India v UAE: Cricket World Cup – as it happened

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2015/feb/28/india-v-uae-cricket-world-cup-live

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10.57am GMT10:57

So that’s that. Before this tournament, India would have expected to dust the UAE off in no time at all. Once it started and we got a look at the associate we thought they might give them a game. In the end, the initial expectation proved the right one. This was an absolute pummelling and a highly polished job from India. They have three wins from three, sit pretty atop of Group B and have a boost to their run rate. Rohit Sharma has some confidence boosting runs under his belt after a couple of failures and they’ll be home in time to catch a couple of episodes of House of Cards. All in all a very satisfying day for them.

A very satisfying day for me too, as it means I’ve got a nice long break before going on Six Nations duty this afternoon. Do join me for that, but in the meantime, thanks for reading. Bye!

10.53am GMT10:53

India win by nine wickets

19th over: India 104-1 (Sharma 57, Kohli 33) Target 103 Tauqir to bowl what will surely be the final over as the sun sets over Perth. The first four balls are dots, defended back to the bowler but Sharma dances down the track to the fifth and pummels it for a straight boundary to win the match with 187 balls remaining.

10.50am GMT10:50

18th over: India 100-1 (Sharma 53, Kohli 33) Target 103 Nine needed. Nine fours and a six in Rohit Sharma’s innings, incidentally and that 50 came from 49 balls. Karate will send down his Collywobblers from the Lillee-Marsh end. There’s a chance of a run-out as Kohli dabs a hairy single down to short third man, but the throw is off-target. Another single, square on the leg side to Sharma, then Kohli brings up the hundred from the penultimate ball with a glorious late cut between third slip and gully, down to third man for four.

10.46am GMT10:46

17th over: India 94-1 (Sharma 52, Kohli 28) Target 103 Right here, we go again and I bring you news that India have taken the powerplay. Tauqir continues and the batsmen exchange singles, before Sharma cuts a wide one past point to bring up his first fifty of the tournament. That also brings the target down to single figures.

Grant Cartledge writes: “Not Aussie, not from Middle Earth and I would love to see NZ win this thing - for the most part I’d like them to do it for Martin Crowe. If they won the whole thing and he was there to see it, I strongly suspect that the front room would get very dusty indeed.”

10.32am GMT10:32

Is there anyone, who isn’t an Australian, who wouldn’t be happy to see New Zealand win this whole thing? They play brilliantly entertaining, aggressive cricket that almost got them in trouble today but made for an amazing game. They’ve got the most innovative and attacking captain in ODI cricket and a quite brilliant attack. Moreover, they seem like a genuinely likeable bunch of guys. To see them beat Australia in the final, at the Gee would be brilliant.

10.15am GMT10:15

You have to say it’s been really disappointing from the UAE, their batting in particular. They’ve already proved that, even if they’re not going to run the big teams close, they can compete and make them work. They went to pieces against decent spin bowling though, on a pitch that looks wonderful for batting. The runs have come so, so easily for Sharma and Kohli.

10.02am GMT10:02

Inconvenient innings break

16th over: India 88-1 (Sharma 47, Kohli 27) Target 103 This will be the final over before the innings break. 20 needed now. The batsmen, in no rush, work it around for one, then two, then one, then another one. The fifth ball is a dot but India can essentially knock this bowling wherever the hell they want to and just whittle down the total. Karate finishes with a dot and that’s the innings break. We’ll be back in 45 minutes or so when India will knock off the 15 runs they need for a third win on the spin.

9.59am GMT09:59

15th over: India 83-1 (Sharma 45, Kohli 24) Target 103 If India really wanted to entertain us, they’d go for it in this over. It’s going to be spin for the first time in the innings from the captain Tauqir. Spin was highly effective for India although I’m not convinced it will be here. Sharma steps down the pitch and looks to slog it straight, but misses the ball and Patil whips the bails off. The umpires refer it but it he’s fine. Sharma flays one through extra cover for four and repeats the trick next ball to bring up the 50 partnership.

9.54am GMT09:54

14th over: India 72-1 (Sharma 35, Kohli 23) Target 103 A change at the other end now as the wonderfully named Krishna Karate comes into the attack. Come on folks, fire those puns my way before this is over. It’s more moderately paced right-arm seam and his fifth ball is wide, filthy and rocketed all along the ground, through extra cover for four by Kohli. That and a couple of singles earlier in the over makes six and reduces the arrears to 31.

9.49am GMT09:49

13th over: India 66-1 (Sharma 34, Kohli 18) Target 103 On Sky, Matthew Hayden has just named Kohli and Mike Hussey as the best exponents of the cover drive he’s ever seen. This from a man who has seen Michael Vaughan bat, tsk. Mistake here from Javed as he drifts listlessly – just 130kph – on to Kohli’s pads and gets whipped through mid-wicket for four. Dreamy, Laxman-esque shot that. The bowler comes back well though and from the next three balls only a misfield at extra cover allows Kohli a single. Five off the over.

9.45am GMT09:45

12th over: India 61-1 (Sharma 34, Kohli 13) Target 103 The powerplay might be done but Guruge, with reasonable figures of 5-1-17-0, is carrying on unchanged. India might as well have taken the batting powerplay now, you feel. Accurate stuff from the left-armer and just a pair of singles from the over.

9.41am GMT09:41

11th over: India 59-1 (Sharma 33, Kohli 12) Target 103 A change of bowling sees Amjad Javed into the attack. In terms of pace the right-arm seamer well down even on the opening pair and, though he’s getting a nice bit of shape away from the right-handers, he looks as though he’s going to fall off to his left every delivery. An exchange of singles then Sharma lofts a drive over extra cover with no great timing but enough power to see it run away for four more with the Doctor. A single from the final ball makes it seven from the over.

9.36am GMT09:36

10th over: India 52-1 (Sharma 27, Kohli 11) Target 103 This could be over very soon. Kohli stands and delivers against the first ball of Guruge’s fifth over, sending it whistling off the back foot and through cover for four. The left-armer drops short again and Kohli cuts for two to deep point. I know it’s early, but Kohli looks really good here – aggressive but judicious.

9.32am GMT09:32

9th over: India 46-1 (Sharma 27, Kohli 5) Target 103 Rohit Sharma is in no mood to hang around here and he pulls a slow long-hop over square leg; it catches the breeze but has enough to trickle over the rope for four. Much better from the next ball though and it’s a clean hit that clears the rope with one bounce. This isn’t great bowling. Naveed bravely – or stupidly – sends down another bumper but this time manages to tuck Sharma up. The final ball of the over is overcompensation and overpitched, in the slot and pushed through mid-off for a languid four. 12 from the over and India need just 57 more.

9.28am GMT09:28

8th over: India 34-1 (Sharma 15, Kohli 5) Target 103 Guruge continues. India have only managed one scoring shot off him in the last 14... 15... 16... 17 balls before Kohli eases a straight one through mid-on for another four. The outfield now is as quick as, if not quicker than, anything we’ve seen in the tournament to date. That’s yer lot for the over though.

9.24am GMT09:24

7th over: India 30-1 (Sharma 15, Kohli 1) Target 103 I guess the question now is whether or not India can knock these runs off (a) before the scheduled 45 minute break and (b) without loss. I can’t see them going full McCullum, but Dhawan has just ushered the ball to the square-leg boundary for four with the most exquisite timing you’ll see. Then question (b) is answered! Don’t get too excited though, UAE fans as it brings the wonderful Virat Kohli to the crease. He leaves his first ball, which is a nice quick one not a million miles from off-stump. I’ve actually done Rohan Mustafa a disservice on that catch, he leapt and caught it one-handed above his head. Kohli scrambles a single to get off the mark.

9.21am GMT09:21

Wicket! Dhawan c Mustafa b Naveed 14

It’s short but probably too close to the body to cut. Cut Dhawan does anyhow and plucks out gully at head height. Game, er, on.

Updated at 9.22am GMT

9.18am GMT09:18

6th over: India 25-0 (Sharma 15, Dhawan 10) Target 103 It doesn’t look as though India are in any rush to... no wait, Rohit Sharma top edges a big wafty pull over deep backward square for the first six of the innings just as I write that. An odd shot that, the bat went almost 360 degrees. There’s a huge appeal next up for caught behind as Sharma pushes at one outside off. I definitely heard a noise, but the UAE opt not to review and that’s because I, they, we all heard bat on pad.

9.14am GMT09:14

5th over: India 19-0 (Sharma 9, Dhawan 10) Target 103 Sharma opens with a lovely crunching drive that, rather disappointingly for him, only picks out cover on the edge of the circle. Naveed then goes too straight and gets whipped to fine-leg for one. It brings Dhawan on strike and he gets his first boundary with a lovely crisp clip off the back foot, which races to the rope at mid-on. Naveed comes back nicely with one that seams away from the left-handers angled bat. Dhawan crunches the final ball, again off the back foot, through cover for another four.

9.10am GMT09:10

4th over: India 10-0 (Sharma 8, Dhawan 2) Target 103 From the other end it’s Guruge, still. He’s bowling wicket-to-wicket to the left-handed Dhawan from very tight into the stumps. Not a bad ploy this, tucking Dhawan up and not allowing him to free his arms outside off as he is wont to do. His final ball strikes Dhawan on the pad but it’s far too high. Not to worry as it’s a maiden. Which would be great, if India didn’t need just 93 more.

9.06am GMT09:06

3rd over: India 10-0 (Sharma 8, Dhawan 2) Morning folks, apologies for the lateness. If you want to get in touch it’s dan.lucas@theguardian.com or @DanLucas86 if you’re Twitter-minded. Anyhow, shouldn’t keep you long.

Naveed to continue and Dhawan nabs a single to square leg off the first ball. Then there’s the slightest hint of – surely not – nerves as Rohit swishes and misses outside off. The opener doesn’t look at all comfortable here; he gets a glove looking to turn one that rose more than expected to leg. All along the ground though so it’s safe. The penultimate ball is another edge, this time high and over the slips and away for four down to third man.

9.01am GMT09:01

2nd over: India 5-0 (Sharma 4, Dhawan 1)

Manjurla Guruge, left arm seam, takes the other end to Dhawan. Good shape first up, as slight outswinger is pushed into the off side for no run. He’s getting close to the stumps - close enough for something to disturb Dhawan behind his arm. The ball is then bowled and Dhawan drops it into the leg side for a single. Guruge then beats the outside edge with a ball that goes across Sharma. A dot to finish and that’s it from me. Dan Lucas is here to take over.

8.56am GMT08:56

1st over: India 4-0 (Sharma 4, Dhawan 0)

Rohit Sharma’s facing the first ball, with the UAE’s Mohammad Naveed taking the new ball . The first half of the over consists of dots, with a couple of wide-ish balls for good measure. The fourth ball is gorgeously flicked through cover, off the back foot, for four. The final two balls are left alone.

8.52am GMT08:52

The players are back out for a quick slog...

8.47am GMT08:47

Right, so India have about an hour to bat here, after 10 minute break. There’s every chance they could see off the runs in that time.

Clinical from India’s spinners, with Ashwin taking his first four-wicket haul in ODI cricket. Still, there is some hope for the UAE...

Fun fact: Manjula Guruge’s best figures at the WACA are 10-1-30-6. So this should be a cakewalk for the UAE.

8.44am GMT08:44

32nd over: UAE 102 all out (Guruge 10*)

The first ball of Yadav’s over is cut between slip and the keeper for four! And the UAE hundred!!! Amazing scenes. Soon, it’s all over, as Yadav is too good and the UAE finish on 102.

8.42am GMT08:42

WICKET! Anwar b Yadav 35 (UAE 102 all out)

That’s it - fast, searing, in-swinger takes out Anwar’s off stump, seaming away after hitting the pitch. It’s the lowest total of the Cricket World Cup so far.

Updated at 8.43am GMT

8.39am GMT08:39

31st over: UAE 98-9 (Anwar 31, Guruge 10)

Jadeja’s got two slips and a short cover. It’s a fairly innocuous over and no one really looks too bothered about this last pair. A leg-slip is put in place, Jadeja goes off side and Guruge launches into a lovely cover drive for four!

8.36am GMT08:36

30th over: UAE 94-9 (Anwar 31, Guruge 6)

Umesh Yadav is back in the attack having bowled superbly up top. He’s pushing Anwar back, who almost finds mid-on with a tame pull, but then clips the ball off his pads for four!

8.32am GMT08:32

29th over: UAE 90-9 (Anwar 27, Guruge 6)

Last over for Ashwin, and immediately the ball plops up to where a bat-pad would be lurking. He’s around the wicket to the right-handed Guruge who uses the angle to hit over the top of the ring for a single. Anwar picks up a single from the penultimate ball, before Guruge pads out the final ball of Ashwin’s 10 overs.

10 - 1 - 25 - 4 ain’t half bad...

8.29am GMT08:29

28th over: UAE 88-9 (Anwar 26, Guruge 5)

Anwar’s trying to create some room against Jadeja, but the left arm spinner is doing wel to cramp him for room. Too straight from RJ and Anwar finishes the over with a four, stepping across his stumps and sweeping hard behind square.

8.27am GMT08:27

27th over: UAE 84-9 (Anwar 22, Guruge 5)

Really nice drive from Guruge, hitting against Ashwin’s spin, gets him three from the first ball, handing Anwar the strike. Anwar then takes the single to deep point. Guruge hangs on the back foot and looks unconvincing, which is fair for a number 11. he manages to squirt a single past slip and gets a couple.

8.24am GMT08:24

26th over: UAE 78-9 (Anwar 21, Guruge 0)

A thick edge from Anwar crawls to four through third man. There’s nearly a chop on the ball after, but Anwar survives before delivering what can only be described as a swirly upper-cut, again down to third man, but just for two.

This has been the first really dismal associate performance. UAE seem to have been spooked by the WACA's reputation. #CWC15 #INDvsUAE

Updated at 8.27am GMT

8.21am GMT08:21

25th over: UAE 72-9 (Anwar 15, Guruge 0)

Ashwin looking for five, as the slip is out for Anwar. The Emirati batsman uses that to guide a ball to third man and take a single off the last ball of the over.

Updated at 8.32am GMT

8.20am GMT08:20

24th over: UAE 71-9 (Anwar 14, Guruge 0)

Not too impressed with Anwar, here. Another single early on in the over has left his last two partners exposed. No different here, albeit on the third over. Tauqir then goes rather comically and UAE are circling the drain.

Updated at 8.32am GMT

8.19am GMT08:19

WICKET! Tauqir b Jadeja 1 (UAE 71-9)

Ridiculous - Tauqir goes to sweep and the ball goes under him and onto his stumps. India on course to skittle out a side for 100 in a World Cup, for the first time.

8.15am GMT08:15

23rd over: UAE 68-8 (Anwar 12, Tauqir 0)

Anwar takes a single off the first ball and Javed thinks big and ends up castled. 43-year-old Mohammad Tauqir comes to the crease.

Updated at 8.32am GMT

8.13am GMT08:13

WICKET! Naveed b Ashwin 6 (UAE 68-8)

Always on the card, from the moment Anwar took a single off the first ball. A quicker ball takes out leg stump, with Naveed trying to give himself room.

8.11am GMT08:11

22nd over: UAE 67-7 (Anwar 11, Naveed 6)

So a wicket first up - Javed goes - and then the new batsman - Mohammad Naveed - thumps Jadeja over midwicket for six! Some hit, that. HE tries to repeat the trick again and the over finishes with India’s first drop of the tournament! A prod, again, and Raina sort of pan hands the ball down into the ground.

Updated at 8.33am GMT

8.09am GMT08:09

WICKET! Javed c Raina b Jadeja 2 (UAE 61-7)

My word - Jadeja gets a wicket first up. Javed just prods forward and the ball turns. With it being the WACA, it carries, to, to Raina who takes a smart low catch.

8.07am GMT08:07

21st over: UAE 61-6 (Anwar 11, Javed 2)

Really sharp piece of work from Dhoni, who takes the ball between the legs of Javed, whips the bails off with the batsman’s foot in the air. However, it’s down in time before the zings are lit. Ashwin moves to around the wicket before reverting back to over. I think he’s just bored. Ooooo Ashwin’s first bad ball is short and pounced upon by Anwar, who slaps it for four.

8.03am GMT08:03

20th over: UAE 54-6 (Anwar 6, Javed 2)

Short again from Sharma allows Anwar to get off strike. He’s fuller to Mustafa, though, and after a series of leaves, Mustafar decides to basically leave again. Only this one is straight and destined to take out middle and off. He goes - leg before - and Amjad Javed comes to town, with a two behind square on the leg side.

8.01am GMT08:01

WICKET! Mustafa lbw M.Sharma 2 (UAE 52-6)

That’s just very out. Sharma, full, hits Mustafa so in front it’s untrue. He reviews. It’s still very out. He goes.

7.55am GMT07:55

19th over: UAE 51-5 (Anwar 5, Mustafa 2)

“He’s enjoying the doctor” - context here. There’s a wind that comes across the WACA called The Freemantle Doctor. It blows direct across the pitch and is one of the contributing factors to Mitchell Johnson being so ruddy good at Perth. It also helps Ashwin, who is getting some light swing across the lefties. A single off the last ball and that’s it.

7.52am GMT07:52

18th over: UAE 49-5 (Anwar 5, Mustafa 0)

Mohit digs one in short and it is superbly pulled to the square leg boundary for four by Anwar. He tries it again a ball later and it’s left alone for a wide. Sharp work from Dhawan saves the bowler as Anwar whips him off his pads.

Might not be 100 overs across two games here.

7.48am GMT07:48

17th over: UAE 44-5 (Anwar 1, Mustafa 0)

Ashwin’s got a skip in his... skip, and is drifting the ball across the leftie (Khan) rather nicely. Then Khan goes doing something rather silly. Rohan Mustafa - another leftie - comes to the creaser, and Ashwin bowls around the wicket. There’s a big appeal, as Dhoni believes there has been an under-edge, as Mustafa tries to leave the ball. Looks like nothing.

7.46am GMT07:46

WICKET! Khan c Raina b Aswhin 14 (UAE 44-5)

A pretty non-committal sweep from Khan sees the ball just lob up over his right shoulder. Dhoni could have taken the catch, but an excited Raina calls early and takes a simple one.

7.43am GMT07:43

16th over: UAE 44-1 (Khan 14, Anwar 1)

Mohit Sharma’s third over, here, and it’s sharp. Khan gets off the strike and Anwar’s got to deal with him first up. HE crunches one to mid on, before getting something short and pulling it aerially, but not very far, for one. Khan sees out the over, with Sharma offering a decent change-up. For fun.

7.40am GMT07:40

15th over: UAE 41-4 (Khan 13, Anwar 0)

Another testing over from results in a wicket. It was the arm ball what done it, as Patil just didn’t read it and threw his hands at the ball.

7.37am GMT07:37

WICKET! SP Patil c Dhawan b Ashwin 7 (UAE 41-4)

It’s Ashwin again - Patil goes hard at the ball and Dhawan dives to his right to take a fine catch!

5.30am GMT05:30

Morning everyone

Vithushan will be here shortly. In the meantime, why not read about AB De Villiers’ jaw-dropping hitting yesterday:

AB de Villiers confirmed his status as the most destructive batsman in cricket with a magnificent unbeaten 162 from 66 balls to lead South Africa to a record 257-run victory over West Indies in the World Cup on Friday.

South Africa’s tally of 408 for five was the second highest posted in a World Cup match and a shell-shocked West Indies could manage only 151 in reply, Chris Gayle backing up his record 215 against Zimbabwe on Tuesday with a paltry three.

It was the joint fourth largest margin of victory by runs in a one-day international and also equalled the largest margin in a World Cup match, matching India’s 257-run win over Bermuda in 2007.

De Villiers earlier continued his one-man mission to redefine limited-overs batting with the quickest century in one-day internationals on Australian soil (52 balls) and the fastest 150 ever in the 50-over format (64 balls). Utilising his full repertoire of strokes in an awesome display of batting, he flogged the West Indies bowlers with eight sixes and 17 fours in a 104-minute knock that will live long in the memory. His last 50 runs came off just 12 balls and brought the 23,612 crowd at a sun-bathed Sydney Cricket Ground to their feet chanting: “AB!, AB!, AB!”