New Zealand knocks India out

By Steve Whiting

CHRISTCHURCH, DEC. 20. It was with some joy but a large slice of disappointment that India was well and truly knocked out of the CricInfo Women's World Cup here today when it lost its semifinal against New Zealand by nine wickets. The joy came from having progressed that far - the disappointment was that India really thought it had what it took to go all the way.

The truth is that people in India should still do that. India arrived in New Zealand as an unknown quantity, but went on to win five of its seven round robin matches to finish third in the table. The only teams to beat it were Australia and New Zealand and they will now meet in Saturday's final - a repeat of the 1997 final when Australia beat New Zealand by five wickets in Calcutta.

There can be little doubt that this is the proper final. Australia has won all its eight games so far and New Zealand has lost only one - to Australia in the first match of the tournament almost a month ago. On Monday Australia won its semifinal against South Africa by the same margin as New Zealand beat India - nine wickets. So there is no doubt they are worthy finalists - as for India it's a case of ``if only.''

As New Zealand captain Emily Drumm said after today's game: ``We are always nervous about India. It is so unpredictable.'' I had the feeling Anju Jain agreed - it was difficult not to. Only India would have messed around with its batting order for such an important game, moving opener Jain down to No.5 and pushing Smitha Harikrishna to the top of the order. It did not work - more to the point, but for Purnima Rau it would have been a total disaster.

The Hyderabad girl carried her bat for a studious and determined 67 not out off 133 balls while all around wickets fell. India came into this game buoyed by the news that typhoid victim Mithali Raj was out of hospital and staying with an Indian family here. But it had little effect as India's batsmen seemd to lose all appetite for the struggle. Harikrishna and Rau put on 20 for the first wicket, but from then on it was mayhem. Jain managed 16 but was run out and the innings became frozen solid as Deepa Kulkarni struggled for 29 balls to move off the mark, even though her seventh wicket stand of 31 with Rau was the best of the innings.

One hundred and seventeen all out off 45.2 overs was never going to be enough on a beautiful batting wicket on a hot, sunny day. And it wasn't. Seam bowler Renu Margrate, back after a two-match rest, was never dangerous and the only wicket fell to left-arm spinner Neetu David who made a ball to Rebecca Rolls stop slightly and screw off the edge of the bat high to Kulkarni at silly mid off.

It was no more than David deserved. When player of the match Anna O'Leary had made only 12 and the score was 20 for nought, David's first delivery appeared to fly off the bat to Kulkarni. New Zealand umpire Kathy Cross said ``not out,'' but when I asked David later if O'Leary had hit it she observed the team rule not to say anything. But she did smile and nod in a meaningful way!

But O'Leary survived and went on to make 50 not out off 90 balls while her captain Emily Drumm hit 47 not out off 43 balls. New Zealand reached its target off only 26.5 overs and left India dreaming of its next World Cup target - South Africa in 2005.

The scores:

India: Purnima Rau (not out) 67; Smitha Harikrishna c Watson b Pullar 11; Chanderkanta Kaul c O'Leary b Ramel 0; Anjum Chopra b Ramel 0; Anju Jain (run out) 16; Hemlata Kala c Rolls b Campbell 1; Rupanjali Shastri lbw b Nicholson 6; Deepa Kulkarni (run out) 4; Renu Margrate st Rolls b Pullar 1; Sunita Kanojia b Nicholson 0; Neetu David (run out) 0; Extras: (lb-3, w-8) 11; Total: (in 45.2 overs) 117.

Fall of wickets: 1-20, 2-24, 3-26, 4-56, 5-60, 6-67, 7-98, 8-103, 9-110.

New Zealand bowling: Keenan 7-1-15-0; Pullar 10-0-29-2; Ramel 5-1-12-2; Tiffen 5-1-10-0; Nicholson 8.2- 1-15-2; Campbell 10-1- 33-1.

New Zealand: O'Leary (not out) 50; Rolls c Kulkarni b David 23; Drumm (not out) 47. Extras (lb-1) 1; Total (for one wkt. in 26.5 overs) 121.

Fall of wicket: 1-35.

India bowling: Margrate 3.5-0-21-0; Shastri 7-0-31-0; David 5-1- 18-1; Kanojia 1-0-9-0; Rau 2-0-11-0; Kulkarni 3-0-15-0; Harikrishna 5-2-15-0.

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