Sachin’s epic 200* de-rails Proteas; India win series

Riding on a historic double century by Sachin Tendulkar, India crushed South Africa by 153 runs at Gwalior to clinch the 3-match series.

Zeecric Bureau/Pratik Dogra

Gwalior: Riding on a magnificent double century by Sachin Tendulkar, India crushed South Africa by 153 runs in the second one-dayer of the three match series as Gwalior to not only clinch the series, but also consolidate their position as number two on the ICC ranking. Chasing a massive target of 402 runs for victory, South Africa could muster only 248 runs before they were bowled out in 42.5 overs, to usher in an early end to the proceedings. Having lost 6 top-order wickets for 105 runs, South Africa’s hopes were in complete disarray just 15 overs into the chase. AB de Villiers played a lone hand with a fighting century, staying undefeated on 114 runs off 101 balls, but was alone in his struggle as none of the other batsman could not even post a half-century and consequently, in absence of any substantial partnerships, the South African reply just fell wayside. All the bowlers pressed into action had managed a wicket each with Sreesanth causing the maximum damage with 3 scalps. Ravindra Jadeja, Ashish Nehra and Yusuf Pathan picked 2 wickets each while Praveen Kumar chipped in with a solitary wicket. Sachin’s 200 helps India post 401/3 Sachin Tendulkar became the first man ever to score double hundred in one-dayers when he unlocked the game’s biggest and most awaited milestone versus South Africa at Gwalior on Wednesday. Tendulkar, who had remained agonisingly standard on 199 runs for nearly 2 overs after failing to get the strike, reached the historic landmark off just 147 deliveries, treating the capacity crowd and millions of television viewers to 25 sublime hits to the fence and three mighty sixes, without even once taking the foot off the accelerator pedal throughout his epic marathon saga, helping India to a massive 401/3 from their allotted 50 overs. This achievement came in the last over, and shortly after Tendulkar had achieved the highest ever score in one-dayers when, with a single to short-fine left, he overtook Saeed Anwar and Charles Coventry’s score of 194 runs. Gwalior played witness to a vintage Tendulkar, as the Master Blaster, who is enduring a purple patch off late, in Tests as well as the ODIs, had earlier smashed his 46th century of this format off just 90 balls, pulverizing the Proteas bowler ruthlessly into submission. Despite losing his opening partner Virender Sehwag early, Tendulkar had taken it upon himself to provide the early momentum, plucking boundaries at will as India raced away to 176/1 after 28 overs. Tendulkar played the plunderer to the core as some of his shots, like a flick to a delivery from outside the off-stump, the ferocious pull s over mid-wicket, drives- lofted as well as grounded, were the stuff that gave ample proof of the genius Tendulkar was bestowed with. His ‘lofted on the up’ shot over mid-off was particularly reminiscent of the Tendulkar of yore. In the slog, Mahendra Singh Dhoni too came to the party, helping himself to a blistering 38-ball 65, and added 101 runs with ‘The Maestro’ off just 54 balls as India went past the 400 run-mark for just the third time ever. Earlier, after Dhoni had won the toss and elected to bat, India had not made the most auspicious of starts to the match losing Sehwag in just the fourth over with just 25 runs on the board. Having hit 2 fours already, Sehwag, tried to slash over the point off Wayne Parnell, but failed to beat the third-man where Dale Steyn took a well-judged catch. Dinesh Karthik then forged a 194 runs partnership off just 177 balls with Tendulkar during which he himself hit his 4th ODI half-century. He however missed out on a well-deserved hundred just when it seemed to be their for the taking, when he scooped out a tame catch to Gibbs at mid-wicket. Having played the perfect foil to an unstoppable Tendulkar, Karthik had helped himself to a career best score of 79 runs. The duminitive Delhi Daredevil lasted 85 balls during his stroke-filled stay that was punctuated with 4 boundaries and 3 sixes. The run-fest for India continued as undeterred Karthik’s loss, Tendulkar continued his rich vein of form, racing away to 150 runs off just 118 balls. Alongwith Pathan, Tendulkar compounded South Africa’s woes mercilessly with an 81 run-partnership for the third wicket off 47 balls. South Africa then seemed to have got some respite when India lost the wicket of power-hitter Pathan in the 41st over came against the run of play to Roelf van der Merve, but after India had already amassed 300 runs. However, their hardly proved to be any relief for South Africa as Dhoni then continued from where Pathan had left and with a 29-ball half-century, knocked the stuffing out of the hapless visitors. In reply, South Africa received a major blow when Herschelle Gibbs, who had played a pivotal role when his team had chased down 434 runs against Australia 4 years ago, was clean bowled for just 7 runs by Praveen Kumar. South Africa’s gamble of sending Reolf van der Merwe at number three as a pinch hitter failed to reap dividends as he fell for just 12 runs to Sreesanth. Hashim Amla, on whose shoulders much of South Africa’s aspirations lay, too fell victim to the pursuit of quick runs, making 34 off 22 balls as South Africa slumped to 61/3. Jacques Kallis (11 runs) and Alviro Petersen (9 runs) never really got going while JP Duminy (first ball duck) added another failure to his disastrous tour. With South Africa reeling at 105/6 after 15 overs, the procedings were rendered solely academic in interest. De Villiers did provide some fireworks, hitting 13 fours and 2 sixes, but in the end, 402 proved to be a bridge too far. Teams South Africa (Playing XI): Hashim Amla, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis(c), AB de Villiers, Jean-Paul Duminy, Alviro Petersen, Mark Boucher(w), Roelof van der Merwe, Wayne Parnell, Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt India (Playing XI): Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Dinesh Karthik, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni(w/c), Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Sreesanth