West Indies v Indian: 3rd ODI, St.Kitts

[Easa]

Dwayne Bravo's final-over heroics have got the Caribbean stirring. Suddenly the streets and bars are more abuzz with cricket than with football and there have even been suggestions, albeit prematurely, about the re-emergence of the West Indies. Brian Lara and his boys have shown what they can do. Now, as the teams prepare for the joust at St Kitts, it's a question of who will blink first.

If the entire population of St Kitts and Nevis is packed into the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the stadium will only be half full. India's third one-day international, to be staged in miniscule Basseterre, will be the first-ever international game at Warner Park and the enthusiasm is so high that Tuesday has been declared a national holiday. Locals still talk about a disappointing day in the late '70s, when a World Series game was washed out. St Kitts is yet to produce an international cricketer but that hasn't diminished the frenzied interest for the contest.

Both sides had a light work-out session on the eve of the match. The practice pitches were a bit slow and damp, something that Bennett King hoped would be rectified soon. Virender Sehwag's two indifferent performances prompted speculation; as did Irfan Pathan's two failures at No.3 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's position at No.7. None of this is, however, likely to affect Rahul Dravid and Co. India may continue to make changes - both in personnel and in batting strategy - yet panic they won't. You don't win 19 of your last 26 games without possessing a certain mental steel. As far as personnel go Sreesanth may come in for Munaf Patel, while West Indies may replace Jerome Taylor with Corey Colleymore.

One thing they will have to combat is Lara's captaincy, whose leadership proved vital in the climactic stages of the second game. "He showed some courage with the bowling changes," added King, "rotated the field in between overs and kept key fielders in key positions. I enjoy people who take risks and he's someone who does that." Lara will not die wondering; India can expect a few more surprises.

Only two games, of any sort, have been held here before - both when St Kitts took on a visiting Lancashire side. First-innings scores of 197 and 210 don't sound too promising for the batsmen, bringing visions of the second game at Sabina Park, but Bennett King felt differently. "It looks flat and should produce a lot of runs. The short boundaries and beautiful outfield will be conducive for the batsmen." Steadroy Douglas, the chief groundsman, predicts 260. Ramnaresh Sarwan concurred. In the end, they all may be right; or all may be wrong. The beauty lies in the uncertainty.

Teams

West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Runako Morton, 3 Ramnaresh Sarwan, 4 Brian Lara (capt), 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Marlon Samuels, 7 Dwayne Bravo, 8 Carlton Baugh (wk), 9 Ian Bradshaw, 10 Corey Collymore, 11 Fidel Edwards.

India (probable) 1 Rahul Dravid (capt), 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (wk), 4 Yuvraj Singh, 5 Mohammad Kaif, 6 Suresh Raina, 7 Irfan Pathan, 8 Ajit Agarkar, 9 Ramesh Powar, 10 Harbhajan Singh, 11 Sreesanth.

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan is staff writer of Cricinfo

© Cricinfo

Before this series, I told you guys not to write the Windies off. Now its 1-1, with 3 matches to play.

This is the first international match at this ground, it is a national holiday in the Windies, and I have a feeling this is going to be a cracker!

Post all match updates/comments here. Match to start at 13:35 GMT.

 

[Shayan]

India win the toss and bat, Yuvraj isn't playing!

 

[Hash]

Yuvraj must still be crying after getting bowled in the last game.

India bat first?! Go WINDIES!

 

[hasan316]

WI will win Inshallah.

 

[hasan316]

India team:
V Sehwag, *R Dravid, M Kaif, SK Raina, Y Venugopal Rao,
+MS Dhoni, IK Pathan, RR Powar, Harbhajan Singh, AB Agarkar,
S Sreesanth.

West Indies team:
*BC Lara, CH Gayle, RS Morton, RR Sarwan, S Chanderpaul,
MN Samuels, DJ Bravo, +CS Baugh, IDR Bradshaw, JE Taylor,
FH Edwards.

 

[snazir6]

they dropped their pace demon..munaf patel..who clocked speeds of 82mph

 

[hasan316]

Dravid gone

 

[hasan316]

0.6 Bradshaw to Dravid, OUT, and Bradshaw strikes! good length delivery on the middle and off stump line, this one shaped back in after hitting the deck, Dravid is sucked forward into the drive, ball swings in just enough to beat the inside edge and Dravid is trapped plumb in front, dead as a stone!

 

[Hash]

Yeaaaaaaaaah!!!

Come On Windies!

 

[Hash]

India 8 for 1 after 3 overs

Good start by the West Indians.

 

[Rickz]

Come on India!, Dravid gone early, lets see what the youngsters and the rest of the batsmen do here.

 

[hasan316]

Go WI win this match.

 

[Easa]

Good stuff by the Windies.

The best batsman ever from India, dismissed in the first over. This is the danger of Dravid opening the batting.

8-1 (3)

 

[hasan316]

Yuvraj Singh missed the third ODI due to back spasms

 

[Easa]

37-1

 

[Rana]

they dropped their pace demon..munaf patel..who clocked speeds of 82mph

you joka! )

there gonna stick with the ace of pace pathan who can reach upto 83mph on his day!

 

[Hash]

India running away here. Windies need a wicket fast.

 

[Hash]

61 for 1 after ten overs

 

[hasan316]

India 62/2 (10.2 ov)

 

[Hash]

Bradshaw strikes again!!!

Raina BOWLED for 26

India 62 for 2 after 10.2 overs.

This is an important breakthrough. They needed this badly.......India were taking control.


COME ON WINDIES!

 

[hasan316]

Bradshaw 31/2 from 5.2 overs

10.2 Bradshaw to Raina, OUT, good-length ball on the stumps, Raina goes to work the ball to the on side but that's a dangerous ploy. He misses and Bradshaw is right on the money! Raina has to take a walk as the stumps are shattered! West Indies have their second wicket and it's a big one as Raina had been batting handsomely

 

[Noman]

Bradshaw is a good wicket taker.s...

 

[jusarrived]

raina n shewag hav played some amazing shots today....!

 

[jusarrived]

50(42) shewag....played really well!

 

[chuck]

some one started a thread of Sehwag being out of form ... I think he read that.

 

[HAFRIDI]

Come on Windies!!

 

[chuck]

I think PP is becoming popular

 

[chuck]

India is doing well today but the pitch seems absolutely flat. Last 2 matches have shown that WI is more than a match to India.

 

[deviously~fading~away]

Shewag needs to score big if he wants India to take control of this game

 

[jusarrived]

with dravid opening, yuvi not playing n only 5 genuine batsmen..this is one of the weakest indian batting line ups...a wikts here cud put WI in controll.

 

[nadeem]

Right now, sehwag is 61 not out and i'm predicting he'll make a double ton today.

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

A double ton?? Nah he cant be interested long enough to stay at the crease for that period. Though a hundred is on the cards. And yeah, this is kinda like the India A batting line up.

[Edit by Mods: Pls dont abuse players]

So much for pace bowler Edwards... a wide an over atleast from him! Love it when "speed demons" forget to bring their radar to the game.

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

Bravo better get the beating of his lifetime today. I wanna see dhoni educate him for last time.

ANd yeah dude... the suggestion that west indies are more than a match for India is laughable at best!

 

[Toony™®]

edwards lost it.

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

They in powerplay 3 right now??

 

[WIW_SRT]

powerplay 3 not taken yet

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

Sweet!!! and yeah... more wides please.

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

SIX on Bravo! ... And Justice for All!

 

[chuck]

That 6 was mighty .. I think the ball had been lost.

 

[Hash]

India choked chasing less than 200 in the last game.

Windies are going to be chasing a lot more than that but they got some good batsman in Lara, Gayle, Sarwan, and Chanderpaul. Anything up to 280 they are capable of chasing on their day. Windies need a couple of quick wickets now.

Come on WINDIES! Teach these chokers another lesson in not to be arogant.

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

I swear to God Kaif if you dont rotate the strike, i m coming down there and it aint gonna be pretty!

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

Holly Cow! another Six!!! Hallelujah!!! (apologies for the lack of originality) "This is not justice, its punishment!"

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

If we can hit 200 before losing another wicket, 340-350 is on the cards.

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

Much better Kaif! I think he heard my vituperations!

 

[invincible]

If we can hit 200 before losing another wicket, 340-350 is on the cards.

I shouldn't get my hopes up with venugopal rao to come i dont think it will be a run feast in the last 15-20 overs ... but if dhoni comes and its his day ---

 

[The Chaudrey]

India should consider sending in Pathan next - would be a much better option than Rao considering their position.

 

[chuck]

Sehwag is looking in pristine touch. For quite some time in recent past it looked like as if he had forgotten how to bat. Today, he is batting as if there is no tomorrow. God only knows how he manages to be totally out of form in one match and in supreme touch in the next.

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

True that

 

[inzamam_1]

i get the impression sehwag is waiting for 100, then is gonna hit out and go for the double century, would hate for him of all people to break anwars record

 

[inzamam_1]

yes, Gone !! looks like i cursed him.

 

[Shayan]

sehwag gone! Dhoni comes in during the powerplay!

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

sweet! 4-5 singles an over. this is goof stuff.

 

[Hash]

Sehwag gone!

HUGE WICKET! Great stuff from Bravo...........teaching Sehwag a lesson!

COME ON NOW WINDIES! 174 for 3 after 28.4 overs

 

[Hash]

So much for a double century for Sehwag! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[chuck]

Sehwag is out on 96(83).

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

4! Sehwag to Bravo... "Youre now in Zander Zone!"

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

AWWW Fudge! well played Sehwag.

 

[Hash]

I don't think the India fan above has realised that Auntie Sehwagie has already gone crying back to the pavilion.

 

[chuck]

It was a good innings from Sehwag. WI has taken a vital wicket at the right time.

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

If Kaif gets a 50 and claims that "he is the new Kaif", i will whop his butt!

 

[inzamam_1]

kaif doing all he can to hug the strike, and restrict dhoni, well played !!

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

Edwards!! WE need Edwards... We need wides!

 

[z10]

So much for a double century for Sehwag! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

) ) ) )

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

Well when you cant hit 4s... hit 3s...

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

4! Dang I never knew he was capable of that! Well played nevertheless Kaif.

 

[Hash]

Kaif is crying

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

Not exactly exuding confidence with that single to bring up his 50.

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

Yo is Gayle a regular contributor with the bowl or sort of a backup option?

 

[chuck]

208/3 (36.0). What's the expected score -- 300+ at this moment but don't forget that Venugopal Rao is to come next.

 

[inzamam_1]

Dhoni better and more beastly than Afridi, whatever
15 (25)

 

[inzamam_1]

yesss Dhoni gone

 

[Hash]

Dho[n]i is run out!


Important wicket.

 

[Rana]

score guys???

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

I have not corrected the projected total from 340 to a slight downgrade... 230.

 

[Hash]

I have not corrected the projected total from 340 to a slight downgrade... 230.

So you haven't corrected it or you have? I'm confused

 

[jusarrived]

thot he was unlucky there...he probabaly thot ball had gone past gayle!

 

[Hash]

Windies will chase anything up to 280.

 

[jusarrived]

think india will endup with a score arnd 305....yeah,on a good day WI are capable of chasing this total!

 

[Rana]

this will be a test for lara, if he shows how he can help chase scores like inzy does then i predict a strong windies in the world cup

 

[akram_rejuvinated]

my bad... i have "now" downgraded