5th ODI: India v West Indies at Vadodara, 18 Nov 2002 CricInfo Live Report

5th ODI: India v West Indies at Vadodara, 18 Nov 2002
Anand Vasu

India innings: 25 overs, End of innings,
West Indies innings: 25 overs, End of match,
Pre-game: Toss & Teams,

WEST INDIES TAKE 3-2 LEAD WITH CONVINCING WIN
There’s an uncanny lack of deviation from a set script that makes these India-West Indies one-dayers a bit dull even with all the runs being smashed. After a sensational start chasing a big total, the West Indian middle-order collapsed, the pressure built up but in the end they sailed through to a five-wicket win.

Chris Gayle is supposed to be a bit suspect against the spinners. He’s supposed to have a weak heart. He’s supposed to be little more than a dasher with a good eye. Adding to scores of 72, 103 and 140 in this series Gayle made a matchwinning 101 (107 balls, 10 fours, 3 sixes) before a cruel decision cut short his strident innings.

Attempting to cut Harbhajan Singh, who he had earlier launched out of the ground with one of the most powerful straight hits you’re ever likely to see, Gayle missed the ball by a long way. Dravid did not bother to appeal, Harbhajan made a polite inquiry and umpire Asoka de Silva incredibly raised the finger.

Just before Gayle was sent back, Shivnarine Chanderpaul (8) ran himself out in tragic fashion. Ramnaresh Sarwan, motoring along nicely on 34, chopped Murali Kartik to Ganguly, giving the left-arm spinner his first ODI wicket.

The collapse where West Indies lost three wickets in the space of 21 runs was only academic.

The powerful Ricardo Powell (30) and experienced Carl Hooper (20), steered West Indies to victory with seven balls to spare and a 3-2 lead in this seven-match series.

HINDS, GAYLE INSPIRE STUNNING WEST INDIAN REPLY
For Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds, India has been a happy hunting ground this one-day series. They can’t seem to put a foot wrong and the fifth one-dayer was no exception. Scoring at a remarkably fast pace, the duo took West Indies to 132 from 16 overs before a couple of quick wickets restricted the visitors to 155/2 from 25 overs.

It was a baptism by fire for young mediumpacer Lakshmipathy Balaji. Spraying the ball about a bit, erring in line and length, the nervous lad was creamed for 35 runs from three overs.

On the day, Gayle’s brutality was overshadowed by Hinds’ effective striking of the ball. While Gayle was the master of all he surveyed in the off side, Hinds owned the on side. Any departure from a line dead on the stumps was punished severely.

Hinds slashed hard, pulled with precision and used the short-arm jab to send the ball sailing through the on side. Five sixes and 10 boundaries resulted as Hinds made a powerful 80 from just 61 balls. It was not until the 17th over that India got their first breakthrough, as Hinds swept and top edged Sehwag to Ganguly behind the stumps.

Gayle settled down after Hinds’ dismissal and was even more determined to go on and make a big score as Marlon Samuels (1) left as soon as he arrived. Tickling Harbhajan Singh past the keeper, Samuels watched in dismay as Ganguly took a sharp catch diving to his left at slip.

At the 25-over mark, West Indies were better than India were at the same stage on 155/2. Gayle, batting on 53 had Ramnaresh Sarwan, on 10 for company.

INDIA REACH 290 DESPITE MIDDLE-ORDER STUTTER
After a good start, India faltered in the late middle-overs and yet managed to post 290 from 48 overs. Remember this is a 48-overs a side game because of a late start due to a wet outfield. The architects of India’s score were Sehwag, Ganguly and Laxman (71) who all scored half-centuries. For the West Indies, Corey Collymore and Pedro Collins who restricted the batsmen and picked up wickets at the same time.

Rahul Dravid, at number four batted sensibly, using little innovations, including the reverse sweep, to good effect. Enjoying good form the middle-order bat shared in a valuable 78-run partnership for the third wicket with Laxman. However, having made 33 from just 36 balls, Dravid presented Chris Gayle with a catch off the bowling of Marlon Samuels.

Laxman continued in his gentle vein, until a tame dismissal saw his departure with the Indian total on 232 in the 41st over. Laxman’s 71 formed the backbone of the Indian innings.

A mini-collapse in the middle order saw Mohammad Kaif (4) and Yuvraj Singh (15) depart before they could stamp their authority on the game.

Sanjay Bangar, coming in at number seven once again went after the bowling with great success, clouting the ball around for a 20-ball 27 (2 fours). Bangar was run out by a clever bit of fielding by Hooper in the last over.

A departure of sorts from the high-scoring games this tournament has thrown up, the Baroda wicket seems to be an exception to the rule. It is aiding the spinners a fair bit and the Indians will bank on this fact.

SEHWAG, GANGULY GET INDIA OFF TO A FLYER
Virender Sehwag’s hapless decimation of the West Indian bowling attack saw to it that India got off to a breezy start in the fifth one-dayer at Baroda. Sourav Ganguly’s more watchful, if only slightly slower, innings ensure that India reached 149/2 at the 25-over mark.

With Mervyn Dillon ruled out of this match injured, West Indies struggled a bit to contain India after putting them in on a wicket that appeared to aid spinners early on. For this reason, Carl Hooper brought Wavell Hinds into the attack early on and this backfired explosively.

Cutting, pulling and heaving with gay abandon, Sehwag piled on the misery. Looking to go after the bowling irrespective of the line and length of the delivery, Sehwag took India to an 8-runs per over start before he fell to a poor shot.

Attempting to heave the ball over the infield, Sehwag could only find Shivnarine Chanderpaul at mid on off the bowling of Corey Collymore. Sehwag’s 39-ball 52 included nine boundaries and one six.

Ganguly went on for much longer than Sehwag, putting together a partnership with VVS Laxman. After scoring the 50th half-century of his one-day career however, Ganguly (53, 55 balls, 8 fours) fell, when he was bowled attempting to cut Hooper.

Laxman on a sedate 28, had Rahul Dravid (8) for company when India reached 149/2 in 25 overs.

WEST INDIES PUT INDIA IN AT BARODA
The start of the fifth one-dayer at Baroda, has been delayed as heavy dew left the outfield damp. It is, not surprisingly, a warm and sunny day; few days in Western India aren't. The start of the game has been delayed by 30 minutes. Each innings, consequently, has been reduced to 48 overs, a situation similar to the second match at Nagpur.

The series is now levelled at two-all, and cliched as it is, both teams do really have everything to play for at Baroda. As has been the norm in this series, both teams will depend on their batting to win them the game. Carl Hooper won the toss and opted to field first. The West Indies bring in Ricardo Powell for Mahendra Nagamootoo and Corey Collymore for an injured Merv Dillon.

The home side have given a youngster a golden opportunity to showcase his wares at the international level, bringing in L Balaji for his one-day debut in place of Ashish Nehra, who was rather expensive in the last game.

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly insisted at the toss that he was happy to bat first. Perhaps he is right; it is extremely unlikely that teams can go on chasing big scores endlessly. Something has to give at some point and Ganguly will hope that today is the day.

Teams:

India: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, Sanjay Bangar, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Murali Kartik, Lakshmipathy Balaji.

West Indies: Carl Hooper (captain), Chris Gayle, Wavell Hinds, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ridley Jacobs, Corey Collymore, Pedro Collins, Ricardo Powell, Vasbert Drakes.