There was no song and dance at the Queen Park's Oval yesterday, as India methodically took a 2-0 lead in theDigicel Pearl Limited Overs cricket series with a seven-wicket victory over a hapless West Indies.
Scores: West Indies 240/9 (50 overs) vs India 183/3. The scores of fans at the Oval were expecting a good show from the locals but there was to be no 'Fire in Babylon', all that was on offer was an Indian documentary on how to play intelligent cricket, starring Amit Mishra, Virat Kohli and Partiv Patel.
After losing their way towards the end of the innings and scoring just 240 for nine off their 50 overs, the West Indies struggled to contain the free-scoring Indians. Rain set in during the Indian innings but there was no respite for the West Indies, as their target was even a softer one after the rain. When the heavens opened, the score was 100 for one. Sloppy work by the groundsmen led to wet patches adjacent to the pitch and this cut off 13 overs from the encounter. The revised target was 183 off 37 overs. And with Partiv Patel and Virat Kohli well set, it was an easy task. The early loss of Shikhar Dawan to Ravi Rampaul was negated by a 110-run partnership between Patel and Kohli.
The duo batted sensibly and put away the bad balls, much to the delight of the small contingent of Indian fans. Patel finally fell for 56 off 64 balls with two fours and two sixes but Kohli continued to collar the West Indies bowlers. Just before the end with the result a mere formality he fell to Devendra Bishoo for a well crafted 81. His innings occupied 103 balls and included six fours and one six. When the victory came, skipper Suresh Raina was unbeaten on 26 and Rohit Sharma seven. Earlier, the West Indies collapsed from a position of tremendous strength to that all too familiar state of despair. They were reduced from 192 for three in the 41st over to 197 for seven in the 44th.
This prevented them from posting a competitive score on the batting friendly surface. Just when they began to step on the accelerator, leg-spinner Amit Mishra decided to have a say in proceedings.
After Ramnaresh Sarwan deposited a full toss from Munaf Patel into the hands of Yusuf Pathan for 56, Mishra sent back Keiron Pollard (0) Dwayne Bravo (8) and Carlton Baugh (2). Prior to the collapse, the West Indies were in control as openers Lendl Simmons and Kirk Edwards posted their best stand of the series. Playing some audacious shots both players had the crowd at the edge of their seats.
Edwards was attractive to look at but once spin was introduced, he looked at sea and fell to Harbhajan for 25. Enter Sarwan and the runs continued to flow. Simmons was classy and tamed the feared Indian spin attack. He was very good on the drive and equally as effective on the pull and raced to 53 off 84 balls with three fours and two sixes before he fell. Marlon Samuels and Sarwan, saviours in the last match, ensured West Indies stayed on course with a 51-run stand off 9.1 overs. However, after hitting Pathan for a four and a six in one over, Samuels advanced down the pitch and was stumped. His 36 came off 32 balls with three fours and a six. At his fall, things went downhill and the last rock standing Sarwan fell at 192 and that was that. Mishra continued to underline his growing reputation with his best figures of 4/31, while pacer Patel took 3/35.
The third match of the series will be played on Saturday in Antigua.
SCOREBOARD
West Indies vs India
West Indies inns
L Simmons st P Patel b Pathan*53
K Edwards c P Patel b Mishra*25
R Sarwan c Pathan b Mishra*56
M Samuels st P Patel b Pathan*36
D Bravo c Harbhajan b Mishra*8
K Pollard lbw Mishra*0
C Baugh b Mishra*2
D Sammy not out*22
R Rampaul c Raina b Patel*14
D Bishoo c P Patel b M Patel*0
A Martin not out*0
Extas b1, lb6, w16, nb1*24
Total 9 wkts (50ovs)*240
Fall of wkts: 57, 124, 175, 192, 192, 197, 197, 228, 229.
Bowling: P Kumar 10-054-0 (1w), M Patel 10-2-35-3 (1nb, 1w), Harbhajan 10-1-51-0 (4w), A Mishra 10-2-31-4, Y Pathan 8-0-51-2 (2w), S Raina 2-0-11-0.
India inns
P Patel c Baugh b Martin*56
S Dhawan c Pollard b Rampaul*3
V Kohli c Pollard b Bishoo*81
S Raina not out*26
R Sharma not out*24
Extras (w8, nb2)*10
Total for 3 wkts (33.4overs)*183
Fall of wkts: 8, 128, 173.
Bowling: R Rampaul 6.4-0-32-1 (2w), D Sammy 10-1-38-0, D Bravo 3-0-20-0 (1w), D Bishoo 7-0-37-1 (2nb), A Martin 4-0-29-1, K Pollard 3-0-27-0 (1w).
Result: India won by 7 wkts.
Man of match: Virat Kohli.
