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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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