We could have bowled a bit better: Ganguly

India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly admitted his side did not bowl too well and gave full credit to the South Africans, who managed a six-wicket victory despite two Indian batsmen scoring centuries.

"We could have bowled a bit better. But it's the first game of the tour and there's a lot of cricket ahead. We've got to learn from this," Ganguly said.

"We posted a huge total on the board, but they played pretty well. All credit to the South Africans."

The match, held at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg, was the first one-day international of a triangular series also involving Kenya.

The Indian captain seemed slightly irked when the stadium announcer asked him if he was happy with his form in the game.

"Two innings ago, I was 98 not out in a match which India won, so I don't know what is the good form and what is bad form they talk about. But I'm pretty happy with the way I hit the ball - that's more important, and I hope I continue to do it throughout the series.

"I found the ball a little too short on this wicket. We've got to learn to bowl a bit more accurately in one-day cricket if we want to be a good side.

"We've got to vary the pace a bit which we did not do well in this game."

Ganguly led his side to a 279/5 score, with an individual total of 127 off 125 deliveries. Sachin Tendulkar scored 101 in a partnership of 193 for the first wicket with Ganguly.

Ganguly and Tendulkar were the first recipients of a new South African one-day international award, the Bluebean.com Batting Awards.

The third bluebean.com award and the Stannic Man of the Match went to South African Gary Kirsten, who was the mainstay for his side right to the end of the game, scoring 133 not out. He credited his opening partner, Herschelle Gibbs.

"India posted a good total, so we had to get off to a fast start, and Gibbs playing such good cricket made it a bit easier for me. Then it was just a question of keeping up with the rate," said Kirsten.

South African captain Shaun Pollock, who has been at the helm for about a year now after the exit of Hansie Cronje, said he was pleased with the performance of his side.

"But I must admit that I misjudged the wicket. I though there would be a lot more bounce and nip in it and that's why I elected to bowl first, but realised after the first three overs that it was probably a 300-wicket and I thought the guys did well to hold out and make it 280."

Pollock said they had also not fielded spinners because they thought it was going to be "a quick seamer".

A large crowd at the Wanderers stadium saw some very entertaining cricket from both the Indian and South African sides.

Local heroes Jonty Rhodes and Lance Klusener were in form as well. Despite relatively short innings, Rhodes hit several fours in his 19 off 20 balls and Klusener hit two consecutive sixes to notch up 17.

Indo-Asian News Service

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