West Indies?gave up what is already proving to be a decisive lead on first innings as the opening Digicel Test cricket match against India heads into the third day this morning.
Beginning yesterday’s second day aiming to overcome India’s first day total of 246, the home side could not find the necessary inspiration to overcome the Indian bowlers on the helpful strip at Sabina Park. The West Indies batting crumbled in the second session, the last five wickets perishing for just 26 runs as the home side fell for 176, conceding a lead of 73.
It seemed a distinct advantage for India in the conditions. And the visitors had strengthened their grip by the close of play, moving to 91 for three in their second innings and pushing their lead to 164.
Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh’s inspired century partnership of 146 on the first afternoon had saved India from the kind of total the West Indians mustered yesterday. Darren Sammy’s men could not execute in the way the circumstances demanded.
It was a personally difficult day for the captain.
He managed just one run before he failed to play straight and was bowled middle stump by Ishant Sharma (17-6-29-3). And then, fielding at second slip with the Indian total standing at 14 for one, Sammy dropped Rahul “The Wall” Dravid.
It was as regulation a chance as slip catches come, Ravi Rampaul creating the opportunity by finding Dravid’s outside edge. The ball went waist-high to Sammy and he dropped it somehow. His players were in disbelief. Vice-captain Brendan Nash in the gully visibly had difficulty suppressing an angry reaction. Rampaul was denied a second wicket in as many overs, having already removed Murali Vijay with his second ball of the innings. Worse, the Windies missed the chance to build momentum and force their way back into the game. Dravid took advantage of that escape when he was six to reach 45 by day’s end.
It was captain Sammy himself who had said before this game: “You need to take all your catches. We paid dearly in the last Test against Pakistan.”
But that was not the only lesson the home side failed to heed. India’s seam bowlers Sharma and debutant Praveen Kumar found the right “three-quarter” length around off-stump that constantly gave them an opportunity to take wickets on a pitch where the bounce was steadily encouraging.
The Windies pacers struggled to maintain that consistency, even in the first innings and again yesterday afternoon.
The exhibition by tall, slender Sharma and Kumar in particular was impressive. Only little Adrian Barath, back in big cricket after nearly seven months out with injury, found the right balance between defence and attack in getting to a very well made second Test half century, 64. His nine fours and the six off Amit Mishra which he deposited well into the North Stand were all the result of nimble and precise movements of the feet. Pugnacious Barath drove through the off-side with great success and was also willing to use the sweep shot, something very rarely seen by his teammates this season.
He made his runs largely in partnership with left-hander Darren Bravo (18) with whom he added 56 for the third wicket. They had come together in the second over when Ramnaresh Sarwan (three) was adjudged lbw by umpire Ian Gould as he offered no shot to a Sharma delivery which cut back from outside off-stump.
Barath and Bravo took the total to 91. Barath was just stepping up the tempo with a four and that six in succession off Mishra when Kumar got him with an irresistible ball. Pitching on off-stump, it left him at the last moment, caught the edge and was snared by captain Mahendra Dhoni behind the stumps.
His ability to get movement both ways and his accurate line always made Kumar a potential wicket-taker. And even though the spinners got wickets late in the innings, they enjoyed the bounce and generous turn. The sustained pressure was such that only the last wicket to fall, Devendra Bishoo’s came from an attacking shot in front of the wicket.
