Gavaskar steers India to victory

Press, 13 January 1987, Page 13

Gavaskar steers India to victory

NZPA-Reuter Gauhati, India Sunil Gavaskar, the world’s most prolific test run scorer, steered India to an eightwicket victory over Sri Lanka in a one-day international at the week-end with a majestic unbeaten 70.

The win, in front of 25,000 spectators, levelled the fivematch series at 1-1.

India's medium pacers and spinners laid the foundation for victory by restricting Sri Lanka to 145 for eight in 46 overs on a pitch made treacherous by excessive watering. The groundsmen’s action delayed the start of the match by 45 minutes and helped the spinners torment the Sri Lankans, put in to bat first by Indian skipper Kapil Dev.

Four wickets fell for just 33

runs before skipper Duleep Mendis and Roy Dias briefly steadied the innings, putting on 58 runs for the fifth wicket.

Dias fell leg before to leftarm spinner Ravi Shastri for 26 and Mendis (31) was trapped in the same way by Kapil Dev two runs later. The rest of the batting never threatened to set India a reasonable target

Gavaskar was in unfettered form, hitting one six and six boundaries, as India claimed victory in just 27.3 overs.

He cut and drove off the back foot to reach 50 off 66 deliveries. Gavaskar put on 117 runs with Dilip Vengsarkar in an unbeaten third wicket stand on a pitch which became steadily more placid in the hot sun;