Vikrant
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- Apr 20, 2013
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The second semi-final, like the first, was a stroll for the side batting second. India, yet to be stretched in this tournament, defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets with 15 overs to spare and now await England at Edgbaston on Sunday. They do so confident that they can win there whatever the weather brings.
Sri Lanka were thrashed in archetypal English/Welsh conditions. Cardiff was granite grey; there was moisture in the air, though mercifully the rain stayed away; there was movement off the pitch and MS Dhoni, who had another stress-free day, won the toss and sent his opponents out to bat. His side exploited that advantage ruthlessly.
Already the floodlights were gleaming, casting three or four shadows around every fieldsman. Had this been a Test match it is conceivable that not a ball would have been bowled all day, but there was a welcome urgency among the officials to get things moving. It was tougher for the batsmen to do the same. At Sri Lanka's least favourite hunting ground on this island they were bowled out for 138 here earlier in the tournament and for 82 in their one Test match in Cardiff in 2011 batting was a trial.
The handicaps mounted. The loss of Kusal Perera was not so surprising he mustered just 14 runs in four Champions Trophy innings but the departure of Tillakaratne Dilshan, retired hurt in the fifth over, was a real blow.
Dilshan damaged the calf muscle in his right leg while completing a drive through the leg-side. It soon became apparent, after he had painfully hopped a single, that he could not continue now that a runner is no longer permitted in international cricket. Dilshan had already hit two crisp boundaries and he looked the one Sri Lankan batsman capable of disturbing Dhoni's serenity. Under the new regulations regarding a runner he had no choice but to leave the field. His plight highlighted the foolishness of this change.
It is true that international sides have been guilty of pushing the boundaries when they have replaced ponderous fielders with twelfth men who can run like gazelles. But it is an incredibly rare occurrence for a batting side to bring on a runner on dubious grounds for one obvious reason: the advent of a runner even if he is swift between the wickets significantly increases the risk of a run-out. It is daft to have one for no good reason. So for most of the innings Dilshan had to look on helplessly from the balcony.
Dhoni sensed his opportunity. He kept his seamers on and his field up. Suresh Raina emphasised the transformation of India as a fielding side by effortlessly taking three sharp chances at second slip.
Sri Lanka's senior citizens, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, plus their captain, Angelo Mathews, did their best to haul their side out of a rut. They tried to block out the seamers in the hope that they could accelerate later in the innings but even though Sri Lanka batted their 50 overs that acceleration never came to pass.
As if it was the most routine ploy in the world, Dhoni removed his pads after the 23rd over and Dinesh Karthik took over behind the stumps. In these conditions Dhoni would bowl some of his seamers. His second ball saw umpire Aleem Dar raise his finger as he gave Jayawardene lbw. Are there no limits to what Dhoni can do on a cricket field? Well, yes, there are. Jayawardene asked for a review and an inside edge was spotted. So a dramatic intervention was stymied. Even so, Dhoni's decision to have a bowl reflected India's current confidence and bravado.
A target of 182 never taxed India. There was a 77-run opening partnership before Rohit Sharma missed an expansive drive against Mathews. Meanwhile Shikhar Dhawan, dropped by Mathews at slip on 18, continued on his merry way. In the end he was stumped off the leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis for 68 but by then, with Virat Kohli near his fluent best, the outcome was decided. England will have to find a way to get rid of Dhawan cheaply on Sunday. They may have several options starting with Jimmy Anderson, no doubt but they will not include a leg-spinner enticing him out of his crease.
India cruise into Champions Trophy final with easy win over Sri Lanka | Sport | The Guardian
Sri Lanka were thrashed in archetypal English/Welsh conditions. Cardiff was granite grey; there was moisture in the air, though mercifully the rain stayed away; there was movement off the pitch and MS Dhoni, who had another stress-free day, won the toss and sent his opponents out to bat. His side exploited that advantage ruthlessly.
Already the floodlights were gleaming, casting three or four shadows around every fieldsman. Had this been a Test match it is conceivable that not a ball would have been bowled all day, but there was a welcome urgency among the officials to get things moving. It was tougher for the batsmen to do the same. At Sri Lanka's least favourite hunting ground on this island they were bowled out for 138 here earlier in the tournament and for 82 in their one Test match in Cardiff in 2011 batting was a trial.
The handicaps mounted. The loss of Kusal Perera was not so surprising he mustered just 14 runs in four Champions Trophy innings but the departure of Tillakaratne Dilshan, retired hurt in the fifth over, was a real blow.
Dilshan damaged the calf muscle in his right leg while completing a drive through the leg-side. It soon became apparent, after he had painfully hopped a single, that he could not continue now that a runner is no longer permitted in international cricket. Dilshan had already hit two crisp boundaries and he looked the one Sri Lankan batsman capable of disturbing Dhoni's serenity. Under the new regulations regarding a runner he had no choice but to leave the field. His plight highlighted the foolishness of this change.
It is true that international sides have been guilty of pushing the boundaries when they have replaced ponderous fielders with twelfth men who can run like gazelles. But it is an incredibly rare occurrence for a batting side to bring on a runner on dubious grounds for one obvious reason: the advent of a runner even if he is swift between the wickets significantly increases the risk of a run-out. It is daft to have one for no good reason. So for most of the innings Dilshan had to look on helplessly from the balcony.
Dhoni sensed his opportunity. He kept his seamers on and his field up. Suresh Raina emphasised the transformation of India as a fielding side by effortlessly taking three sharp chances at second slip.
Sri Lanka's senior citizens, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, plus their captain, Angelo Mathews, did their best to haul their side out of a rut. They tried to block out the seamers in the hope that they could accelerate later in the innings but even though Sri Lanka batted their 50 overs that acceleration never came to pass.
As if it was the most routine ploy in the world, Dhoni removed his pads after the 23rd over and Dinesh Karthik took over behind the stumps. In these conditions Dhoni would bowl some of his seamers. His second ball saw umpire Aleem Dar raise his finger as he gave Jayawardene lbw. Are there no limits to what Dhoni can do on a cricket field? Well, yes, there are. Jayawardene asked for a review and an inside edge was spotted. So a dramatic intervention was stymied. Even so, Dhoni's decision to have a bowl reflected India's current confidence and bravado.
A target of 182 never taxed India. There was a 77-run opening partnership before Rohit Sharma missed an expansive drive against Mathews. Meanwhile Shikhar Dhawan, dropped by Mathews at slip on 18, continued on his merry way. In the end he was stumped off the leg-spinner Jeevan Mendis for 68 but by then, with Virat Kohli near his fluent best, the outcome was decided. England will have to find a way to get rid of Dhawan cheaply on Sunday. They may have several options starting with Jimmy Anderson, no doubt but they will not include a leg-spinner enticing him out of his crease.
India cruise into Champions Trophy final with easy win over Sri Lanka | Sport | The Guardian
