Barath’s ‘come-back’ fifty fails to prevent Indian lead

Jun 22, 2011 Sports

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Dravid unbeaten on 45 after Sammy’s let-off

By Sean Devers in Jamaica
In association with Digicel, Queensway, Western Union & Jamaica Pegasus

Adrian Barath batted purposefully for 64 on his return to Test cricket but no other West Indian reached 30 on a track with bounce and turn as India took a 73-run first innings lead on the second day of this low-scoring but intriguing opening Test a Sabina Park yesterday.
By the close India had reached 91-3 in their second innings to extend their lead to 164 going into the third day today and unless there is rain this contest could be over with plenty of time to spare.
A dropped ‘sitter’ at second slip by Skipper Darren Sammy off Ravi Rampaul provided a reprieve for Raul ‘the wall’ Dravid on six at 14-1 and by the close the experienced 38-year-old right-hander was already looking ominous on 45.
With him on 14 is debutant Virat Kohli, who ducked into a quick bouncer from the pumped up Edwards, just before the close.
This was after Rampaul had trapped Murali Vijay LBW with one that kept low before India had scored in their second innings.  Bishoo then had debutant Abhinav Mukund (25) caught behind at 56-2 and Sammy held a return catch to remove VVX Laxman for a duck at 57-3.
After being dropped, Dravid, a veteran of 151 Tests and 31 centuries elegantly steered the next ball for four, while Mukund caressed Fidel Edwards down the ground for another boundary in the next over and all of a sudden the helpful pitch looked as flat as the West Indian’s body language.
The pacers tested the batsmen with a few shorts balls but the confidence of Dravid, who scored 40 in the first innings, increased as his innings progressed and a breath-taking cover drive off Rampaul was of the highest order and emphasized why he is among the world’s most elegant batsmen.
Spirits were lifted with the rapid removal of Mukund and Laxman and the opening session today should be crucial for both teams. Sammy in particular will be hoping that his bowlers can sneak past the Indian wall early today.
Yesterday West Indies resumed on 34-1 and although the 21-year-old Barath played his shots and hit nine fours and a six in his 64 from 122 balls and 169 minutes only Carlton Baugh (27) and Shiv Chanderpaul (23) of the others got to 20 as West Indies were bowled out at Tea for 173, relying to India’s 246.
Praveen Kumar took 3-38 from 18 overs on debut before he was banned from bowling after repeatedly running on the danger area of the pitch. Fellow pacer Inshant Sharma (3-29) and spinners Harbhajan (2-51) and Amit Mishra (2-51) supported for India.
Earlier, Ramnaresh Sarwan (3) seemed a bit unfortunate to be given leg before to Sharma after the West Indies had added a single to their overnight score while Harbhajan, extracting bounce and turn from the straw colored track, provided a testing period for the T&T pair of Barath and Darren Bravo.
Harbhajan went around the wicket and Barath swept him for the day’s first boundary in the fifth over of the morning before he smashed a Sharma half volley off the back foot to the backward point boundary in Richie Richardson-like fashion.
Bravo was beaten twice by Harbhajan as the ball spun past his edge before he gloriously caressed the off-spinner to the extra cover boundary to get off the mark and then spanked Sharma though the covers for four.
The pacer responded by inducing an edge from Bravo next ball but Virat Kohli failed to hold the low chance at slip with Bravo on nine and the score 53-2. The eventful over ended with a caught behind appeal being tuned down even though TV replays suggested Bravo had ‘nicked’ the ball.
In sultry conditions and with a small crowd watching Barath, who scored 104 on his debut against Australia in 2009, danced down the track to Harbhajan and drove him exquisitely to the extra-cover boundary.
Barath played a few false shots off Harbhajan as he made a concerted effort to use the sweep and his feet while Bravo also looked to counter attack
While Barath, who has not played a Test since last year against Sri Lanka and has a fifty and a ton from four games at this level, the 22-year-old Bravo has yet to reach a three-figure score despite scoring four fifties in five Tests.
Leg-spinner Mishra was greeted with a lofted one-bounce boundary to long-on for this eighth boundary to reach his fifty from 116 balls and 167 minutes and celebrated with a huge six next ball as the 50 partnership was posted off 88 balls
Barath and Bravo carried the score to 91 before Kumar got one to leave Barath’s probing drive for wicket keeper MS Dhoni to do the rest for his first test wicket.
Veteran Chanderpaul, with five of his 22 tons including his first in 1997 coming against India in 18 matches, arrived in the middle 40 minutes before Lunch and soon saw Bravo (18) edge Kumar to the keeper as West Indies slipped to 94-4.
Vice-Captain Brendon Nash joined Chanderpaul who viciously straight drove Mishra for four to post the West Indies 100 but Nash who just managed 44 runs in the two-Test series against Pakistan, fell to Kumar for one at 102-5.
By Lunch the hosts were 119-5, still 127 runs behind with Baugh on 14 and Chanderpaul on nine.
Chanderpaul, who averages just under 50 from131 Tests flicked the first ball after Lunch for four and along with Baugh who has 11 First-Class centuries but only two fifties in 10 Tests, resisted in the sunshine of Kingston.
Baugh (27) pushed forward to Harbhajan and was taken at silly mid-off at 147-6 while the batting woes of Sammy continued a run later when he was bowled by Sharma.
Rampaul got going with a boundary but Chanderpaul, who took 74 balls for his 23, was caught at short-leg off Harbhajan to leave West Indies on 152-8.
Rampaul and Edwards showed application and common sense to add 17 for the ninth wicket before Edwards (7), surprisingly batting ahead of Bishoo, was caught behind off Mishra at 169-9.
Bishoo produced a delightful cover-driven boundary off Mishra before he pulled the next ball to short mid-wicket, leaving Rampaul unbeaten on 14.

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