Edwards becomes 13th West Indian to score debut ton

Jul 10, 2011 Sports

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Chanderpaul unbeaten on 73 but India still on top

By Sean Devers in Dominica
In association with Digicel & Queensway

In glorious sunshine, easily the largest crowd of the series provided a kaleidoscope of colour at Windsor Park yesterday as the dancing fans turned up with flags, drums, trumpets and an overwhelming support for their struggling West Indies team.
By the time stumps were drawn on the penultimate day of the final Test of the series and the first in Dominica, West Indies set 143 to make the Indians bat again, were 224-6 as Kirk Edwards became the 92nd batsman and 13th West Indian to score a century on Test debut.
The pair of their most and least experienced batsmen staged a grand recovery after the exciting Darren Bravo (14) threw his wicket away to Harbhajan Singh with an impetuous drive just after Lunch at 40-3.
The 26-year-old Edwards stroked nine fours and a six from 195 balls and 318 minutes in his 110 and added 161 for the fourth wicket with 36-year-old Shiv Chanderpaul who hit five fours in his 201-ball unbeaten 73 in his 133rd Test, to the delight of the raucous crowd.
By the close, Chanderpaul was 27 away from his 23rd century and sixth in 21 Tests against India.  Skipper Darren Sammy on one with West Indies leading by 81 runs.
India heads into the final day today in a strong position to win two Tests in a series in the West Indies for the first time in 11 tours.
Edwards, who has two First-Class centuries from 26 matches, joined Dwayne Smith (2004), Gordon Greenidge (1974) and Collie Smith (1955) as the only Bajans to have scored debut tons and the first West Indian to do so since Adrian Barath accomplished the feat against Australia in 2009.
He also joined Greenidge (1974) and Guyanese Bruce Pairaudeau (1953) as the only West Indians to score debut centuries against India.
India tried to score quickly when they resumed on 308-6 and were dismissed for 347 as MS Dhoni led from the front with 74.   Pacer Fidel Edwards snatched his 10th five-wicket haul (5-104) and Sammy (2-58) and leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo (2-112) supported for West Indies, who must win today the to avoid losing the three-Test series.
Play began at 09:45hrs in a slight drizzle and Harbhajan Singh (12) was caught by wicket keeper Carlton Baugh running back to short fine leg as he top-edged a hook at the day’s second ball from Fidel Edwards before the visitors had scored.
Praveen Kumar joined Dhoni and both batsmen attacked with Kumar lofting Bishoo for six over long-off before rain chased the players off the field at 10:19hrs with the score on 334-7.After a 15-minute delay, the action resumed and Dhoni hooked Edwards to Bishoo deep square leg to leave India on 339-8.  Bishoo then removed Kumar (23) as he lobbed a catch to point at 343-9 before the lively Edwards induced Inshant Sharma (2) to fend a bouncer to short leg as India were bowled out in 10.2 overs yesterday.
When the West Indies began their reply they lost both openers before Lunch as the as the controversy between the WICB and the region’s leading opener Chris Gayle, continues to hurt West Indies.
The 21-year old pair of Adrian Barath in his seventh Test and Kieron Pollard in his first, added just eight before the left-handed Powell (4), who opened with Barath in the 2008 under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, edged Sharma to third slip.  Barath (6) was then taken at gully off Kumar and the West Indies were in trouble at 10-2.
Bravo with six fifties in eight Tests played the shot of the series when he disdainfully caressed Munaf Patel to the extra-cover boundary off the front foot and by Lunch was on nine. Edwards was seven and West Indies 26-2, still 121 away from making the Indians bat again.
After Lunch Bravo played a gorgeous square drive for four off Patel but fell just when he was beginning to look good.  Chanderpaul arrived to a roar from the crowd which included Miss Dominica Marcia Baptiste, who will represent her Island in the Miss Jam Zone pageant in Guyana.  Chanderpaul and Edwards, who looked better as his innings progressed, battled hard in conditions beginning to favour Harbhajan.  Edwards pulled Kumar for four and repeated the shot against Patel and the screaming chants of ‘go away India, go away India’ from the exuberant spectators was riveting.
Edwards also drove confidently when the ball was pitched up while Chanderpaul, who encountered some problems against Harbhajan, only played at balls on the stumps during the early stages of his innings.
India’s only opportunity to separate the pair came in the last over before Tea when Chanderpaul (25) was dropped at slip by Suresh Raina off Harbhajan at 163-3.
By Tea on still a very good batting track, West Indies with just a solitary win in their last 20 Tests, were 116-3 with the experience of Chanderpaul (25) playing a crucial part in the partnership with Edwards (62) which was worth 76 by the break.
After the break Edwards and Chanderpaul continued to bat beautifully with Chanderpaul reaching his 56th half-century and first since his 54 in Sri Lanka in December last year and the hyped up crowd applauding almost every shot that was played.
Edwards raced into the 90s with a vicious pull for a four and a six off Raina before hearts stopped when Edwards on 99, drove firmly but straight to mid-off and took off for his 100th run. Chanderpaul sensed the danger of the impossible single and sent him back and the return missed the stumps with Edwards almost half-way down.
The eventual over throw ensured Edwards became only the third West Indian batsman in over three decades since Basil Williams’ feat against Australia in 1978 to score a century on debut. The first Test century in Dominica came from 172 balls, 254 minutes and was decorated with eight fours and a six.
Edwards celebrated with a smashing straight drive for four off Harbhajan who soon had him caught behind and when Marlon Samuels seemed unlucky to be given LBW for a duck without addition to the score, West Indies had slipped to 201-5.
Baugh who scored 60 in the first innings joined the entrenched Chanderpaul and the new ball was taken at 216-5 after 80 overs.
Baugh (10) was removed by Kumar at 223 just before the close to leave the Indians on top.
Scores: West Indies 204 and 224 for 6 (K Edwards 110, Chanderpaul 73*, Harbhajan 3-61) lead India 347 (Dhoni 74, F Edwards 5-103) by 81 runs.

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