Sehwag, the gladiator
INDORE: Virender Sehwag on Thursday set the Holkar Stadium ablaze by scoring the highest-ever individual ODI score of 219, which fuelled India to a surreal 418 for five and a 153-run win over West Indies in the fourth one-dayer here. With this highest ODI dig, India clinched the series with an 3-1 lead.
Sehwag became the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to reach the 200-run landmark. Sachin scripted the format's first double hundred (200 no) against South Africa at Gwalior in February 2010.
The breakup of Sehwag's knock spoke volumes of his domination. His fifty came off the 41st ball, in tune with reaching a landmark with a six, the next 50 took 28 balls.
Upon reaching his 150 in 112 balls, he consumed 28 more balls to his double hundred, with his most profitable shot of the day, the slash past point that dissected the point and third-man with pinpoint precision.
Typically, Sehwag was remorseless on anything obliquely leg-sidish. Width outside the off-side was met with equal disdain, and as with Sehwag, who is static at the crease, the balls needn't be necessarily be far outside.
Though he's reliant on touch and eye than technical trivialities, he was careful in not leaving sizeable gap between his body and bat while pressing forward.
In murderous vein, the geometry of the ground hardly inhibits him, nonetheless the compacter ground dimensions and a trampoline outfield ushered in a bustle of boundaries from him, 25 fours and seven sixes in his 149-balled effort, his 15th ODI hundred.
Only a few days ago had some short-sighted laymen murmured on his waning form. Sure, he was traipsing a plateau of sorts, only in light of his own lofty standards.
Thus, he sought his old friend Gautam Gambhir for atonement, and the latter himself isn't in his best touch. But together, they revved up their selves, crucial as heady trek of Australia beckons, knocking off 176 runs off 137 balls, setting the tone.
Surprisingly, running between the wickets was the lone cause of concern. Had Kieron Pollard's throw been accurate, Sehwag could have departed on 20, before Andre Russell spilled Gambhir's return catch on 20.
He was reprieved again on 52, as Kemar Roach tumbled in his follow-through. Invariably the pair was separated thus, when Marlon Samuels' fling from extra cover caught Gambhir short on crease for a run-a-ball 67. Not that it hindered the run-gush, as Sehwag splurged 140 off 105 balls with Suresh Raina (55 runs, 44b, 6x4).
On days as this Darren Sammy could have done nigh little than commiserate himself and his bowlers. The Indian batsmen were egalitarian in that they didn't spare any bowler from violence.
Still Sammy could have prevented Sehwag from reaching the double hundred, as Sehwag's skied offering slipped through his porous digits, with the former on 170.
It was as though Sehwag were pre-ordained, and in the avalanche of his masterpiece was shrouded leggie Rahul Sharma's memorable debut ' three for 43 ' which triggered a collapse and the eventual bundle up for 265 in 49.2 overs. Denesh Ramdin's 96 was their only streak of resistance.
INDORE: Virender Sehwag on Thursday set the Holkar Stadium ablaze by scoring the highest-ever individual ODI score of 219, which fuelled India to a surreal 418 for five and a 153-run win over West Indies in the fourth one-dayer here. With this highest ODI dig, India clinched the series with an 3-1 lead.
Sehwag became the second batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to reach the 200-run landmark. Sachin scripted the format's first double hundred (200 no) against South Africa at Gwalior in February 2010.
The breakup of Sehwag's knock spoke volumes of his domination. His fifty came off the 41st ball, in tune with reaching a landmark with a six, the next 50 took 28 balls.
Upon reaching his 150 in 112 balls, he consumed 28 more balls to his double hundred, with his most profitable shot of the day, the slash past point that dissected the point and third-man with pinpoint precision.
Typically, Sehwag was remorseless on anything obliquely leg-sidish. Width outside the off-side was met with equal disdain, and as with Sehwag, who is static at the crease, the balls needn't be necessarily be far outside.
Though he's reliant on touch and eye than technical trivialities, he was careful in not leaving sizeable gap between his body and bat while pressing forward.
In murderous vein, the geometry of the ground hardly inhibits him, nonetheless the compacter ground dimensions and a trampoline outfield ushered in a bustle of boundaries from him, 25 fours and seven sixes in his 149-balled effort, his 15th ODI hundred.
Only a few days ago had some short-sighted laymen murmured on his waning form. Sure, he was traipsing a plateau of sorts, only in light of his own lofty standards.
Thus, he sought his old friend Gautam Gambhir for atonement, and the latter himself isn't in his best touch. But together, they revved up their selves, crucial as heady trek of Australia beckons, knocking off 176 runs off 137 balls, setting the tone.
Surprisingly, running between the wickets was the lone cause of concern. Had Kieron Pollard's throw been accurate, Sehwag could have departed on 20, before Andre Russell spilled Gambhir's return catch on 20.
He was reprieved again on 52, as Kemar Roach tumbled in his follow-through. Invariably the pair was separated thus, when Marlon Samuels' fling from extra cover caught Gambhir short on crease for a run-a-ball 67. Not that it hindered the run-gush, as Sehwag splurged 140 off 105 balls with Suresh Raina (55 runs, 44b, 6x4).
On days as this Darren Sammy could have done nigh little than commiserate himself and his bowlers. The Indian batsmen were egalitarian in that they didn't spare any bowler from violence.
Still Sammy could have prevented Sehwag from reaching the double hundred, as Sehwag's skied offering slipped through his porous digits, with the former on 170.
It was as though Sehwag were pre-ordained, and in the avalanche of his masterpiece was shrouded leggie Rahul Sharma's memorable debut ' three for 43 ' which triggered a collapse and the eventual bundle up for 265 in 49.2 overs. Denesh Ramdin's 96 was their only streak of resistance.
News Posted: 9 December, 2011
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