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Goud hits 107 in drawn game

Yere Goud top-scored with 107 for national champions Indian Railways on Saturday as their three-day game against the West Indies ended in a predictable draw.

Goud, 30, a consistent middle-order batsman in domestic cricket, hit 12 fours as he rallied the home side from early trouble to an eventual 402 all out midway through the last session.

The West Indies had scored 449 for eight declared.

In their second innings, the West Indies were 35 for no wicket when play ended, with opener Chris Gayle, who hit 154 in the first innings, unbeaten on 9 and Wavell Hinds on 22.

Fast bowler Cameron Cuffy reminded the tour selectors of his potential after he was dropped for the second Madras Test, by claiming four wickets for 84 runs in the Railways innings.

The 32-year-old rocked the top-order with three quick strikes in the morning session after the home side resumed at their overnight 178 for one, returning figures of 8-2-13-3.

Cuffy bowled makeshift opener Murali Kartik for his overnight 72 and then trapped fellow left-hander Tejinderpal Singh leg before for 21 before forcing the experienced Jacob Martin to lob a catch to mid-off after making only five runs.

Goud, batting at number four, dug in with fluent drives past the covers against the pace bowlers and played strongly off his pads against both off-spinner Gareth Breese and leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo to lead a revival from 225 for four.

He added 55 runs for the fifth wicket with skipper Abhay Sharma (13) and another 40 for the next with Raja Ali (16) before going on to complete his 11th first class century in the final session of the match with number 10 Zakir Hussain for support.

Goud was eventually caught behind by stand-in skipper Ridley Jacobs while pushing forward against Nagamootoo before the innings ended two runs later.

He faced 213 balls in his knock lasting well over four hours after completing the second century of the innings alongside opener Shreyas Khanolkar's 102.

Breese bowled a steady line but found little help from the pitch to return an expensive two for 103 in 31 overs while Nagamootoo took two for 75.

The West Indies' poor catching on the tour continued as they dropped two catches after flooring a dozen in the two Tests.

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