India crush Zimbabwe to record first win  - Scorecard Hobart, Jan 14: Virender Sehwag slammed a cavalier 90 as India put up a disciplined performance to crush Zimbabwe by seven wickets and record their first victory in the triangular one-day cricket series here today. Sehwag struck five fours and five sixes as he dominated the 130-run first wicket stand with Sachin Tendulkar (44) as India comfortably overhauled Zimbabwe's modest total of 208 in 37.4 overs to collect the maximum six points. Tendulkar scored his runs at faster rate, his 44 coming off 60 balls, but the 30-year maestro was content to give the major portion of the strike to his junior partner. The Zimbabweans wasted another good opportunity to improve upon their image as the underdogs of the tournament, as they were thoroughly outplayed in all departments of the game. Captain Heath Streak won the toss and elected to bat under perfect batting conditions at the Bellerive Oval but his batsmen failed to deliver once again and were reduced to 118 for six at one stage. In the end, Zimbabwe owed their respectable total to some bold hitting in the final overs from Streak (59 not out) and Sean Ervine (48 not out). The duo added 97 runs in the last 12 overs for the unfinished seventh wicket partnership. The bowlers made an earnest effort but on a placid track their trundling pace turned out to be easy meat for the Indian strokemakers. The win left India with seven points from two matches and were second behind Australia with 11 points on the table. Zimbabwe, having allowed both Australia and India to collect the bonus points, were yet to open their account. Zimbabwe's batting performance must have disappointed their captain Streak. He had expected them to rise to the occasion when taking on the talented Indians but the top order failed to perform once again. Just like in the previous match against Australia when they folded up for 126 while chasing a modest 225 in Sydney, Zimbabwe batsmen cut a sorry figure with their poor technique. They had a disastrous start when Vusi Sibanda was run out and Stuart Matsikenyeri was caught by Hemang Badani off Irfan Pathan with the scoreboard reading only 36.Mark Vermeulen was a pathetic sight when his defence was broken by a Kumble top spinner. Stuart Carlisle was adjudged leg before to Sehwag before the experienced Grant Flower got out to a poor shot, giving a simple catch to the part-time bowler. So, as it was on Sunday, Zimbabwe's fortunes again depended on the young Tatenda Taibu and Streak. The two had added 66 runs for the sixth wicket while losing to Australia but their burgeoning partnership today was cut short when Badani rattled Taibu (16) with a faster one. Ervine and Streak then were left with the difficult job of reviving the tattered innings but the two showed enough improvisation in their shot-making to prop up the team's total. Streak, dropped by Yuvraj Singh at point early in his innings, made the most of the reprieve to carve out his 11th half-century. But Ervine was impressive as he used the blustery wind conditions to get the better of the slow bowlers. He first played an inside out shot to lift part-time bowler Hemang Badani over the cover boundary. That Badani over cost India 14 runs. After Kumble conceded 13 runs in the 47th over, Ervine clubbed two sixes off Agarkar who was even more expensive in giving away 20 runs. Streak reached his 50 in the same over with a thundering strike to the midwicket fence. That stroke also brought up the 200, which had looked improbable at one stage. Zimbabwe's third 50 came off 56 balls and the fourth from only 29 as 100 runs off the last 14 overs. Streak's 59 came off 68 balls and contained four fours while Ervine needed only 33 balls for his 48 which was studded with three sixes and a four. India's batting juggernaut, which had ended on the losing side in the first match against the world champions, did not falter this time though. Sehwag rattled up 90 from 102 balls but in his and Tendulkar's approach there was a calm determination that had come to characterise India's performance on this tour. The Indian openers shared their second successive century stand of the series as Indian batting continued to enjoy a golden summer in Australia. Sehwag, playing his 81st match, was reprieved on 24 by wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu when he slashed a hard chance off Sean Ervine in the 12th over. He celebrated the reprieve with a soaring six over long on off Ervine and followed it up with one another as he reached his half century off 67 balls with three fours and two sixes. Sehwag then hoisted left-arm spinner Raymond Price beyond the ground and very nearly into the Tasmanian sea as the Indians raced towards the target. Sehwag moved into 80s with another six, again off Price and into square leg stands. He hit his fifth six in the same over before an uppish drive into covers terminated his innings. His partner Tendulkar had set the early pace by crashing medium-pacer Douglas Hondo through the covers and then flicking him sweetly behind backward of square leg. Tendulkar was let off on 42 at extra covers off Price but departed in the very next over when he attempted a lordly drive off Ervine and was clean bowled for 44, made from 60 balls with five fours. Sourav Ganguly finished the match with a flurry of strokes, hoisting Price for a four and a six over mid-off as the Indians won with 12-odd overs to spare. (Agencies) Scorecard Published: Sunday, January 14, 2004 Back to Index