Ball by ball commentary. Zimbabwe vs India, Micromax Cup, Bulawayo. First innings

Zimbabwe vs India
Game 1 of Micromax Cup 2010, Queens Park, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Weather: warm/hot day, 25 degree, clear blue sky

Pitch: A pinch of grass, probable to assist pacers for the first 5 or 7 overs. But both teams have many options for spin-

bowling. Pitch Reporter says bat first (but not fear chasing), Alan Donald in the studio says - chase.

Toss: Suresh Raina wins the toss in his first game as the captain of the Indian team, and chooses to bat first. Elton

Chigumbura, Zim's captain for today, is not sad about chasing. So, both captains are happy with the toss :-)

Teams:-

Zimbabwe - Masakadza, Brendan Taylor, Greg Lamb, Craig Ervine(Debut), Charles Coventry, Elton Chigumbura, Andy Blignaut,

Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya, Ray Price, Chrisopher Mpofu

India - Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Ashok Dinda (debut), Dinesh Karthik, Amit Mishra, Yusuf Pathan, Rohit

Sharma, Murali Vijay, Vinay Kumar (Debut), Umesh Yadav (Debut)

The Indian pace battery makes a collective debut in this match.
The Zimbabwean side has around twice the experience of the Indian side

1st Innings : India to bat, Zimbabwe to field

PowerPlay-1 (mandatory) - overs 1-10

Murali Vijay and Dinesh Karthik the openers, both RHB. Karthik on strike.

Over 1 by Mpofu (right arm fast)

.1 Some shape away from the stumps, forward in defense is Karthik. Not much pace on the ball. 3rd man, point, 2 slips,

covers, mid off.
.2 Same ball, driven to mid off. 0/0 thus far
.3 Out-Swinging ball, full on the off stump, driven on the bounce back to the bowler.
.4 A bit more pace on the ball. Good length, touch of outswing, good to see. driven softly to cover. No run yet.
.5 FOUR! Short, wide, moving away, put away over point towards the cover point boundary for an easy boundary by DK. First

runs on the board.
.6 Good length outside off. defended to cover by DK

4/0 after 1 over.

Over 2 by Elton Chigumbura (RHMF)
.1 FOUR! Short and wide to Vijay, and he spanks it past the point for a first-ball four
.2 Wide+FOUR. wide down the leg side, no swinging back for Elton, and this ball runs down to the boundary
.2 Yorker length. tapped back. no run
.3 Good Length, rather just short of good length, well outside off, let alone to keeper
.4 Left alone again, to a ball drifting inside. Finally some movement for Elton. harmless though.
.5 Ball on the legs, flicked to fine leg for a single. DK on strike now to face Elton.
.6 good length, away from the stumps let alone by DK

14/0 after 2 overs
This was the track where Charles Coventry amassed 194 not out against Bangladesh last yr to equal the then record for highest

ODI score, only to be broken by Sachin Tendulkar early this yr

Over 3 by Mpofu
.1 Vijay get a leading edge on the ball that was on the stumps, swinging lightly, falls safely towards point.
.2 Played this ball better on defense, as locals cheer Mpofu.
.3 A bit slow, outside off, driven hard to cover, not for runs.
Taibu had a foot injury yesterday, and is hence off. Brendon Taylor is keeping
.4 Swinging ball outside off left alone
.5 Short ball outside off, let alone to the keeper. Vijay is preferring to watch the ball lose its shine slowly.
.6 Well bowled, good length just outside off. No runs. First maiden over of the series.

14/0 after 3 overs
Over 4 by Elton

.1 Wide Left alone to the keeper by DK, ball was well outside off, just called wide
.1 Wide +2... wide down the leg and they take some runs on it, two of them
.2 Short of good length slapped for four towards cover by DK, nice aggressive shot.
.3 Wide Another big wide down the leg side, and Taylor saves it from a boundary
.3 Wide+4 - this time, it goes for four down the leg. Elton is not in his elements...
.3 Wide+4 - and again. Taylor has dived to the leg side for five times already to Elton today
around the wicket now, he needs the change in angle
.3 No-Ball. Is this worse? Batsman take two, and get a free hit
.3 Free hit - DK scoops it high in the sky!!!!!!!! And mid off takes it. Price it was. Nothing to be happy about, it was a

free hit. A single.
.4 Vijay takes a two on the ball bowled full in length on the pads.
.5 Short on the off stump, cut down to 3rd man region for one.
.6 DK to face Elton, and this ball was on good length and good spot, and Elton will want to take a break after that marathon

over. Me too!

People stopped counting in the middle of that over.
2 overs, 36 reads Elton's card.
India are 40-0 without fireworks after 4

Over 5 by Mpofu
.1 On the pads of Vijay, appeal for an LBW, but contact was not in line, ball moving past the stumps.
.2 Same line, defended to mid on.
.3 On the off stump on a good legth, tapped down to square of fine leg, fine leg resctricts to one.
.4 Short fast ball, rising high on DK, who tries to hook, but ball balloons off his helmet towards gully, they take a run,

declared leg bye, this.
Mpofu has been good today.
.5 Slower ball on the off stump, good length, the 'off cutter' was right on spot. Murali not interested in any shot, defends.
.6 Again, defended back to bowler.

India are 42-0 after 5 unexplosive, yet, charitable overs.

Elton is off, Spinner Ray Price introduced into the attack (Left arm othodox)

Over 6 by Ray Price
.1 Tapped to leg side. no run
.2 Wide. DK tries to reverse sweep, but was wide
.2 Wide. this end is jinxed...
.2 tapped to leg side, no run, may have been a wide had DK not played it
.3 Reverse sweeps to point! no run.
.4 Single to mid on. Ball isn't turning yet.
.5 Wide of the crease, quick, into the pads, tapped to short mid wicket by VJ. no run
.6 No run again, same play.

45-0 after 6 overs

Over 7 by Mpofu
.1 Short of good length over the stumps to DK, front foot drive, only back to the bowler.
.2 Short of legth on the leg stump, this time, flicked to square leg for a single.
.3 Wide. Short, wide down the leg side. Just lost direction. lesser movement now.
.3 Good length outside off, let alone to the keeper.
.4 Slow ball on the pads, safely and softly tapped onto the leg side, and they scramble for a single.
.5 DK on strike to Mpofu, leaves the ball alone, was outside the off, and just shaped away from the stumps.
.6 Fuller ball, driven past short cover for a single.

49-0 after 7 overs

Over 8 by Ray
.1 Wide again from around the stumps
.1 on the leg stump, to short fine leg
.2 On off stump, driven to short mid on.
.3 On the off again, driven on the back foot to long on by DK
.4 Same play by Vijay this time, single to long on
.5 from wide around the stumps, onto the leg stump, square drive to deep square leg
.6 yorker, defended by Vijay

53-0 after 8

Over 9 by Mpofu
small crowd
.1 Short, not wide enuogh for that cut shot DK wanted to play, ended up jabbing it to cover. ZIM know India is weak on short

balls...not able to exploit it though, not much pace.
.2 good ball on the off stump, defended back to Mpofu by DK.
Sun is shining bright now
.3 Now, another short ball, a bit more pace and effort on it. DK tried to pull, but no contact, good carry to the keeper.
.4 DK, flicks this out onto the off side from over the middle stump past square leg for two runs
Mpofu runs in, DK stops. her we go again, so.
.5 Good ball over the off stump or just away from it... Defended back to him.
.6 OUT!!! Slow ball on the off stump, driven with the effort of the wrists to the leg, DK shouts 'two' runs the first one

hard... Vijay unsure about the second run comes off the crease, DK sends him back... Taylor collcts the ball 2 meter away

from the stumps and back-flips at the stumps without looking at the stumps and Murali Vijay's bat is not home when the bails

fall down and a soft dismissal this... Zim make the breakthrough (5 overs 11 is Mpofu)
Vijay - run out - 11

Virat Kohli comes in.

56-1 after 9 by Ray
Over 10
.1 Wide. another wide down the leg
.1 Defends the ball on the Leg stump
.2 Defends a full ball on the off
.3 OUT!!! Reverse sweeps a ball to behind pont and the fielder Elton shoots a ball at the stumps and direct hit is gonna

account for Virat Kohli... This is poor decision making by the young Virat Kohli, out for 0 without facing a ball
Kohli, run out - 0
.4 Rohit sharma is in. Slower ball at the off. Defended
.5 This ball on the leg beats him, hits pad, no trouble
.6 Foxed once again by the non turning ball fro wide of the crease... Rohit looking out of touch

57-2 after 10

Bowling Power Play taken 11-15
Over 11 by Utseya (RH slow/off break)
Off Break ex-captain
.1 On the off stump, back foot drive to deep square leg.
.2 from wide of the crease, onto the off, defended by Rohit
.3 A little more wide of the stumps, punched to mid off. o run
.4 Ball not turning, same place, but no run again.
.5 tries to cut a ball too close to the stump, trickles to point.
.6 full on leg stump, driven straght to bowler.

58-2 after 11. Quick over by Prosper.

Over 12 by Ray
.1 DK hits the ball behind the crease to short fine leg for no run.
.2 this ball, on the leg stump, and DK pulls the not so short ball over sid wicket for a single
.3 Rohit hits to mid wicket, misfield, but no runs stolen
.4 Full outside off, defended by Rohit.
.5 A bit of a turn off the seam. Rohit sitting on 0 from 11 ball, taps it to mid wicket.
.6 Another dot ball, after tucking this ball to square leg and not willing to take a single, after seeing what has happened

thus far.

59/2 after 12

Over 13 by Prosper
.1 driven to deep cover for 1
.2 Rohit gets off the mark with a cut to deep point
.3 OUT!!! DK tries to cut a ball that wasn't short enough to do so, and nicks it to Taylor. Utseya claims his first for the

day! And ZIM are jubiliant, echoed by the sparse crowd which may thicken if the procession continues.
DK caught Taylor, b Utseya, 22.
New captain, Raina at the crease earlier than he expected
.4 Raina defends the ball from around the wicket.
.5 Tries to cut this ball, only to point. no run.
.6 This ball on the leg, turns, but not much, tucked to square leg for a single, and Raina is off the mark

62/3 after 13

Over 14 by Greg Lamb (Right arm off break)
.1 Around the wicket on the off stump of Raina, driven on the back foot to covers. no run.
.2 Raina takes a single on the off side on the full length ball, playing inside off to convers
.3 Over the wicket, rohit drives it to mid wicket.
.4 Ball on the off, turned to mid on now, no run again.
.5 This ball on the leg stump, is helped towards square leg for a single
.6 Raina wanted a hit and run, and was in trouble, lucky for him the throw was unusually wide.

64/3 after 14

Over 15 by Utseya
.1 wide spread field, and wide of the crease bowls prosper, back foot drive into the open space towards cover by Rohit for 1
.2 Aroun the wicket on Raina's legs, full, driven for one to long on... Raina denies the second run.
.3 Over the wicket Slow outside off, full, driven back to bowler.
.4 Back foot punch beyond cover for a single
.5 Around. On the off, slapped straight to covers.
.6 Now on the middle stump, driven to long on.

68-3 after 15, end of power play.
Raina is moving his feet well, coming to the pitch of the ball, and middling.

Over 16 by Lamb
.1 Full on the off from around, straight to coveres, no run to raina.
.2 Forward in defence to the ball that pitched on the middle and held its line.
.3 Outside the off, moces away, driven off the back foot to point, no run.
.4 Defended straight bak, the ball was full on the middle.
.5 Waits on back foot and cuts the slightly short wide ball beyon a diving point fielder.
.6 Over the wicket to Rohit who charges but just tucks the ball to the fine leg fielder. Good over

69-3 after 16. ZIM have pulled back into the match after that horrific start by Elton Chigumbura

Over 17 by Utseya
.1 On the off to Raina from around the wicket - single down to long off
.2 Rohit comes down a foot to play this ball to long on, was bowled from over
.3 Switches to around, and the touch to square leg gives Raina a single
over the wicket now
.4 Rohit with some back lift, but soft touch to the bowler, no run
.5 ball bowled Wide of the stumps, cut abckward of point by Rohit.
.6 Driven beyond the cover fielder for a single.

74/3 after 17 over.
Drinks break

This break gets over so fast!! Did they even drink anything???

Over 18 by Lamb
.1 Played to the off side for two by raina
.2 Cut to covers for one
.3 Rohit plays it to mid on
.4 Again, played on back foot to mid on
.5 Driven not so confidentally back to the bowler
.6 Plays from outside the off to long on

78/3 in 18 overs
Over 19 by utseya
.1 Full on off, driven to the mid on
.2 Good length ball, driven again to mid on by Rohit, no run yet in the over
.3 Full outside off, cover driven to cover for a singel
.4 Stays over the wicket for Raina, and raina goes on the back foot and dabs it to long off for one.
.5 Wide of the crease, Utseya bowls, good length, driven to cover
.6 Same place, but driven to mid on, no run

80/3 after 19

Over 20 by Lamb
.1 to Raina, around the wicket, on the off, holds the line played to cover, no run.
.2 Good length ball on the middle stumps, no run as Raina goes forward in defense.
.3 Short and wide and turns away from Raina, but he was too deep in his crease to cut it hard, takes an edge to short third

man, no run.
.4 Goes inside out, but hits back to the bowler, the ball was full on the middle stump.
.5 FOUR! This time he connects it better and the ball goes almost for a six. one bounce four.
.6 Good length ball on the leg, tucked behind square leg for 1

85/3 in 20 overs.

Over 21 In comes cremer, leg spinner
.1 Over the wicket to Raina, outside off, and no problem cutting it to deep cover for a single.
.2 Nice air to the ball, on the leg stump, spins a bit, driven on the front foot to long on by Rohit
.3 Denfended in front of off stump on the front foot by Raina.
.4 This time driven to long on, the ball was full on middle and turning to leg stump
.5 Defended in front of the off stump by Rohit, no run.
.6 Rohit comes down the track and lobs the ball over the infield, falls well short of long off

89-3 after 21

Cotton candies, in the little stadium. Mouth watering.

Over 22 by Lamb
.1 Rohit comes down the track again, drives hard to long off again
.2 Around the wicket. good ball, good length on the off, holds the line, driven softly to cover. no run.
.3 On the legs, and tapped behind square for a single
.4 On the off stump, full, driven back to bowler
.5 On the middle stump, driven on the front foot to long on. Milking the spinners now
.6 Cut off the back foot, to the point fielder, but Raina.

92/3 after 22

Over 23 by Cremer
.1 Slow ball outside off, looped over the ring to long off for one, by Rohit
.2 On the middle and leg full, and he taps it behind square leg for a single
.3 Attempts a sweep on the leg stump ball, doesn't connect well. no run. ball stops there
.4 Defended back to the bowler on the front foot
.5 Bowled on the leg side, driven to the bowler.
.6 Driven to long on

95/3 after 23
New face Indian side here today and the commentators busy talking about Sachi and Azharuddin

Over 24 by Lamb
.1 Rohit comes down the trackas usual, and slaps hard straight down the ground, but the ball hits the non striker stump and

goes to long off. single taken
.2 On the leg from around the wkt, no run.
.3 Raina defends this one back to bowler, was on the leg stump, but he wanted to play an inside out shot, didn't work
.4 Tapped the ball on leg stump to deep square leg
.5 Rohit hits the ball behind the crease to short fine leg, no run
.6 Charges this time, yorks himself, but gets the ball beyond mid wicket for one

98/3 after 24

Over 25 by Cremer
.1 Full on off, no run
.2 Full on off, Rohit takes his front leg away and hits the ball to long off
.3 Raina gets to the pitch of the ball and tries to get it past short cover, where Andy Blignaut makes a good save. no run
.4 On the leg, put away on the leg side onlt till mid wicket, no run.
.5 Driven to long on
.6 on the legs, tucked behind the keeper for 2

102/3 on the half way mark

Over 26 by Ray price
.1 Over the wkt to Raina, who comes forward and drives to long off.
.2 Around the wkt to Rohit, on the middle stump, little turn, punch only as far mid on. no run.
.3 Comes down the track this time, connects well, and the ball spills off Ray's hands and races down to the straight

boundary and Ervine and Coverntary combine to save 2 runs
.4 One run to long off
.5 Single take off the cut to cover.
.6 Sweeps the ball from the off stump, only to short fine leg. no run

107/3 after 26. Good flow of runs off late for India, run rate sitting at just over 4 nevertheless

Over 27 by Cremer
.1 FOUR!!! Full on the leg and raina hoiks it to past long on for four
.2 driven to long off for 1
.3 driven to long off by rohit
.4 raina tries to cut, but misses.
.5 raina flicks this one to leg side for 1
.6 drives past cover for 1

115/3 after 27

Over 28 by Ray
.1 around to rohit, defended
.2 sweeps but misses.
.3 driven on the front foot to long on
.4 back foot drive, to long on by raina
.5 this time connects the sweep, and gets one to square leg
.6 driven to bowler..

118/3 after 28 overs

Over 29 by Cremer
.1 Rohit goes down the track and lofts the ball to long on, falls short. one run results
.2 Around for the first time to raina... Defended back to him
.3 Wide way from the off stump and cut behind point for 2
.4 Driven past covers for a single on a ball outside off
.5 Rohit scoops the ball over cover off his front foot for a single.
.6 Raina pulls this from the middle stump to the empty region between long on and deep mid-wicket for two

125/3 after 29

Over 30 by Mpofu
Mpofu back on for his second spell before the ball is replaced
.1 Slow, on the off stump, tucked to mid wicket. no runs for Rohit
.2 Placed past cover and mid off covers up, and the batsmen take asingle, Elton's throw just wide of the stumps, Rohit was in

trouble there
.3 Raina gets a single by placing the ball to deep cover from the ball on the off stump.
.4 Rohit comfortably pulls the short ball to '45' for a single.
.5 Angled across the stump, Raina defends well off the back foot.
.6 OUT!!! Raina goes down the track and Mpofu bowls a short one and Raina jumps animatedly to put the ball away, but ends up

nicking it to the keeper.
Raina - c Tailor, b Mpofu - 37

He was starting to play well, was well settled, and then this horrendous shot.
Ravindra Jadeja comes in to replace Raina

128/4 after 30

Over 31 by Utseya (also back into the attack)
.1 full outside off, takes a single towards cover
.2 Ravi to face Utseya, who goes around the wicket. full on the off, no run, driven softly to bowler
.3 Full on off again, driven to mid on
.4 Full on leg, driven past mid on for a single.
.5 Rohit taps the full ball from outside off to long on.
.6 good length on the middle, hit straight to mid on . no run

131/4 after 31

Over 32 by Lamb
.1 Rohit gets this one on his pads, deflected down the leg side for a single.
.2 Field is a bit in for Ravi. Around the wkt, on the off stump, no run.
.3 Good length on the leg, tucked to the leg side for a single. Blignaut the fielder
.4 Rohit steps down but plays cautiously to mid on. no run
.5 Sweeps this one on the leg to fine leg.
.6 Good length on the off, driven to cover for no runs

134/4 after 32


Over 33 by Utseya
.1 Yorker on the middle, helplessly driven back to bowler
.2 wide of the crease, darted onto leg stump, ful, driven to mid on. no runs
.3 full outside off, lofter to long off for one
.4 Ravi faces Utseya . around the wkt, on the middle, with some turn. defended for no run.
.5 drives this full ball on the off to long off for a single
.6 Rohit tucks the ball on the leg stump to square leg for a single

137/4 after 33 @ 4.15 an over.

Over 34 by Lamb
.1 Rohit charges and lofts it over the infield, goes over the coverm but only for two. Rohit has shown intention but hasn't

scored any boundary
.2 Tucked to leg side, square leg fielder restricts to a single.
.3 Around the wkt, outside off, no run as ravi picks mid on..
crowd getting nosier here
.4 full on leg, ravi doesn't get any power on it, ball goes to square leg.
.5 Taps it on the front foot to long on for a single
.6 Rohit gets a ball very full on the off and hits to long on.

142/4 after 34.
The ball will be changed now.
Harder ball, easier to score off, if you look from batsman's perspective. More bounce, from a bowler's perspecive

Over 35 by Utseya
.1 Rohit is on 41. He taps this ball on off stump to mid on. no run
.2 Utseya wide of the crease. Rohit cuts this wide ball to deep point. misfield gives him an extra run
.3 full on leg, no run. driven back to bowler
.4 Waits and plays this to mid wicket, no run yet again. utseya keeping it neat
.5 Mid wicket a little deep this time, and they take a single on the soft touch
.6 Around, trickles to square leg

146/4 after 35

Over 36 by Cremer
.1 Bowled short on the leg to Ravi, and he tucks it past fine leg, who chases it down to keep it to just two. Good fieldins
.2 Raina flicks, and the ball takes a leading edge and falls just half a foot infront of Cremer
.3 Another confusion in the middle, Ravi jadeja wanted a quick single, rightly sent back, and just in time!
.4 Wide. wide dn the leg side
.4 another leading edge balloons to point, safely, single taken (150 up)
.5 pushes at this ball, and Rohit dabs it to wide of long off, single results
.6 Big spin on this one, comes back in from outside the off stump bowled over the wicket. no run

152-4 after 36
Drinks..

Over 37 by Blignaut!!! RHM
.1 Angled across, left alone by Ravi
.2 Angled onto the off stump from over the wkt, driven to covers. No acceleration yet
.3 Ravi cuts this square and away from 3rd man, gets two
.4 short on leg stump, hits off the hips to square leg - mid wicket junction and takes two again
.5 Wide outside off, umpire says the ball was inside the line, so, not a 'wide'
.6 Cuts the shortish ball outside ball to 3rd man, where Coventry, wearing his specs, fields

157 - 4 after 37

Over 38 by Cremer
.1 Ravi dabs this full ball to long on for a single
Yusuf waiting in the ranks
.2 FOUR!!! Rohit lofts this short of length ball to deep mid wicket boundary, for his first 4 of the day... takes him to 49
.3 a single to point takes Rohit to his 50 (off 85 balls)
.4 Ravi is forward in defense a la Gambhir to this ball on off stump
.5 Rocks back and cuts it to forward of point for a single.
.6 Drives it to long off for 1

165 - 4, after 38.
Drinks it is now, for sure.
Spinners have been doing their work very fast. Running through the overs quite fast, and making my job quite difficult too!

Bowling in tandem, all four of them. Mpofu has been bowling well, still has four overs to go. Elton is yet to continue since

his blunder early on.

Over 39 by Price
.1 A single to long off for Rohit
.2 Slow on the off, deft in defense, no run
.3 Tapts this beyond mid wicket for two. Ray shouts to the fielder 'bowler!! bowler!!' but rohit is back safely.
.4 No run this time, mid wicket cuts it off.
.5 Ravi drives behind mid wicket for a jog to the other side of the crease
.6 Now Rohit stabs this one to cover for a single

170/4 after 39
Match is boring this far said my friend, Toshi

Over 40 by Lamb
.1 SIX First ball, Rohit stands and deliver, pull this hard over square leg fence for a six (happy, toshi?)
.2 No run this time, full ball on the off
.3 Steps out and drives to mid on
.4 Sweeps to square leg for a single
.5 Fired onto the middle stump from around, no run.
.6 Same place, same result

177/4 after 40.
India will be looking to accelerate now. Ravi is middling things well, And Rohit is well set.

Over 41 by Utseya
.1 widespread field to Rohit. Fired on the leg, BIG appeal, Umpire not interested, impact outside the line of the stumps
.2 Steps out to take a single to long on
.3 On the back foot, dabs to cover. no run
.4 cuts ahead of point fielder, take three runs. Blignaut comes from covers to return the ball.
.5 Rohit hits over the infield to cover boundary, Mpofu, good in the field today, saves two runs just inside the ropes
.6 Single to long on off the good length ball

Rohit has some issues with the Umpire Brian Jerling. Solved now
184/4 after 41

Over 42 by Cremer
.1 Wide outside off, driven to point for one by Rohit
.2 Ravi takes a single by driving to his cover fielder
.3 FOUR!!! Rohit slaps this ball slightly short on the middle stump to the midwicket boundary. Good shot that, off the front

foot
.4 single down to long on (highest score for Rohit in ODIs)
.5 Bowled on the middle, ravi goes back and punches to long on
.6 Driven to cover, quickly fielded and no run off it

192/ 4 after 42
Batting powerplay. overs 43-47
remember, yusuf is waiting to come in

Over 43 by Ray Price now
.1 Single to square leg by Rave
.2 wide from the crease, into the stumps, tucked to cover, no run
.3 FOUR!!! Vents the frustration now, goes inside out over cover for four. good shot again by Rohit
.4 Gets this one on the leg stump and drives to cover, Ray chased him, no run.
.5 Single to long on.
.6 Misses a sweep, ball misses the stumps too

198/4 afer 43.
India may be looking at a score over 260 odd atleast.
More fireworks may take them past 270. Lets wait and watch (read)

Over 44 by Mpofu, back for his third spell. He has four overs to go
.1 Bowls full toss, low on the leg stump, Rohit makers room and plays to deep mid wicket for a single
Mpofu the only seving pacer
.2 FOUR!!! Ravi punches this ball over the infield and the ball runs to the long off boundary... not the best shot, not off

the middle of the bat, but had enough power on it (200 up)
.3 full toss on the off stump, single towards mid on.
.4 SIX!!! Rohit on Strike. SHort ball to Rohit, rises onto his chest, and India's best puller hoiks it over fine leg boundary

for another SIX... great batting by Rohit today!
.5 FOUR long off and long on, fine leg - the three men outside the ring. into the blockhole on the leg stump, and my word!!

Rohit makes room outside leg and cramped for space, drives it between point and cover for four! great shot!
.6 Hit this on the front foot to long off for a single.
Good over this. 17 off it

215-4 after 44 overs.
3 more overs in the power play

Over 45 by Ray Price
.1 wide of the crease, lobbed to long off on the bounce by Rohit
.2 Ravi get a ball full on the middle, hits for a single to mid wicket
.3 Rohit drives to long on for another single
.4 Ravi pulls this one between the riders at long on and deep mid wicket.. good shot off the back foot.
.5 cheeky cut to short 3rd man, but no run.
.6 In the block hole, cut to long on.

223/4 after 45

Over 46 by Mpofu
.1 Single to long on by Ravi
Advertising for Micromax mobiles, the commentators on television
.2 SIX!!! High full toss by Mpofu to Rohit, the yourker-gone-wrong ball and Rohit might just have hit a lion or two by

sending the ball into the woods. Huge Six over mid wicket
.3 No run, fielded at cover.
.4 Hit to cover again, but they sneek a single
still talking about the Mobile phones...
.5 Ravi hits it 100 yards in the sky!!! The balls falls down between two gaping fielders, no one calls for it and ravi takes

two.
.6 misses a pull and the keeper misses the ball... they take a bye

234/4 after 46, four more to go. Looks like Yusuf may not be needed at all, Rohit is good enough, approaching his first ODI

century, a well paced innings

Over 47 by Ray Price
.1 Ravi charges, ray sees it, no run restuks.
.2 FOUR!!! Ravi stays in crease this time and slaps it behind square leg for a four... good placement
.3 full toss on the leg stump, hit to long on for 1
Rohit's last 50 came off 30
.4 SIX!!! Century for Rohit Sharma, first in ODIs! Charged down the track and takes on the full and lofts over cover for a six.
.5 Sweeps the next ball from middle stump to get two, denies a third
.6 FOUR!!! Sweeps this one from the leg stumo easily for four this time... Good end to the powerplays

251 /4 after 47. all set for a big score over 275!

Over 48 by Mpofu
.1 Short outside off, Rave takes it on the up and hits to deep cover, misfield, they take two .
.2 on the leg stump, Ravi nudges it for a single to deep mid wicket. Everyone as far placed as possible
.3 Hit hard by Rohit to long off, take a single, the fielder's direct hit allows the batsmen for another run.
.4 FOUR!! Rohit on strike. A high full toss, and Rohit cuts it beyond keeper for a four... Not a above-the-waist no-ball confirms the umpire. Rohit upset with it.
.5 OUT!!! Rohit gets this slow ball and he pulls, pulls hard only to find the ball looping down to just behind the crease in the leg side, for the gloved man taylor to call and pouch it safely
Rohit Sharma - c Taylor, b Mpofu 114
A very well paced innings, got into the grove and then got over the Zimbabweans.
Yusuf comes in to bat
Two run outs, and three caught behinds in this game thus far.
.6 Ravi gets a ball outside the off stump, plays to point on his back foot and takes a single

261/3 after 48 overs

Over 49 by
.1 Ravi on 48... Utseya to bowl, hit straight back at the bowler, no run.
.2 Ravi spanks this over the infield, Andy Blignaut did well to field the ball that took a bad spin and sends the ball back quickly, only a single
.3 SIX!!! Yusuf at the crease. Wide of the crease to him, and first ball is a huge six over long on, picked from outside off stump
.4 FOUR!!! Full outside off and this ball is lofted towards cover boundary for a four. Yusuf means business here
.5 Quicker ball, oly a single to cover on off side
.6 Ravi on 49, takes a single to long on for a well made fifty, quick one too, just 57 balls. He gave Rohit good company in that big partnership.

274/5 after 49

Over 50 by Mpofu
Mpofu to end the proceedings
.1 Ravi to face ball one, scoops it just beyond mid off for two... that was a blind shot, didn't middle it, ball was slow too
.2 FOUR!!! This time, he picks the full ball on the off stump and hits it hard to long on boundary for four! good shot!
.3 FOUR!!! A short slow ball, Ravi waits in his crease and pull hard on the back foot to the deep mid wicket boundary for aother four.
.4 Mpofu comes around the wicket to ravi, just a single to long on off the full ball
.5 Yusuf waits for Mpofu. Short ball, very short, but ball balloons, Yusuf leaves it alone, no wide signalled, so, a ball wasted by Yusuf
.6 Another short ball, Yusuf gives it an Almighty swing, but doesn't connect, and the Umpire signals the end of the innings.


285/5 is how it ends after 50 overs.
Zimbabwe, Elton in particular started off very poorly and then on, the things slowed down with the two run outs in quick succession. the spinners were good. Then Rohit and Ravi combined for a 132 run partnership. Rohit with a hundred and Ravi with a fifty got a good score on the board for India.

Mpofu was the only consistent bowler for Zimbabwe, but he too was carted all over the place in his final spell. The Spinners, Ray and Utseya were a touch better than Cremer and Lamb over the complete period of time.

Will be back for the second innings.


285/5 in 5o overs are India.
Rohit - 114,
Ravi -61
Mpofu - 63/2