Sehwag’s unconquered 74-ball 125

Virender Sehwag smashed the fastest ODI hundred by an Indian and paved the way for India’s first ever series win in New Zealand.

Hamilton: All tour Virender Sehwag has threatened to make a hundred. On Wednesday he made good the threat, playing an innings that was brutal and violent, but as resplendent as the rainbow that arched over Seddon Park.

Sehwag’s unconquered 74-ball 125 — the fastest century by an Indian, and the seventh-quickest overall — settled the fourth and penultimate ODI by 84 runs (Duckworth/Lewis method), winning India its first series in New Zealand, 3-0.

The measure of Sehwag’s brilliance may be had from the fact that New Zealand, after winning the toss, did well to keep the contest competitive in the first half, mustering 270 for five in 47 overs, thanks to a 102-run opening stand between Jesse Ryder and McCullum, and a 61-ball partnership of 95 between wicketkeeper Peter McGlashan and Grant Elliott.

The target was adjusted a fair few times — as is common in a match with numerous rain interruptions — but it didn’t make the slightest difference to Sehwag. The opener, who may be stopped at Customs the next time he tours, for he’s sure to be classified as a Dangerous Commodity, annihilated New Zealand’s bowlers.

Sensible thing


Gautam Gambhir, at the other end, was in his best form of the tour. The sharpest thing he did, however, was not compete with Sehwag. The ball-striking from India (and on occasion from New Zealand) has touched rarefied levels in the one-day series; Sehwag’s held out the illusion that it may have surpassed anything seen thus far, and that’s some achievement.

Debutant left-armer Ewen Thompson was mauled. Not that anyone was spared, but Thompson is mentioned, for it was during one stroke off him that Sehwag’s outrageous skill revealed its subtlety. Thompson bowled floating cutters, and to one outside off-stump, with short-cover in place, Sehwag metered his flash-fast bat-speed to accommodate the pace shed off the wicket. The drive on the up over extra-cover was stripped of risk.

Breaks Azhar’s record


Nothing was beyond Sehwag — not the pull in front of square, not the slap through cover, feet shifting slightly, not the leg-glance, and certainly not the robust heave over deep mid-wicket. He broke, by two balls, Mohammad Azharuddin’s record (62 balls) for the fastest century by an Indian. He hit 14 fours and six sixes, and although the umpires called off play because of rain, there remained a sneaking suspicion that it was, in reality, an act of kindness to New Zealand’s bowlers.

Earlier, Zaheer Khan and Praveen Kumar began well, utilising the swing and seam-movement on offer. Although Zaheer’s first over went for 10, he dragged it back sufficiently, so that New Zealand’s marauding openers had managed only 21 in seven overs. They did well to survive, actually, particularly the left-handed Ryder, who groped at Praveen’s deliveries.

Then, all of a sudden, Ryder broke free, twice hitting Praveen on the up through cover. McCullum, who had made three from 20 balls, found his power tools. He sauntered down the track to Zaheer, slice-edged for six and upper-cut the wayward Ishant Sharma, and turned his attention to Praveen. A cracking pull was the pick of three successive boundaries.

Dhoni missed stumping McCullum (on 43) off Yuvraj, but the bowler wasn’t to be denied, although he had to settle for the partner. Ryder’s top-edged sweep swirled like an eagle in an eddy, and Suresh Raina did splendidly to judge it into his hands. India pulled things back through Yuvraj and Yusuf Pathan; Ross Taylor contributed, contriving to pull a long-hop to deep backward square-leg.

New Zealand enforced the batting power play after over 33. McCullum, who had been dropped by Sehwag off Yuvraj on 68, couldn’t get his foot out of the way of a Zaheer yorker. Ishant returned with purpose, hustling Jacob Oram into gloving a lifter to Dhoni.

The fast-bowler provoked an edge from McGlashan (0) next ball, but Dhoni, diving to his right, couldn’t hold on. McGlashan proceeded to punish India, playing an innings of cheek and no little skill. Ishant had Martin Guptill caught at third-man, although there was doubt if substitute Dinesh Karthik had kept the ball from the ground, doubt the replays couldn’t clear.

McGlashan and Elliott did more than prevent India’s bowlers from getting at the lower-order; they attacked, McGlashan, with sweeps, reverse-sweeps, and switch-hits (played against the seamers as well), and Elliott, with slightly more orthodox methods, as the Black Caps regained momentum. They held it for about 20 minutes before Sehwag wrenched it from them.


scoreboard

New Zealand: J. Ryder c Raina b Yuvraj 46 (57b, 6x4); B. McCullum lbw b Zaheer 77 (95b, 7x4, 2x6); R. Taylor c Rohit b Yusuf 5 (13b); M. Guptill c sub (Karthik) b Ishant 25 (49b); J. Oram c Dhoni b Ishant 1 (2b); P. McGlashan (not out) 56 (42b, 6x4, 1x6); G. Elliott (not out) 35 (27b, 3x4, 1x6); Extras (lb-9, nb-3, w-13) 25; Total (for five wkts. in 47 overs): 270. Fall of wickets: 1-102 (Ryder), 2- 114 (Taylor), 3-155 (McCullum), 4-156 (Oram), 5-175 (Guptill).

Power Plays: One (1-10): 43/0; Bowling (11-15): 44/0; Batting (34-38): 32/3.

India bowling: Zaheer 10-0-49-1, Praveen 7-0-51-0, Ishant 8-0-57-2, Yuvraj 9-0-40-1, Yusuf 5-0-14-1, Harbhajan 8-0-50-0.

India: G. Gambhir (not out) 63 (67b, 6x4); V. Sehwag (not out) 125 (74b, 14x4, 6x6); Extras (lb-9, w-4) 13; Total (for no loss in 23.3 overs) 201.

Power Plays: One (1-10): 83/0; Batting (12-15): 43/0.

New Zealand bowling: Mills 5-0-29-0, Thompson 4-0-42-0, O'Brien 3-0-37-0, Vettori 5-0-32-0, Oram 4.3-0-43-0, Elliott 2-0-9-0.

India won by 84 runs (D/L method)