India makes heavy weather of the Netherlands' modest total

The Hindu India had an improved showing while fielding against Netherlands. Here M.S.Dhoni runs out Bradley Kruger from a throw off Virat Kohli. Photo: S. Subramanium

On a typically sluggish Kotla wicket, Yuvraj Singh sizzled with controlled aggression. The left-hander is making all the right moves.

The straightness of his willow, his ability to pick the length in a jiffy, and his composure in a situation of duress carried India to a five-wicket win over the Netherlands at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground here on Wednesday.

Man-of-the-Match Yuvraj's unbeaten 51 and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's steadying hand followed a worrying Indian slump to 139 for five; the host was chasing 190.

In fact, India made heavy weather of a regulation pursuit under the lights. Left-arm spinner Pieter Seelaar, steady at best, made serious inroads and the sharp Dutch fielding created an element of pressure.

With seven points from four matches, India is virtually assured of making it to the last eight stage of the ICC World Cup.

100th ODI scalp

Yuvraj struck twice with his left-arm spin earlier in the day; this included his 100th ODI scalp. He then pulled his weight with the bat while notching up his third successive half-century of the competition. The southpaw punched Seelaar through wide mid-off, creamed seamer Ryan ten Doeschate through point and bludgeoned paceman Bradley Kruger down the ground.

Openers Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar went for shots early on when the ball was harder; there was a little more pace for the batsmen to harness.

Tendulkar twice cover-drove ten Doeschate and then whipped the bowler over mid-on. The maestro grabbed another slice of history in a career of miles and milestones by becoming the first batsman to reach 2000 runs in the World Cup.

Sehwag began like a runaway train, pulling paceman Mudassar Bukhari into the stands and then easing Seelaar over the extra-cover ropes. It was spectacular stuff.

Creating room for the slice, Sehwag was held at point off Seelaar; the openers had blasted 69 off only 7.3 overs. Then, Tendulkar was well caught at long-off by Bradley Kruger off the persistent Seelaar.

Yusuf Pathan, promoted in the order to gain some batting practice, did not last long. Seelaar shortened his length and a surprised Yusuf knocked it back. From nowhere, the Netherlands had a sniff.

India slipped into further trouble. Virat Kohli was done in by the one that came back from seamer Peter Borren. And Gambhir, light on his feet against the spinners, was a shade unlucky as a delivery on the leg-stump from Bukhari deflected off his pad onto the stumps.