West Indies opener Chris Gayle looks back as he is caught by wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni (right) off Ajit Agarkar (left) in the warm-up match against India at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium yesterday. Gayle made six. Virender Sehwag is at first slip. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Tony Becca, Contributing Editor

The West Indies ended their two-match warm-up exercise in preparation for the World Cup at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium on a disappointing note yesterday when they were ripped apart by India and humbled before a home crowd which, after starting the day in high spirits, were shocked into silence.

With four days to go before they start their campaign in the World Cup against Pakistan at Sabina Park, the West Indies, winners in 1975 and 1979, between third, fourth and fifth favourites to win the Cup bysome bookmakers, and the favourites of many home town fans, were routed for 85 runs in 25.5 overs, and lost with more than half the day to go. India, after losing Virender Sehwag for zero at six for one in the second over of their innings, cruised to victory at 86 for one off 18.3 overs.

Poor start

After winning the toss and electing to bat under a cloudless sky, in bright, dazzling sunshine, and on a slow pitch of a somewhat unreliable bounce, the West Indies got off to a poor start when they lost left-handers Shivnarine Chanderpaul, six, and Chris Gayle, six, and were 14 for two in the fifth over.

With captain Brian Lara, batting at number four, and vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan, batting at number three, however, with Lara driving pacers Ajit Agarkar and left-hander Zaheer Khan off the front foot and off the back, with Sarwan going onto the back foot and playing a couple delightful strokes, and with the fans cheering lustily, the West Indies recovered.

Scared and helpless

They were apparently going well at 53 for two with one delivery to go in the 14th over when out of the blue, however, like a shot out of the dark, West Indies, looking scared and helpless and playing some bad shots, were destroyed.

In 67 minutes, the West Indies, with nine batsmen in their line-up, with Marlon Samuels, coming off an undefeated century against Kenya in their first warm-up match on Monday, batting at number eight, with Lendl Simmons batting at number nine, and with Dwayne Smith batting at 10, lost eight wickets for 32 runs in 11.5 overs - the first six falling in 30 minutes for nine runs off 27 deliveries.

Lara, 22 with four scintillating boundaries, went back to a short delivery from left-hander Irfan Pathan, and with the ball stopping and bouncing, he tapped it back to the bowler at 53 for three; next over, Sarwan, 13 with two lovely boundaries, went back to Munaf Patel and edged a catch to Robin Uthappa in the slips to make it 53 for four; and two overs later, Dwayne Bravo, on zero, went inside to a short delivery from Patel and flicked it straight to Harbhajan Singh at mid-wicket.

Careless drive

That was 57 for five in the 17th over. It became 61 for six in the following over when Kieron Pollard, on two, drove carelessly at Pathan and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. It was 62 for seven in the same over when Samuels, on zero, leaned forward, missed the ball and was leg before wicket, and it became 62 for eight when Denesh Ramdin, on three and playing defensively without either going backward or forward, edged Patel to Sehwag in the slips.

After surviving a loud and confident appeal for leg before wicket against Patel who finished with four for 10 off six overs, Dwayne Smith picked up two boundaries, one over cover and over the slips, before he went back, hooked at Patel, and skied a catch to Dinesh Karthik at mid-wicket.

That was 80 for nine and when Taylor was trapped leg before wicket by right-arm leg-spinner Anil Kumble that was that.

With the ball bouncing somewhat awkwardly, the pitch was not the best on which to bat. After India had lost Sehwag, caught by wicketkeeper Ramdin for zero at six for one in Daren Powell's first over, however, Uthappa, 35 off 43 deliveries, and Karthik, 38 off 67, batted sensibly, bided their time, and then, in a demonstration marked by good stroke selection, played some glorious strokes as India eased to victory.

SCOREBOARD

WEST INDIES Innings

C. Gayle c wkp Dhoni b Agarkar