Rajendra Prosad Mohapatra
Cuttack, Oct 6: Unable to watch the horrific performance put up by the Men in Blue, the partisan crowd at the Barabati Stadium here interrupted proceedings during the India-South Africa T20 game here Monday. At the time of closure, the visitors were 70 for the loss of three wickets after the hosts had been bowled out for 92 in 17.2 overs.
Trouble started once the South African innings started with empty plastic bottles being thrown at the Indian players on the boundary line. The crowd had every reason to feel let down, they had come to watch the Indian’s win and were left disappointed with a pretty inept display. But then they had no right to hurl missiles at the players who were fielding at the boundary line.
The Indian openers Rohit Sharma (22) and Shikhar Dhawan (11) did give the hosts a brisk start but the visiting bowlers had other ideas at the Barabati Stadium.
After the opener managed 28 runs from 23 deliveries, hell broke loose for India, who lost four wickets in the space of 20 runs that included run-outs of Virat Kohli (0) and Rohit. This was India’s second lowest T20 score after being shot out for 74 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in February 2008.
Hosting its first T20 International, the Barabati Cricket Stadium was in for another rude shock no sooner Ravichandran Ashwin (11) was bowled by Chris Morris (2-16) to bundle the side as frustrated fans started hurling water bottles into the ground.
The incident went on for about 10 minutes before police took control of the situation and announcements were made by the Orissa Cricket Association to pacify the spectators.
Meanwhile contrary to expectation, the pitch induced good bounce and pace as the South Africans revelled in the conditions with Albie Morkel,(3/12) who was drafted in place of Marchant de Lange, becoming the top wicket- taker, while Imran Tahir and Morris scalped two each.
Earlier, in an interesting ploy, South Africa did not opt for a continuity in the bowling line-up and instead had four bowlers inside four overs after starting out with Kyle Abott and Tahir.
Even though the strip induced some fine bounce, Rohit and Dhawan looked in little trouble before Morris triggered the collapse dismissing the left-hander in the last ball of the fourth over.
In space of a ball, Kohli (0) was back in the dressing without facing a delivery after he was run out while attempting for a second run.
South Africa were all pumped up on the field, and Rohit tried his luck against David Miller but found himself well short of the bowling end after a direct throw.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni promoted Ambati Rayudu ahead of him but he lasted just two balls after being cleaned up off rookie pacer Kagiso Rabada as India cut a sorry figure with 48 for four after nine overs, a position from which they could never recover.
India innings: R Sharma r o (Miller) 22, S Dhawan lbw b Morris 11, V Kohli r o (Morris/De Villiers) 1, SK Raina c Amla b Imran Tahir 22, AT Rayudu b Rabada 0, MS Dhoni c de Villiers b Morkel 5, AR Patel c du Plessis b Morkel 9, Harbhajan Singh b Imran Tahir 0, R Ashwin n o 11, B Kumar b Morkel 0, Mohit Sharma n o 0, Extras (lb-1, w-9, nb-1) 11, Total (all out in 17.2 overs) 92.
Fall: 1-28, 2-30, 3-43, 4-45, 5-67, 6-69, 7-69, 8-85, 9-85, 10-92.
Bowling: KJ Abbott 3-0-21-0, Imran Tahir 4-0-24-2, K Rabada 4-0-18-1, C Morris 2.2-0-15-1, A Morkel 4-0-12-3.
(Scoreboard incomplete)
