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5th ODI: WI carve dramatic win
India's Caribbean cruise ended on a disastrous note as Windies beat them by 19 runs in the final ODI. Scorecard
India's Caribbean cruise ended on a disastrous note as West Indies beat them by 19 runs to win the final ODI.
Chasing a challenging victory target of 255 runs, India got off to a disastrous start but a valiant 95 from Virender Sehwag gave India hope as they sought to salvage a consolation win from the wreckage of this one-day series. But Indian were all out for 236 in 48 overs to lose the five-match series 1-4.
Indian run chase
Though India lost two quick wickets at the very outset, a valiant knock by Sehwag held the innings together and kept India in the hunt till the very end. He played a splendid innings of 95 runs which included 10 fours and 1 six.
Robin Uthappa, playing his first game of the series, was dismissed by Hinds in the very first over of the innings without scoring. Playing away from him his body, he edged the ball straight to Ramdin behind the stumps who scooped a simple catch.
Dhoni, coming one down after Uthappa's fall, started aggressively but was dismissed soon after by the same bowler for 14 runs.
Dravid, who joined Sehwag at this juncture looked in good touch before he was run out for 18. The skipper was dismissed rather unfortunately by a direct hit from Mohammed.
Next to come in was the man in form Yuvraj Singh who played sweet little cameo before he was castled by a beautiful delivery by Mohammed. Both Yuvraj and Dravid looked in good touch but failed to convert their starts into a big total.
After Yuvraj's dismissal, Kaif walked into to the crease to partner Sehwag but he too failed to spend any considerable time at the crease and was dismissed for 12. Raina too returned to the pavilion in quick succession. At this point India were left reeling at 180/6 with Sehwag fighting a lone battle. But he too was dismissed soon after ending all hopes.
Later, Harbhajan (26) and Agarkar (21) tried to infuse life into the chase but by then it was too late as India had lost too many wickets. Bhajji was dismissed trying to force the pace and the rest was a mere formality.
West Indies innings
Opener Chris Gayle gave West Indies a rollicking start and Bravo fired the Indian bowling in the finishing overs to set a very challenging total for India.
Asked to bat first, West Indies scored 255 runs in the stipulated 50 overs with Bravo remaining unbeaten at 62 off 44 balls.
Three of the batsmen - Gayle, Sarwan and Bravo - scored half centuries, while skipper Lara was run out for 36 after a fine display of batting.
West Indies started the day on an aggressive note. The early loss of wicket in the form of Chettargoon did not seem to bother Gayle and Sarwan who kept the momentum going by scoring at a brisk pace.
Gayle was in fine touch and displayed brilliant stokeplay to reach his fifty. But just when the Gayle-Sarwan partnership was looking threatening, Sehwag struck for India. The dangerman Gayle was bowled out by a beauty of a delivery immediately after he scored his third half century of the series which included 10 fours.
Lara, playing his last game before his home crowd, joined Sarwan at the crease at the fall of Gayle's wicket. The skipper carried on from where he left in the previous game. He looked good before he was runout by a superb peice of fielding by Agarkar for 36.
In the first over, Chris Gayle hit Sreesanth for two boundaries, who opened the bowling for India. He was dropped in the second ball of the day when wicketkeeper MS Dhoni missed a fairly easy chance.
But on the very first ball of the second over Ajit Agarkar clean bowled Chattergoon for no score. West Indies were one down for 8.
Earlier, India have made two changes with Robin Uthappa and Munaf Patel replacing Irfan Pathan and Ramesh Powar.
West Indies have made four changes to their side, bringing Sewnarine Chattergoon, Denesh Ramdin, Dave Mohammed, and Jerome Taylor into their side for Marlon Samuels, Carlton Baugh Jr., Ian Bradshaw, and Fidel Edwards.
After winning four matches in a row, West Indies clinched the five-match series 4-1. India had only won the series opener at Kingston by five wickets.
The ODI series will be followed by four Tests with matches at St. John's (June 2-6), Gros Islet (June 10-14), Basseterre, which is staging a Test for the first time from June 22 to 26, and Kingston (June 30-July 4).
Teams:
West Indies
Brian Lara (captain), Christopher Gayle, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Wavell Hinds, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Denesh Ramdin, Dave Mohammed, Corey Collymore, Jerome Taylor
India
Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammed Kaif, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Ajit Agarkar, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Munaf Patel
Umpires: Steve Bucknor, Simon Taufel
TV Replays: Billy Doctrove
Reserve: Terence Birbal
Match referee: Chris Broad
