Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
Chris Gayle celebrates his century against India at Sabina Park yesterday. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE WEST Indies dream of a winning start in the Digicel one-day series against India ended in disappointment when, despite a century from Chris Gayle and some splendid bowling by left-arm pacer Ian Bradshaw, they lost the opening match at Sabina Park yesterday.
Set a victory target of 252 in a match reduced from 50 to 45 overs each due to overnight and early morning rain, India, paced by a solid and attractive innings of 105 by captain Rahul Dravid, chipped to victory with one ball to spare.
The scoreboard, after a nail-biting finish, read: the West Indies 251 for six off 45 overs, India 255 for five off 44.5 overs.
In winning the one-day match, the first between the two countries at Sabina Park, India, number three in the LG ICC rankings and favourites to win the series, not only chalked up their 31st win out of 78 against the West Indies and their fifth out of 12 in the West Indies, but they have also jumped into the lead in the five-match contest.
In a match that was closely contested from start to finish, the West Indies probably lost the match not only because of Dravid's 102-ball gem that included two sixes and 10 fours, but also because of some poor fielding and a couple dropped catches.
In comparison to India's superb catching and rilliant fielding, the West Indies muffed at least two catches - one when captain Brian Lara, flying to his left at short extra-cover, dropped Mohammed Kaif, 66 not out with three boundaries off 90 deliveries, off fast bowler Fidel Edwards at five at 105 for three in the 22nd over, and one when Edwards, fielding on the backward square-leg boundary, dropped Kaif off Marlon Samuels with the batsman on 35 at 176 for three in the 35th over.
DELIGHTFUL STROKES
Batting first after India had won the toss and sent them to bat, the West Indies, thanks to Gayle who powered his way to 123 before he was fourth out at 222 for four, entertained the gathering with some delightful strokes and were in the hunt until the final three overs when Kaif and Suresh Raina stroked and edged India to victory.
In ticking off his first one-day century at Sabina Park, his fourth against India and his 12th against all comers, Gayle, who shared a first-wicket partnership of 87 in 14 overs with Runako Morton and a third-wicket stand of 82 in 15 overs with Lara, slammed two sixes and smashed 18 fours in an innings that lasted for 130 deliveries.
Starting with a backfoot drive to the cover boundary in the first over, bowled by left-hander Irfan Pathan, Gayle was awesome from beginning to end as, with the exception of the wily offspinner Harbhajan Singh, he caned the Indian bowlers with some powerful drives mainly in the arc between long-off and long-on.
With Ramaresh Sarwan falling for two, Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 18 and Samuels run out at the end for 10, Gayle was well supported by Morton, who scored 23 before he was caught by wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni and by Lara who, with four fours and one six, looked in good nick before he drove at Pratap Singh and was brilliantly caught by Kaif at short extra-cover at 176 for three in the 32nd over.
Set a target of 5.58 runs per over, India started brilliantly with Virender Sehwag and Dravid striking the ball confidently and looking dangerous, posting 50 off eight overs.
It was 56 for one in the 10th over, however, when Sehwag drove left-arm pacer Ian Bradshaw high to long-off, and after misjudging the catch, with the batsman going for a second run, Samuels recovered brilliantly and ran him out with a brilliant throw straight into the gloves of wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh Jnr.
BRILLIANTLY CATCH
Six runs and two overs later, it was 62 for two when the left-handed Pathan, batting at number three, cut at Bradshaw bowling over the wicket and Morton at second slip took the catch; and when the left-handed Yuvraj Singh, going at Bradshaw, was brilliantly caught by Samuels running back at long, it was 86 for three in the 18th over.
With Dravid batting well, however, and Kaif surviving two chances, with the pair adding 123 in 21 overs for the fourth wicket, India moved towards what appeared then an easy victory until Dwayne Bravo removed Dravid - caught on the long-on boundary at 209 for four, and Dhoni - caught also on the long-on boundary - to set up the fairytale finish which, with one run to win and two deliveries to go, ended with Kaif driving Bravo confidently to the extra-cover boundary.
West Indies innings
C. Gayle c Dravid b Agarkar 123
R. Morton c Dhoni b Agarkar 23
R. Sarwan lbw Harbhajan 2
B. Lara c Kaif b Patel 35
S. Chanderpaul c Sehwag b Pathan 18
M. Samuels run out (Sehwag/Pathan) 10
C. Baugh not out 12
D. Bravo not out 0
Extras: (lb14, w9, nb5) 28
TOTAL: (for six wkts 45 overs) 251
Fall: 1-87, 2-94, 3-176, 4-222, 5-233, 6-248.
Bowling: Irfan Pathan 9-1-52-1 (nb2, w5), Munaf Patel 9-1-48-1 (nb3, w1), RP Singh 7-0-45-0 (w3), Harbhajan Singh 9-2-33-1, Ajit Agarkar 9-0-38-2, Virender Sehwag 2-0-21-0.
India innings
V. Sehwag run out (Samuels/Baugh) 22
R. Dravid c Taylor b Bravo 105
I. Pathan c Morton b Bradshaw 1
Y. Singh c Samuels b Bradshaw 12
M. Kaif not out 66
M. Dhoni c Morton b Bravo 18
S. Raina not out 7
Extras: (lb8, w10, nb5) 23
TOTAL: (for five wkts - 44.5 overs) 254
Fall: 1-56, 2-62, 3-86, 4-209, 5-233.
Bowling: Fidel Edwards 9-1-50-0 (nb1, w4), Jerome Taylor 9-1-56-0, Ian Bradshaw 9-1-40-2 (nb3, w2), Dwayne Bravo 8.5-0-50-2 (nb1, w4), Marlon Samuels 6-0-34-0, Chris Gayle 3-0-16-0.
Result: India won by five wickets.
Series: India lead 1-0.
