MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2015

Dhawan ton sparks India rout of S Africa

MELBOURNE: smashed 137 off century. All his seven hundreds have come in a ’s innings when , 146 balls as defending champions India winning cause, but it was the confident display who had hit centuries in each of the last three whipped mighty South Africa by 130 runs to against and company that would one-dayers against them, was caught at mid-off step closer to a quarter-final berth in the World have pleased retired batting star Sachin for seven. Cup yesterday. Tendulkar who was present in the packed Dependable opener Amla had made 22 when A boisterous crowd of 86,876 at the stands. he top-edged a pull off seamer Mohit Sharma Melbourne Ground saw India pile up 307 Steyn, one of the most fearsome fast bowlers and Shami, who had claimed de Kock’s , for seven after electing to bat and then bowl out in the modern game, was clipped by Dhawan took a well-judged catch at long leg. the Proteas for 177 with almost 10 overs to spare over backward square-leg for six and driven over Skipper AB de Villiers made 30 in a 68-run in the day-night Pool B match. his head for another six by . stand for the third wicket with du Plessis when top-scored with 55 but India Steyn finished with figures of one for 55 from 10 he was run out as Mohit Sharma rifled in a throw made regular dents in the South African batting, overs. South Africa were hampered further when from deep cover for Dhoni to break the stumps. SCOREBOARD with off-spinner taking seamer hobbled off the field South Africa slipped to 133 for four in the three and seamers Mohammad Shami with a hamstring injury after sending down just 29th over when Mohit Sharma, returning for his MELBOURNE: Completed scoreboard in the World Cup Pool B match between India and Mohit Sharma sharing four wickets. four overs. second spell, had the dangerous du Plessis and South Africa at the Melbourne Cricket Ground yesterday: With two wins from as many games-India Dhawan, who made 73 against Pakistan, put caught at mid-off by Dhawan. defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by 76 runs last on 127 for the second wicket with (46) Ashwin, who came into the attack in the 22nd India Q. de Kock c Kohli b Shami 7 Sunday-Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s men will move and 125 for the third with Rahane (79 off 60 over, had JP Duminy caught in the slips and then R. Sharma run out (de Villiers) 0 F. du Plessis c Dhawan b M. Sharma 55 into the quarter-finals if they beat the unfaniced balls). The 29-year-old Dhawan fell in the 44th trapped Philander leg before. S. Dhawan c Amla b Parnell 137 AB de Villiers run out (M. Sharma) 30 United Arab Emirates in Perth on February 28. over when , who had floored a diffi- In between those two dismissals, David Miller V. Kohli c du Plessis b Tahir 46 D. Miller run out (Yadav) 22 South Africa, one of the pre-tournament cult chance off when the batsman was run out for 22 to leave South Africa gasping A. Rahane lbw b Steyn 79 S. Raina c sub (Rossouw) b Morkel 6 JP Duminy c Raina b Ashwin 6 favourites who beat Zimbabwe in their first was on 53, picked up an easy catch at fine leg off for survival at 153 for seven in 34 overs. The tail M. Dhoni c de Kock b Morkel 18 W. Parnell 17 match, have two points from as many games. the same bowler. India lost five wickets for 41 folded up as Shami dismissed Steyn, Ashwin R. Jadeja run out (de Villiers) 2 V. Philander lbw b Ashwin 0 Dhawan, the left-handed opener who resides runs after being strongly placed at 261 for two, bowled Morne Morkel and R. Ashwin not out 5 D. Steyn c Dhawan b Shami 1 in Melbourne with his British-Asian wife Ayesha but they still managed to score 80 runs off the claimed last man leg-before to spark Mohammad Shami not out 4 and three children, hit 16 boundaries and two last 10 overs. wild celebrations in the stands packed with India M. Morkel b Ashwin 2 sixes during his seventh one-day international India broke through in just the fourth over of supporters. — AFP Extras: (lb2, nb2, w6) 10 Imran Tahir lbw b Jadeja 8 Total (7 wkts, 50 overs) 307 Did not bat: Mohit Sharma, Umesh Extras: (lb1, w6) 7 Yadav. Total (all out, 40.2 overs) 177 Fall of wickets: 1-9 (R. Sharma), 2-136 Fall of wickets: 1-12 (de Kock), 2-40 (Kohli), 3-261 (Dhawan), 4-269 (Raina), (Amla), 3-108 (de Villiers), 4-133 (du 5-278 (Rahane), 6-284 (Jadeja), 7-302 Plessis), 5-147 (Duminy), 6-153 (Miller), (Dhoni) 7-153 (Philander), 8-158 (Steyn), 9-161 : Steyn 10-1-55-1; Philander 4- (Morkel), 10-177 (Tahir). 1-19-0; Duminy 7-0-39-0 (1w); Morkel 10-0-59-2; Tahir 10-0-48-1 (1w); Parnell Bowling: Yadav 6-0-34-0 (1w); Shami 8- 9-0-85-1 (2nb, 4w) 1-30-2 (2w); M. Sharma 7-0-31-2 (2w), Jadeja 8.2-0-37-1 (1w); Ashwin 10-0-41- South Africa 3; Raina 1-0-3-0 Hashim Amla c Shami b M. Sharma 22 Result: India won by 130 runs.

Wasim warns Pakistan to shape up or ship out

CHRISTCHURCH: Pakistan great and yet we are unable to chase, then Wasim Akram told his compatriots it’s disappointing and will land yesterday they had to win the next Pakistan in more trouble. They must game in their World Cup campaign or rebuild the team soon.” get ready for an early flight home. Pakistan dropped leg-spinner Yasir Pakistan have had a miserable Shah, who played against India in start to the tournament, being well Adelaide, from the XI that took the beaten in their opening two group field against the West Indies and con- matches. Their 76-run defeat by arch- ceded a total of 310 for six at rivals and defending champions India Christchurch’s Hagley Oval. If that was followed by an even heavier 150- wasn’t enough, Pakistan then record- run loss to the West Indies in ed the worst-ever start to an innings Christchurch on Saturday. in all one-day internationals, with Pakistan next face Zimbabwe in a their first four wickets falling for just must-win Pool B game on March 1, one run. which Wasim warned will be a “make They were bowled out for a mere or break” for them. “I am very opti- 150 runs in 39 overs. Wasim said the MELBOURNE: India’s Shikhar Dhawan celebrates after scoring a century against South Africa during their Cricket World Cup pool B match. — AP mistic that they can win but if they West Indies’ resilience was an exam- don’t they have to go back home ear- ple for Pakistan to follow. ly,” Wasim told AFP. “West Indies lost their first game De Villiers slams “They must feel for the people (against Ireland) but they staged a India show themselves who come to the ground in numbers comeback and outplayed Pakistan in S Africa display and millions are watching back all aspects of the game,” said Wasim, World Cup contenders home,” added Wasim a key member who questioned the selection of MELBOURNE: South Africa AB de of the Pakistan side that won the opener Nasir Jamshed. MELBOURNE: India announced themselves as gen- In an uncharacteristically clumsy fielding display, Villiers lashed out at his team after their mas- World Cup when the tournament was “When Jamshed was dismissed for sive 130-run loss to India in the World Cup yes- last staged in Australia and New a duck in the warm-up game against uine contenders to defend their World Cup title yes- the Proteas dropped three catches, including a sharp terday by humbling South Africa’s vaunted pace chance to Hashim Amla at backward point that terday, saying it was an “unacceptable” per- Zealand in 1992. England, then there was no need to attack before bowling out the Proteas for an reprieved Dhawan on 53. formance. The top four in each of the two recall him,” said Wasim of the left- emphatic 130-run victory at the Melbourne Cricket Adding to their Proteas’ pain was an apparent After defending champions India had piled pools of seven will qualify for the handed opener who was out for a Ground. hamstring injury to seamer Vernon Philander who up 307 for seven, with opener Shikhar Dhawan quarter-finals. Wasim criticised the second-ball nought on Saturday. In front of a heaving crowd of 86,000, opener bowled just four overs. making 137, the Proteas were bundled out for team management and captain “In the first place, Jamshed never Shikhar Dhawan struck a sparkling 137 and Ajinkya India by contrast were positively South African in 177 with almost 10 overs to spare in front of a Misbah-ul Haq for not playing five merited selection in the team as Rahane an explosive 79 to fire India to a mammoth their fielding, with Mohit and India captain and huge crowd of 86,878 at the Melbourne bowlers. there were some other players who 307-7 and ensure their opponents would need a wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni combining to Cricket Ground. “All round we were very aver- “I have been screaming this for had done well at domestic level.” record chase at the stadium to win. run out de Villiers for 30, an important breakthrough age,” said de Villiers. “We lacked discipline in several months now but they are Jamshed was brought in as a replace- India were then outstanding in the field, sharing to end a 68-run partnership with Faf du Plessis. Du the field with dropped catches and untidy the wickets and running out two batsmen as South Plessis was unable to dig in after raising his half-cen- bowling and two run-outs in our innings was playing with four bowlers and weak- ment for Mohammad Hafeez after Africa were skittled for 177 with 10 overs to spare, tury, miscuing a slog straight to Dhawan at mid-off ening their strong point,” said Wasim, the spin-bowling all-rounder was unacceptable.” losing their last seven wickets for 44 runs. to be out for 55 and leave his team reeling at 133-4. The skipper himself was run out through a widely regarded as the greatest left- ruled out of the World Cup with a calf It was India’s first win against South Africa at the JP Duminy (6) and David Miller (22) followed arm paceman cricket has ever seen. injury just a week before the start of smart throw from the deep by Mohit Sharma World Cup after three previous losses. Though the quickly, the latter run out by an excellent throw from and David Miller followed in similar fashion “We are using an extra batsman the tournament. — AFP match may have little consequences for their respec- at square leg. The South African tail tive campaigns, India, roared on by a blue-clad, flag- then expired quickly. soon afterwards. Faf du Plessis was the Proteas’ waving army of fans will have reaped a huge confi- Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 3-41 to lead top-scorer with 55, the skipper’s 30 the only dence boost from downing the highly-fancied South the India bowling, with fast bowler Mohammed other notable contribution. World Cup results and standings Africans following their emotional opening win over Shami and medium pacer Mohit grabbing two wick- “You always feel the pressure of chasing Pakistan. Melbourne resident Dhawan’s sparkling ets each. South Africa’s selectors dropped Farhaan 300, like playing shots you may not want to,” Pool A ton anchored century-plus partnerships with Virat Behardien in favour of Wayne Parnell and the move said de Villiers. “But the top six are there to win At Dunedin Kohli (46) and Rahane as AB de Villiers’ men toiled on back-fired with the fast-bowling all-rounder conced- games. Two run-outs in the top five is not Afghanistan 232 all out (Asghar Stanikzai 54) v Sri Lanka 236-6 (Mahela a steamy day in the field after losing the toss. ing 85 runs from his nine overs. —Reuters what we want. “It was a disappointing per- formance with both bat and ball. No excuses, Jayawardene 100) we should have come up better today.” The Sri Lanka won by four wickets captain said losing the toss and batting sec- ond under lights contributed to South Africa’s Pool B defeat. At Melbourne “It was a good wicket to bat on in the after- India 307-7 (Shikhar Dhawan 137, Ajinkya Rahane 79) v South Africa 177 all out noon,” he said. “But there was wear and tear in (Faf du Plessis 55) the evening. Without making excuses, I can India won by 130 runs say it was a bit two-paced as the match went on. “It was a big knock for us to be beaten by Played won lost tied N/R points run rate 130 runs. We need to lick our wounds a while Pool A because confidence takes a knock.” New Zealand 3 3 0 0 0 6 +3.586 However, de Villiers was confident his team, Australia 2 1 0 0 1 3 +2.220 who’ve now won one and lost one at this tour- Bangladesh 2 1 0 0 1 3 +2.100 nament after seeing off Zimbabwe, will Sri Lanka 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.861 bounce back for their Pool B game against the Afghanistan 2 0 2 0 0 0 -1.175 West Indies in Sydney on Friday. “We have a Scotland 1 0 1 0 0 0 -3.039 mature group of players,” he said. “We need to England 2 0 2 0 0 0 -3.952 regroup before Friday and I am confident we will bounce back.” Pool B The overwhelming bulk of fans in a crowd of nearly 87,000 were India supporters but de India 2 2 0 0 0 4 +2.060 Villiers insisted a raucous atmosphere had not West Indies 2 1 1 0 0 2 +1.267 contributed to South Africa’s emphatic loss. Ireland 1 1 0 0 0 2 +0.618 “I don’t think that was the case,” he said. “As Zimbabwe 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.495 Hashim (Amla) said to me, India batted well. South Africa 2 1 1 0 0 2 -0.680 And we need to win games anywhere in the UAE 1 0 1 0 0 0 -0.258 world if we want to be the best cricket team in Pakistan 2 0 2 0 0 0 -2.260 MELBOURNE: Indian supporters cheer their team during their Cricket World Cup pool B match against South Africa. — AP the world. — AFP