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Glasgow, August 16: Gautam Gambhir and Robin
Uthappa notched up half centuries as India beat Scotland by
seven wickets in the rain-reduced Royal Stag cricket one-dayer
here today.
Chasing the revised target of 209, Gambhir
remained unbeaten on 85 while Uthappa scored 55 as India reached
to the finishing line in 39.5 overs and warmed up for the bigger
challenge of facing England in the seven-match ODI series.
Yuvraj Singh exhibited an array of strikes
while playing a cameo of 38 runs in 28 balls.
Put in to bat, Scotland scored 203 runs
losing nine wickets in 46 overs in the rain-curtailed match with
Gavin Hamilton and Neil McCallum putting up a solid 82-run fifth
wicket stand after being reduced to 49 for four. Munaf Patel,
who missed the Ireland one-dayers and England Tests with an
injury, picked up 2-37 with a changed action from a shortened
run up.
Rudra Pratap Singh continued with his good
form of the Test series to claim 2-26 while Ajit Agarkar and
Piyush Chawla also grabbed two wickets each. The Indian openers
put on a solid foundation of 104 runs in 20 overs and thwarted
some good bowling from the hosts.
Uthappa played his usual self as he hit eight
boundaries and one six in his 62-ball stay. Play began under
overcast conditions and, after Rahul Dravid won the toss and
fielded, the Indians exploited it to their advantage.
With Fraser Watts (6), Navdeep Poonia (1) and
Majid Haq (11 falling cheaply the hosts were in trouble early.
Agarkar started with three wides but then struck the first blow
in the fifth over removing Poonia leg before.
RP Singh had the other opener Watts caught at
the wicket in the 8th over of the innings. Scotland skipper Ryan
Watson, who batted number three, then played a breezy little
knock scoring 24 off 32 balls with two fours before he nicked
Munaf Patel to the wicketkeeper.
It was then left to Hamilton and McCallum to
do the repair job. McCallum batted with controlled aggression to
score 41 off 65 balls with 3 fours and one huge six off Ramesh
Powar before falling to leg spinner Piyush Chawla in the 33rd
over of the innings.
Hamilton, who batted with a lot of calm and
composure, kept guiding the middle order before the rains came.
(Agencies)
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