SOUTHAMPTON, England, 12 September 2004 — India warmed up for their Pool C decider against Pakistan next weekend with a straightforward 98-run win over Kenya in their opening match of the ICC Champions Trophy here yesterday.
Skipper Saurav Ganguly, with 90, and V.V.S. Laxman, with 79, were the mainstays of the Indian innings as they scored 290-4 from 50 overs. In reply Kenya could only manage 192-7 with Harbhajan Singh the pick of the Indian bowlers taking 3-33 from his ten overs.
The target of 291 was always going to be too much for Kenya and they were immediately on the back foot losing three wickets in the first nine overs. Kennedy Otieno was the first to go when fellow opener Ravindu Shah called him for a suicidal run and saw his partner beaten by at least three meters when the stumps were thrown down by Mohammad Kaif from cover.
Steve Tikolo swiftly followed when he played all round one from Irfan Pathan and was leg before and by the time Hitesh Modi slogged Pathan straight up in the air Kenya were 21-3. Ravindu Shah hung around for 58 balls for his 33 before being caught behind off Harbhajan Singh and with him went the last of Kenya’s hopes.
Ragheb Aga completed a miserable match when he was caught by Ganguly at silly point for a third ball duck to add to his 0-70 from nine overs, and although some of the Kenyan tailenders ate up time at the crease there was never any danger to the Indians.
However, Ganguly’s insistence on giving part-time bowlers a spell prolonged the agony and allowed debutant Maurice Ouma (49) and Brijal Patel (40 not out) to post a stand of 95 for the seventh wicket.
India accelerated brutally toward the end of their end of their innings scoring 87 from the last nine overs with Rahul Dravid and Kaif upping the run-rate with an impressive array of shots. The foundations of India’s score, however, were laid by Ganguly and Laxman who made light of the early loss of Virender Sehwag by putting on 161 in 29 overs for the second wicket.
Their diligence paved the way for the fireworks that followed with Laxman’s 79 coming from 99 balls and Ganguly’s 90 from 121.
However credit must be given to the Kenyan new ball bowlers who have not played a One-Day International for 18 months. Martin Suji finished with 1-42 from his ten overs and Thomas Odoyo 2-43 from his allocation.
They bowled straight and found some movement in the morning and the Indian batsmen played them with due care and attention until Sehwag attempted an ugly shot at Odoyo and was bowled for 17. Ganguly looked to set himself for a big innings from the start and India had only reached 55 from their first 15 overs. They were following a trend of sides batting first in English conditions who look to play themselves in rather than charge after the bowling as teams do on the subcontinent.
His approach and the application of Laxman paid off as their partnership effectively batted the Kenyans out of the game. When they were dismissed, and Yuvraj Singh quickly followed, it looked as if India’s scoring rate might stall but Kaif and Dravid saw their side through to a total, 290-4, they defended comfortably.
Kaif hit 49 not out from just 29 balls and Dravid added a rapid 30. India face Pakistan at Edgbaston on Sunday Sept. 19 in the game which will, assuming Pakistan beat Kenya on Tuesday, decide who goes through to the semifinals from this pool.
