab Ramchand
04-Oct-1999
South Africa's superior bowling and fielding skills enabled them to
win the LG Cup final against India by 26 runs at Nairobi on Sunday. In
a well contested match, India were in the game on more than one
occasion but faltered at crucial junctures both when South Africa were
batting and during their own innings.
Put in to bat, South Africa were rocked by some inspired bowling by
Venkatesh Prasad and Mohanty and were 18 for three in the 11th over.
While Mohanty bowled Klusener first ball, Prasad removed Kallis and
Rhodes through slip catches.
Gibbs and Cronje initiated a rally by putting on 78 runs for the
fourth wicket off 13.5 overs before the South African captain was
beaten in the air and bowled by Chopra for 39, inclusive of three
fours and two sixes. The recovery process continued with Gibbs and
Crookes, promoted in the order, adding 53 runs for the fifth wicket in
9.1 oveers. Crookes was then well caught by wicketkeeper MSK Prasad
off Mohanty for 25. Gibbs' anchor innings came to an end when he was
sixth out at 187, bowled by Bhardwaj for 84, compiled off 124 balls
with the help of six fours and three sixes. India then came back
strongly into the game with Bhardwaj also dismissing Benkenstein and
Boucher while Dawson was run out. But Pollock hit a timely unbeaten 23
off 24 balls with a six and a boundary and he and Elworthy took 16
runs off the last over of the innings bowled by Chopra. South Africa
were able to post a challenging total of 235 for nine in 50 overs.
When India batted, they suffered two early blows with the dismissals
of both openers Ramesh and Ganguly with only 25 runs on the board in
the ninth over. Dravid and MSK Prasad, promoted in the order, set the
innings back on course with a third wicket partnership of 65 runs. But
accurate bowling and keen fielding saw to it that the runs did not
come at a nifty rate. Dravid fell in the 27th over at 90 for 30 off 65
balls but Prasad and Jadeja then gave the scoring rate some impetus
with a fourth wicket stand of 51 runs off 9.5 overs before the Indian
captain hit Pollock to substitute Dippenaar at square leg for 30 off
32 balls, inclusive of two fours and a six. Hereabouts Prasad was
overcome by cramps and had Dravid as a runner. But soon he was unable
to continue and retired when his score was 56. The game had reached an
interesting stage with India's target now approaching seven an over
but with six wickets in hand. Robin Singh did not last long, being
bowled by Crookes, trying to sweep and this made India 163 for five in
the 39th over. But India's batting depth saw them stay in the fight as
Bhardwaj and Joshi now got some quick runs. At 190 for five after 43
overs, India needed 46 runs off seven overs. But the fall of Bhardwaj
and Joshi in successive overs was a major double blow from which India
could not recover. Prasad came back to resume his innings but then
lost Chopra at 201 in the 46th over. With Prasad being run out in the
next over for a gallant 63 off 90 balls inclusive of six hits to the
ropes, India's hopes evaporated. The match ended in the following over
when Mohanty was leg before to Kallis and India were all out for 209
in 47.3 overs. In fact the end came all too swiftly as the Indians
lost their last five wickets in successive overs from the 44th to the
48th for the addition of only 19 runs.
Gibbs won the man of the match award while the Indians had some
consolation with Bhardwaj taking the man of the series award. South
Africa who had lost to India by eight wickets in the league, turned
the tables at the all important juncture.