5th Test: West Indies v India at Jamaica, 18-22 May 2002 Anand Vasu |
India 1st innings:
West Indies 1st innings: |
It all began with Ridley Jacobs being bowled when he was looking good. In good nick and going for his shots, Jacobs (59 runs, 90 balls, 7 fours, 2 sixes) went for a cut shot that just wasn’t there. Harbhajan Singh exulted as the resultant edge went back onto the stumps.
Merv Dillon, trying to give Chanderpaul company lasted just two balls for his duck as he was trapped plumb in front by the Harbhajan Singh. The offie was delighted, after all, you don’t expect a spinner to get too many wickets on a green-top.
Chanderpaul, nudging, nurdling and knocking the ball away to all parts for valuable runs, fell when he was looking good. He’s simply not the batsman you want at the crease when you’re trying to force the pace. With wickets falling around him, Chanderpaul attempted one stroke too many, flashing to the keeper when he was on 58 (148 balls, 7 fours). A disappointment yes, but only relatively.
The tail then packed up in predictable fashion and West Indies were all out for 422. Harbhajan Singh had a 5-fer, albeit an expensive one – 5/138.
In response, India struggled. Wasim Jaffer, who played so beautifully in the previous match, was out before he could trouble the scorers, nicking Merv Dillon through to Ridley Jacobs.
And then the man who has been India’s source of strength all tour, Rahul Dravid, was trapped plumb in front. Playing down the wrong line to a ball that would have shattered middle stump Dravid (5) had no chance and the dreaded finger went up.
Sachin Tendulkar, like Brian Lara, was nervous starting off. The pressure on the little master from Mumbai was immense after he registered scores of 0, 0, 8, 0 in the last four innings of the series. He was, however, unbeaten on 14 when tea was taken. An equally unsure Shiv Sunder Das (15 not out) was at the crease at tea.
The day began with West Indies trotting along comfortably on 287/4, untroubled by anything the bowling could serve up. A late middle-order collapse did nothing to dampen the spirits.
And yes, even the wicket of Carl Hooper did nothing to stop West Indies. When Javagal Srinath let slip a short ball and Hooper let it go, after dabbing at it, the most embarrassing thing happened. At least for the skipper of the West Indies. The ball took the edge of the bat and bobbed straight up in the air for Rahul Dravid at slip to back-peddle and catch. Hooper added 3 to his overnight score to be dismissed on 17.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ridley Jacobs however had no problems with the bowling. It’s becoming a big problem for the Indians, Chanderpaul is. No matter what they bowl at him, on any wicket, the man the Windies calls Chanders just goes on and on and on.
So the runs are not coming in cracking fashion for the hosts. Yet, to reach 381/5 at lunch on the second day, after being put in to bat, is not a bad place to be. The West Indies won’t worry. Not with Chanderpaul on 38 not out and a belligerent Jacobs on 51. There’s more to come from this West Indian line-up. Make no mistake about that.
© CricInfo
Date-stamped : 20 May2002 - 18:54