West Indies fast bowlers rout India for 81 to secure victory
On a devilish Kensington Oval pitch, Messrs Ambrose, Bishop, Dillon and Rose
routed India for 81 to secure a
sensational 38 run victory midway through the fourth day of the
third Cable and Wireless Test.
When Ian Bishop rattled the stumps of last man Venkatesh Prasad
45 minutes after lunch, he sunk to his knees on the pitch and
punched the air in delight. He was soon joined by most of the
smallish crowd of 5,000 who swarmed onto the ground to join in the
victory celebrations that lasted well after the finish.
The win gave the West Indies a 1-0 lead in the five-match series
with two Tests left.
India, resuming on two without loss in pursuit of a modest 120
to win, lost wickets at regular intervals. Only opener Venkata
Laxman, with an enterprising 19, passed double figures as the West
Indian pacers bowled with hostility and accuracy.
India's 81 was the lowest-ever total at the Kensington Oval, beating
the previous mark of 94 by New Zealand in 1985. It was also the
second lowest Indian total against the West Indies, just passing
the 75 they made at Delhi in 1978-79.
Franklyn Rose, the muscular Jamaican in only his third Test,
started the Indian slide by removing the first three batsmen in a
hostile spell of nine overs from the pavilion end.
Navjot Sidhu got a brute of a delivery that jumped at his throat
and he could only fend it off the shoulder of the bat to third
slip.
Rahul Dravid also got an edge to one that leapt at him,
wicket-keeper Courtney Browne completing an easy catch.
Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar added 16 for the third wicket, the
highest stand of the innings.
But both fell at the same score as India were reduced to 32 for
four.
Laxman was bowled off stump by Rose playing a hesitant front
foot defensive shot. His 77 minutes at the crease was the longest
any Indian batsman lasted. He faced 61 balls and hit two of the six
boundaries in the innings.
But it was Tendulkar's scalp that sent the expectant
crowd into a state of frenzy. The Indian captain, who topscored in
the first innings with 92, drove at Bishop and Brian Lara took an
excellent low catch at first slip to his left.
The left-handed Saurav Ganguly and Mohammad Azharuddin rode
their luck to score two boundaries each before Curtly Ambrose
returned in Rose's place to claim them both.
In Rose's spell, the ball constantly rose disconcertingly off a
good length. Now, the wily Ambrose bowled both batsmen with balls
that kept low.
Ganguly played back to one that came into him and his middle and
off stumps were rattled. Azharuddin's ball kept even lower and his
off stump was hit as he played back.
Bishop returned to dismiss Anil Kumble just before lunch, the
Indian leg-spinner skying an on-drive off the leading edge straight
to square leg where Holder accepted the easy chance.
In the second over after the break, defiant wicket-keeper Nayan
Mongia padded up to an inswinger from Bishop that came back to clip
the off stump.
Abey Kuruvilla and Dodda Ganesh gamely added 14 for the ninth
wicket before the last two wickets fell in quick succession.
Kuruvilla lobbed a catch to mid-on off Ambrose and Prasad had
his stumps rattled by Bishop.
Bishop ended with four wickets for 22 runs off 11.5 overs to
finish with a match haul of seven for 92. Rose took three for 19
for match analysis of seven for 96. Ambrose captured three for 36
to end with five wickets in the match.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the West Indies left-hander, took the
man of the match award for his unbeaten 137 in the
first innings, his maiden Test century.
Scoreboard
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