down the wicket again, and Kanitkar hits it over point to end a second final with a boundary. India have beaten Australia for the first time in a tournament final. Australia's six-match winning streak comes to an end
Australia vs India, Final at Sharjah, Apr 24 1998 - Ball by Ball Commentary
RESULT
Final (D/N), Sharjah, April 24, 1998, Coca-Cola Cup
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That ends our offerings for you from here. From Karthik Krishnaswamy and me, thanks for joining us. See you soon
"I wish I could have many birthdays like this," says the Man of the Match and Man of the Series Sachin Tendulkar. "It is good for the country. I was tired but I had to give a gift to my wife on my birthday. So this is for her. I thought Damien Fleming was bowling really well. My plan was to see him off and then take charge. It worked out. I would like to be better than this. I will be trying. There is always scope for improvement. But looking back, I am very pleased about my performances against Australia recently."
"We played very well, we batted well," says the winning captain Mohammad Azharuddin. "The boys stuck to their job. Everybody did his bit. I am very proud of them. Especially Sachin, and I hope he has many such tournaments. My form has come at the right time, I am very happy about it."
"We were beaten by a great innings," says the losing captain Steve Waugh. "There is no shame being beaten by a really great player after we played pretty well today. I am proud of the guys. That's enough to win, but it was a great innings to beat us. We gave it our best shot. We played really well as a one-day side, playing 10 games in 20 days, and from here on we are going to be a very good one-day side."
The teams can put behind them the sourness in the final few moments of this match. They shake hands. Possibly reminisce about the great cricket they have played - and in great spirit - over the last two months or so. Australia won the tri-series in India despite losing to India twice in the league stages. India have turned the tables on them here. Thanks largely to the genius called Sachin Tendulkar. No shame in losing to that man. The Aussies recognise it now that the game is over. They shake his hand. The whole Indian team is on the field to savour the moment. Coach Anshuman Gaekwad hugs Tendulkar. Don't go too far. I will have the scenes from the presentation shortly
48.3
4
Moody to Kanitkar, FOUR runs
48.2
2
Moody to Kanitkar, 2 runs
Kanitkar down the wicket, pushes this to cover, and they steal a single. Plus the overthrow
48.1
1
Moody to Jadeja, 1 run
short of a length, just outside off, pushed in front of point, and they take a single
That's Fleming done then. Don't think we will need the 50th over anyway. Moody to bowl now
end of over 487 runs
IND: 268/4CRR: 5.58 • RRR: 2.50
Ajay Jadeja10 (13b)
Hrishikesh Kanitkar0 (0b)
Damien Fleming 10-1-47-2
Michael Kasprowicz 10-0-48-2
47.6
1
Fleming to Jadeja, 1 run
short of a length, outside off, opens the face on it, takes the single and keeps the strike
47.5
•
Fleming to Jadeja, no run
straight length ball, hit to mid-on, and he says no to the single as Australia are looking to cut the singles out
47.4
•
Fleming to Jadeja, no run
swing and a miss outside off as Jadeja looks to seal the deal here
47.3
2
Fleming to Jadeja, 2 runs
slower ball, too full, whipped into the leg side, and he comes back for the second. They have gone up to the third umpire. It is Bevan's throw in from deep square leg, and he has made it just in time
47.2
2
Fleming to Jadeja, 2 runs
full and swinging down leg, dug out into a hole into the leg side and they come back for a couple. Under 10 required now
47.1
2
Fleming to Jadeja, 2 runs
short of a length, runs off the outside edge as he opens the face on this
That ridiculous piece of umpiring brings in Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and somehow this game is still alive. Chants of "umpire hai hai" [Down with the umpire] on at the stadium
end of over 476 runs • 1 wicket
IND: 261/4CRR: 5.55 • RRR: 4.00
Ajay Jadeja3 (7b)
Michael Kasprowicz 10-0-48-2
Damien Fleming 9-1-40-2
46.6
W
Kasprowicz to Azharuddin, OUT
wide down the leg side. Oh it is not. He has been given out. I am rubbing my eyes here. India are not playing Australia here. They are playing Umpire Akhtar, and coming up short. This is a big wide down the leg side, and apropos of nothing, Akhtar raises his finger to give him out caught behind
Mohammad Azharuddin c †Gilchrist b Kasprowicz 58 (64b 5x4 0x6 101m) SR: 90.62
Policemen stop play again. Somebody needs to give them a sight screen tutorial. Moody has stepped over the fence to tell them
46.5
•
Kasprowicz to Azharuddin, no run
slower ball outside off, hits his inside edge and goes to short midwicket
46.4
•
Kasprowicz to Azharuddin, no run
tries another whip across the line. Six feet either side of that midwicket, and the target would have been under 10 by now. This one he has drilled it straight to the fielder
46.3
1
Kasprowicz to Jadeja, 1 run
full, middle and leg, worked away into the leg side. Another run ticked off
46.2
1
Kasprowicz to Azharuddin, 1 run
flicked to leg, wide enough of mid-on for them to get the single
46.1
4
Kasprowicz to Azharuddin, FOUR runs
nobody is kicking anything here except Azhar. He takes a length ball and uses his wrists to swat it over midwicket for four that should release all the pressure
Kasprowicz to continue
end of over 466 runs
IND: 255/3CRR: 5.54 • RRR: 4.50
Mohammad Azharuddin53 (59b 4x4)
Ajay Jadeja2 (6b)
Damien Fleming 9-1-40-2
Michael Kasprowicz 9-0-42-1
45.6
1lb
Fleming to Azharuddin, 1 leg bye
Fleming is kicking the ground as Bucknor rules not out on this lbw appeal. And his kick comes pretty close to where Azhar is running. This ball has nipped back in from just outside off, and hit him on the knee roll in front of middle and leg. It is a good shout, but he is not dead plumb. The umpire - with a reputation of being a not-outer - shakes his head. And Fleming's kick nearly gets Azhar, who is calm and changes his direction. Imagine someone like Aamer Sohail or Navjot Sidhu. This could have got ugly. Azhar, though, has his eyes set on the bigger prize: the win
45.5
1lb
Fleming to Jadeja, 1 leg bye
swinging down leg, but they steal the leg-bye here as the ball goes towards short midwicket
45.4
1
Fleming to Azharuddin, 1 run
soft hands to a length ball outside off, gets a single in front of point
"Last innings walked off without hitting the ball. This innings walks to an umpiring error. Surely his parents would be very proud of him given his birthday." Divyank Singh, doesn't have a choice, does he? The umpire tells you to go, you go
45.3
1
Fleming to Jadeja, 1 run
full and straight, dug out to mid-on for a single
45.2
1
Fleming to Azharuddin, 1 run
wristy square-drive, square of deep cover, comes back for two. No they have kept the two fastest Indian runners down to one. Good fielding
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