Mohanty, Harvinder savour their moment of glory

July 1, 2001

Debashis Mohanty, the almost forgotten seam bowler from Orissa, didn't get the Man of the Match award - it went to Sachin Tendulkar - but there is little doubt he was the toast of India's win against the West Indies in the fourth game of the triangular series yesterday.

The genial bowler himself was modest in his hour of glory, saying all he did was to put the ball in the right line and length. "I just concentrated on making the batsmen play - and restrict them even from scoring singles," said Mohanty, whose 3 for 18 from 10 overs, are the best bowling figures of the tournament so far.

Mohanty, whose last game was the tour-opener against Zimbabwe A - a good one month before yesterday's match - said he tries to do his best whenever given an opportunity. He didn't want to go as far as to suggest he would be an automatic choice in the eleven for the final.

"It depends on how I do in the next game on Wednesday (against the West Indies)," said Mohanty, a realistic assessment given the rare opportunities he gets to play.

The other bowling hero for India, Harvinder Singh, was happy too for his two for 25 in the game, including just two runs conceded in his final and 50th over of the West Indian innings.

Harvinder, who began his international career three seasons ago, was hampered by back injury in recent times which forced him to alter his action completely - from a side on he is now a front on bowler. "I did it to avoid injury," said Harvinder.

Indian captain Saurav Ganguly was pleased with the win and said everything went to plan. "It is good to see youngsters come and perform and I just hope the habit continues till the final," said Ganguly.

Ganguly, who looked in good nick yesterday, said he knew it was a matter of one innings which would get him going again. "After that knock (of 85 runs) against Zimbabwe on Wednesday, I was moving pretty nicely in my strokes in yesterday's game."

Ganguly got a harsh decision from the umpire when the ball deviated off his thigh pads and went to wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs when on 20. "Everything seems to be falling in place but for the umpire, it seems. Perhaps I now need to take umpires out for dinners," he said in a lighter vein.

Most of the Indian team, minus a few seniors, today left for Victoria Falls, a tourist attraction 350km north of Bulawayo. The team will play its final league game of the tournament against the West Indies on July 4 at the Harare Sports Club. The final is scheduled at the same venue on July 7.

© PTI

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Series/Tournaments

Coca-Cola Cup (Zimbabwe)

Teams

India