With India 3-0 up, it looked just a matter of time for the young Indian side to hand West Indies a white-wash in the ODI series. But, refreshingly, Sammy’s West Indies showed once again that they can surprise any side on their day, by thrashing India in the 4th ODI.
Suresh Raina put West Indies in to bat. For India R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma and Manoj Tiwary came in for Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan and Munaf Patel. West Indies too made two changes with Devendra Bishoo surprisingly rested for Anthony Martin and Darren Bravo replacing Kirk Edwards.
Danza Hyatt continued to disappoint as he fell early to Ishant for one. A few overs later, Praveen Kumar sent in-form Sarwan back to the hut to make it 2 for 12. Simmons hit back by screaming first a four then thumping a six off Ishant In the very next over. After a number of quiet overs, Amit Mishra tasted Simmons’s flamboyance when he was carted for two back-to-back sixes o n the leg side. Darren Bravo and Lendl Simmons took the score to 65 in the 16th over when Bravo holed out off Mishra.
After reaching fifty, Simmons first lost Samuels through a poor decision and then, a few overs later, his own wicket through poor running. Tiwary’s direct hit cut short his innings for 67 (78 balls, 3x4 3x6). West Indies were 103 in 26.4 overs with half the side down, when Kieron Pollard walked onto the crease. Pollard did not waste time, as he went about his business as usual. His partner, Carlton Baugh was circumspect but hung around to script a valuable partnership of 96 runs for the 6th wicket.
Ashwin removed Pollard eventually, but after he had put West Indies back on track by scoring 70 off 84 balls with six fours and two sixes. One striker went but another, in the shape of Andre Russell, arrived at the crease. Baugh (39) and Russell (25 off 14) looted 14 runs from an Ishant over before Russell hit Mishra for a four and a six. Both were erased from the scene by Kumar, but West Indies posted a reasonable total of 249 for 8, their highest of the season so far. Kumar was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 37, while Ishant was expensive for his 2 scalps.
In reply, India were expected to last the distance at least if not win. But loss of wickets on regular intervals meant they were always behind the eight ball. The top four could not cross twenties as Windies’ bowlers bowled brilliantly especially captain Sammy who led from the front by taking the openers out. Rohit Sharma, the form man for India in the series, tried his best to resurrect the innings from 82 for 4 after 21 overs.
Raina and Yusuf Pathan became victim of injudicious shot selection to leave India reeling at 114 for six. It was a position from where India was not allowed by West Indies to come back through some good cricket. When Anthony Martin got rid of Sharma at 124 in the 31st over, it was curtains for India. He made 39 with a solitary six. Russell was gifted two wickets by the tail as India collapsed to 146 all out in 39 overs. It was a poor batting display by a team which takes pride in batting; despite the fact that big guns were missing.
Russell took 3 for 16, but the chief destroyer was ‘man of the match’ Anthony Martin, who grabbed 4 for 36, his best ever ODI figures. West Indies are in a familiar situation as they were against Pakistan after four matches. Will they be able to match that series result by winning the next game is what they surely will aim for.
Match result: West Indies 249/8 (Pollard 70, Simmons 67; Kumar 3/37) beat India 146 all out in 41 overs (Rohit Sharma 39; Martin 4/36, Russell 3/16) by 103 runs
Man of the Match: Anthony Martin (West Indies)
Published in sportpulse.net on June 14, 2011
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