Like father like son: Stuart Binny is fast becoming a key bowling all-rounder for India
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Stuart Binny did what his father, Roger, did at WACA, Perth 35 years ago, but only just. In a telling spell of seam bowling, Stuart took 3 for 33 in a must-win game for India against England on Friday. In 1980, Binny (senior) took 4 for 41 as India beat New Zealand at Perth by five runs. On Friday, India lost a tight match by three wickets .
India and New Zealand were involved in a Benson & Hedges World Series Cup match in December 1980. Led by Sunil Gavaskar, India had scored just 162 runs. Roger Binny opened the innings and scored 14. Sandeep Patil was India's top scorer with 39. Roger then returned to help clinch a cliffhanger. He had figures of 9.5-1-41-4 and was ably supported by left-arm spinner Dilip Doshi (2/22). Kapil Dev, Karsan Ghavri and Patil took a wicket each. (India Need Family Touch to Recreate World Cup Magic: Ganguly )
Thirty-year-old Stuart almost did something similar. Unlike his father who bowled one-change, Stuart opened the bowling. Over eight probing overs in two spells, he sent panic waves in the England dressing room. His first three wickets, that broke the back of England batting, came in the second spell.
A brilliant caught-and-bowled of Joe Root (3) opened the floodgates. Dangerman and skipper Eoin Morgan (2) was caught by Shikhar Dhawan at mid-on, an angling, round-the-wicket delivery doing the trick. Ravi Bopara (4) paid for impetuosity. He cut a length ball and was caught at point by Ravindra Jadeja. But a record sixth-wicket 125-run stand between Jos Buttler (67) and James Taylor (82) ruined winless India's fightback as England booked a place in Sunday's tri-nation series final against Australia. (Jadeja's Poor Batting Angers Ganguly )
Stuart,� whose 6 wickets for 4 runs against Bangladesh in 2014 is the best figures by an Indian in ODIs, justified his selection in India's World Cup squad. Stuart scored just seven runs as India's middle order suffered a now familiar collapse to manage all of 200 runs after England won the toss and decided to field in Perth. Stuart struck with the ball and also took a brilliant catch in the country to anchor India's fightback. Had India scored another 25 runs, Friday's story could have been different.
Stuart's selection in the World Cup squad had raised some questions because Roger is one of the national selectors. Former Test captain Sunil Gavaskar said Stuart was a perfect choice for his ability to bowl, bat and field. Aussie legend Ian Chappell had even suggested that Binny should be made to open the batting at a time when Rohit Sharma was injured and Shikhar Dhawan was struggling for runs.
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