England Thrash India in Opener

Javed Akhtar, Arab News

England’s Stephen Harmison celebrates taking a hat trick against India in the NatWest Challenge cricket match at Trent Bridge on Wednesday. (Photo by Javed Akhtar) TRENT BRIDGE, 2 September 2004 — England thrashed India by seven wickets in the opening match of the NatWest Challenge yesterday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-game series. It was yet another pitiful batting display by India who were all out for 170 and England replied with 171 for three in 32.2 overs. The star of England’s victory was debutant fast bowler Alex Wharf who dismissed India’s top three batsmen for just eight runs at one stage. He was a worthy winner of the man of the match award. Fast bowler Stephen Harmison became only the second England bowler to take a hat trick as he dismissed India’s last three batsmen off successive deliveries. The difference between the two bowling sides was obvious. While the bigger and stronger Englishmen got a lot of lift and bounce from the wicket, the Indians failed to do so. And the Indian batting miserably failed again. This time, however, they were not chasing a target but rather setting it. Vaughan won the toss and put the visitors in. They were immediately in trouble. Sehwag tried to flick Gough but played too soon and off the top of the bat, the ball ballooned to mid-on where Vaughan took a simple catch. The top order batsmen all perished playing irresponsible strokes. Ganguly and Laxman looked like setting up a big total when they added 52 off 54 balls. But then the slide was started by debutant Alex Wharf. The 29-year-old Glamorgan fast bowler dismissed three Indian batsmen in 14 balls conceding only eight runs. In his very first over, Ganguly was dropped in short cover off a stiff shot by Flintoff. But the very next ball he top-edged trying to pull and wicketkeeper Jones ran back to take a well-judged catch. In his next over Wharf had Laxman driving and edging to Jones to become his second victim. And when Dravid also went caught in the deep as he tried to pull Wharf, India were in deep trouble at 80 for four. Their cup of woes got fill to the brim when Yuvraj was run out going for the third run as Ashley Giles threw straight to the wicketkeeper and the third umpire ruled him out. India had lost their top five batsmen in the 19th over for only 89. But thereafter Mohammed Kaif batted responsibly and with Rohan Gavaskar gave some respectability to the Indian total. They added 40 for the sixth wicket before Rohan was smartly caught at point off Flintoff for 20. Irfan offered an easy return catch to Giles whose 10 overs cost 25 runs. Kaif reached his half century in 78 balls, with the help of four hits to the fence. He fell off the next ball as Harmison mopped up the tail to take a hat trick. Kaif was given caught behind but the decision by umpire David Shepherd seemed harsh. The next ball hit Balaji in the forearm but he was also given out and Harmison became only the second Englishman to complete a one-day hat trick when Nehra gave him a simple return catch. England needed to score at less than 3.5 runs an over and were given a fluent start by openers Trescothick and Solanki who put on 63 runs at more than five runs an over. Balaji then dealt two quick blows. He had Trescothick caught at point and then had Vaughan edging to Dravid. England were 65 for two. But the target was too small to defend. After Solanki was trapped leg before by Irfan for 52 which had eight boundaries and came off 75 balls, Flintoff and Strauss smashed their way to give England a comfortable victory. Flintoff made big-hitting look so easy as he slammed three huge sixes in his unbeaten 34 and Strauss was 41 not out. England had won with 17.4 overs to spare.