Beat West Indies by handsome 7 wkts

BRIDGETOWN (Barbados), May 30 (NNN): Indian cricket team registered its first-ever win in either form of game when it comprehensively defeated West Indies by a handsome 7 wickets in the third of the five-match series one-day international this Oval ground on Wednesday.

India captain Sourav Ganguly put the host team in after winning the toss and all the Indian bowlers did their best to bowl the West Indies all out for 186 in just 44.5 overs.

West Indian captain, Carl Hooper hit up an unbeaten 76 in just 75 balls but but ran out of partners when his last team's last seven batsmen were bundled out for a mere 73 runs and he was left stranded.

After the first two matches in the five-match series were washed out in Jamaica, the visitors now head to Trinidad needing just one win to clinch the series.

After the victory, India's captain Ganguly praised his team's all-round display.

"It was a good overall performance and we did well in all departments of the game," Ganguly said, adding : "When you play that way, more often than not, you are going to win." Ganguly's decision to bowl on winning the toss had surprised most observers but his bowlers justified the call by skittling out the home side for a paltry 186 in just 44.5 overs.

"The decision to bowl first was made due to a combination of several things - they played only three frontline bowlers, the wicket had a bit of juice in it in the morning, and we had seven batsmen," Ganguly said.

The West Indies went into the match with just three frontline seamers in Mervyn Dillon, Cameron Cuffy and Corey Collymore and looked short of resources to defend a small total as Dinesh Mongia led the charge with a 113-ball 74.

Windies captain, however, slammed his team for being complacent.

"We desperately wanted to win today but I just don't think we turned up to play cricket," Hooper said, adding : "We'll definitely have to sit down and have a look at the line-up" "It's probably because of the Test series win...we seem to have put our feet up and lost momentum." The West Indies won the five-match test series, 2-1.

The 35-year-old Hooper led by example with an unbeaten 76 in just 75 balls but ran out of partners.

"We've got to learn from matches like this and as professional cricketers you've got to know how to turn it on when it matters." Hooper and Ramnaresh Sarwan (44) added 87 for the fourth wicket, but West Indies lost their last seven wickets for just 46 runs after the 20-year-old's departure.

The skipper did not rule out shuffling the batting order in the next game.

"We'll definitely have to sit down and have a look at the line-up," he said.

India not averse to playing in big sports events even if Pak is taking part in them: Uma Bharati NEW DELHI, May 30 (NNN): Pakistan's participation will not deter India taking part in major cricket events like the World Cup, sports minister Uma Bharti said has clarified and ruled out boycotting the Championship Trophy event to be hosted in Sri Lanka later this year.

The minister said on Wednesday that India is also not boycotting the International Cricket Council (ICC) Knock Out trophy in Sri Lanka in September this year.

However, Bharati ruled out a resumption of bilateral cricket relation with Pakistan, saying "national pride and sentiments get involved" when the two teams confront each other.

She confirmed that India will take part in the International Cricket Council's Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka in September and the World Cup in South Africa early next year.

Doubts over India taking part in the two tournaments were voiced by an Indian newspaper earlier this month.

"If Uma Bharti has her way, India and Pakistan may never play cricket again _ anywhere, anytime and in any tournament," the Today afternoon newspaper said on May 16.

Justifying the decision of not playing against Pakistan, she told newsmen when the two teams meet, national pride and sentiment get involved and also that "national hysteria" is created.

The Sports Minister as saying: "When they (Pakistan) are playing with blood, how can we play cricket with them? The nation will not accept this." Bharti said the decision not to play against Pakistan was basically taken by Foreign Ministry but hastened to add that her ministry concurred with the stand and it was a "collective decision".

It is worth recalling that the two cricket-mad neighbours last met on a cricket field in May 2000, just before the Indian government put a blanket ban on games against Pakistan.

India are scheduled to play a league match against Pakistan in the World Cup in February-March next year.

The two countries have, however, been drawn in separate groups in the Champions Trophy, but will have to face each other if they make the final.

War clouds hang over India and Pakistan as about a million troops are ranged on the border following increased tensions over Kashmir and cross-border terrorism issues.

Both countries, however, played each other in the 1999 World Cup in England even when the Kargil conflict was at its height in Kashmir.

I worked hard to achieve what I did my career, says Garr Sobers BRIDGETOWN (Barbados) May 30 (NNN): Well-known West Indies great, Sir Garfield St Auburn Sobers is widely regarded as the greatest all-rounder ever to play cricket in the history of the game and his name is as popular as the game itself.

On the launch of his autobiography, the legendary batsman told BBC World Service about his dedication to his sport in these words.

"I speak my mind wherever I go," he told the 'Outlook' programme.

"I worked hard to achieve what I achieved." When Sobers hanged his bat he had scored 8,032 runs and taken 235 wickets and 109 catches in just 93 Tests.

He is generally regarded as the finest all-rounder who ever played the game, and was one of Wisden's five cricketers of the century.

Starting to play for Barbados at the tender age of 15 and went on to play for the West Indies before his 18th birthday, Sobers was Knighted for his services to the game in 1975 and his sporting career spanned more than 20 years.

Though playing with his cricketing heroes, Sobers modestly explained how he managed to remain undaunted.

"I always played with people who were much older than I was.

I was probably better than the average boy of my age and so I had to play with boys who were older than me." Playing with the big boys served as a good grounding for what was to come, as Sir Garry went on to help the West Indies to become the most feared cricketing nation in the world.

However in 1959, it was a tragic accident which provided the extra drive behind his playing.

When friend and fellow player Collie Smith was killed in a car accident, Sobers explained how he felt that.

"I had to play for two because he could have been one of the greatest.

I realised that the West Indies had lost a great player and I had to substitute." Though the man who held the highest Test cricket score of 365 not out for 37 years has not picked up a cricket bat in more than 10 years, his autobiography speaks with authority.

Commenting on the stresses facing today's players, he proves that he is 65 not out and still on the attack.

"I look through my life as a cricketer and see how I and others are being treated when they are coming out of the game.

After all of the years of the good work the press and the people don't even give you a little bit of leverage.

"They don't even wait until you've played five games and you fail _ if you fail just one or two they say, drop him, he's an old man." About us | Advertisers | Other Publications | Subscriptions | Advertising Weather | Letters | Search | Suggestions | Send Mail | Vaishnodevi ________________________________________________________ (c) 1998, The Kashmir Times Press Pvt.

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