CALCUTTA, May 31: The prodigious Sachin Tendulkar gave ample proof of his class with an unbeaten century as India lifted the Coca Cola Cup with an emphatic nine-wicket victory against Kenya at the flood-lit Eden Gardens here tonight.Chasing 197 for victory, India made mockery of the target as they rode on the brilliant unbeaten 100 by the irrepressible Tendulkar to rattle up 197 in just 35 overs in a rather one-sided contest.
The Indians, jolted by the embarrassing 69-run defeat in Gwalior, showed little mercy towards the African minnows as they raised their game by several notches to add another triumphant chapter to their cricket history.
Tendulkar was chosen Man of the Match, while Steve Tikolo was adjudged Man of the Series.
Vice captain Ajay Jadeja (50 not out) and local star Sourav Ganguly (36) were the other contributors for the Indians who have continued their winning run since the beginning of this year.
Earlier, electing to bat first after winning the toss, the Kenyans were in deeptrouble as Indian speedsters Venkatesh Prasad (4-23) and Ajit Agarkar (3-31) produced an inspired spell of seam bowling.
SCOREBOARD
KENYA: Dipak Chudasama c Azharuddin b Agarkar 10 (12m, 12b, 2x4), Ravindu Shah c Kanitkar b Prasad 8 (18m, 9b, 1x4), Steve Tikolo c Mongia b Agarkar 3 (22m, 16b), Maurice Odumbe b Prasad 0 (10m, 7b), Hitesh Modi c Kanitkar b Robin Singh 71 (126m, 93b, 6x4), Kennedy Otieno lbw Kumble 28 (88m, 57b, 4x4, 1x6), Thomas Odoyo b Kumble 21 (26m, 33b, 1x4, 1x6), Asif Karim c Mongia b Prasad 13 (34m, 16b), Martin Suji c Mongia b Prasad 4 (10m, 11b, 1x4), Md Sheikh not out 6 (19m, 11b), Joseph Angara c & b Agarkar 3 (9m, 11b). Extras (b2, lb13, w12, nb2): 29.
Total (all out, 46.3 overs): 196.
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-19, 3-21, 4-23, 5-105, 6-142, 7-164, 8-180, 9-185.
Bowling: Venkatesh Prasad 10-2-23-4, Ajit Agarkar 9.3-0-31-3, Robin Singh 6-0-41-1, Anil Kumble 10-0-34-2, Rahul Sanghvi 7-0-26-0, Hrishikesh Kanitkar 2-0-15-0, Saurav Ganguly1-0-7-0, Sachin Tendulkar 1-0-4-0.
INDIA: Saurav Ganguly b Angara 36 (66m, 45b), Sachin Tendulkar (not out) 100 (156m, 102b, 13x4), Ajay Jadeja (not out) 50 (89m, 66b, 2x4); Extras: (lb1, w9, nb1) 11.
Total (for one wicket in 35 overs) 197.
Fall of wicket: 1-77.
Bowling: Martin Suji 5-0-30-0, Asif Karim 5-0-27-0, Joseph Angara 6-0-37-1, Steve Tikolo 3-0-27-0, Thomas Odoyo 8-0-38-0, Odumbe 2-0-15-0, Md Sheikh 5-0-27-0, Ravindu Shah 1-0-5-0.
Man Of The Match: Sachin Tendulkar.
Man Of The Series: Steve Tikolo.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
