West Indies beat India by eight wickets

[netfree]

KINGSTON: The West Indies, on the back of an inspired display from their fast bowlers, scored a convincing eight-wicket victory over India on Sunday in the second one-day cricket international at Sabina Park.

The four-match series is now level at 1-1 as the teams head to St Lucia for the final two matches next Friday and Sunday.

Man of the Match Ravi Rampaul took a career-best 4-37 as the visitors were bowled out for a modest 188 off 48.2 overs.

Dwayne Bravo claimed 3-26 and Jerome Taylor 3-35 but India’s captain MS Dhoni cracked a defiant 95 off 130 balls to offer some respectability to his team’s innings.

He and RP Singh (23) produced a record ninth wicket stand of 101 after the home team was well on top at 8-82.

But the West Indies coasted to victory as captain Chris Gayle and Runako Morton hit contrasting half centuries in a century opening stand.

Gayle blasted eight fours and two sixes in 64 off 46 balls.

Morton hit six fours in an unbeaten 85 off 102 deliveries and finished the match with his only six as the West Indies reached 2-192 off 34.1 overs.

"We should have showed a bit more respect towards the bowlers," a disappointed Dhoni said.

"I think we didn’t assess the wicket well enough and went on with our strokes and that really caused our downfall."

"Once you lose too many wickets early on, the only job you’re doing is catching up," Dhoni added.

India, who won the toss, were quickly reduced to 3-7 in the second over when Rampaul removed Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma for ducks.

Gambhir wafted at a square cut and snicked to Ramdin, who also should have held Sharma’s edge but saw his fluffed attempt mopped up on the rebound at second slip by Runako Morton.

Dhoni and Friday’s century-maker Yuvraj Singh rebuilt the damage in a fluent stand of 47 for the fourth wicket.

Yuvraj showed an exquisite touch, becoming the fifth Indian batsman to reach 7,000 runs in ODI cricket before he departed for 35 off 33 balls.

The left-hander, who hit five fours and one stunning pulled six, chased a wide delivery from Taylor and presented Ramdin with another catch at 54-4.

India soon slipped to 82-8 as Yusuf Pathan (0), Ravindra Jadeja (7), Harbhajan Singh (7) and Praveen Kumar (1) fell in quick succession.

Pathan fended a lifter to slip off Bravo, who also claimed Harbhajan, while Rampaul took the wickets of Jadeja and Kumar.

However, the home team couldn’t complete the job as Dhoni and Singh shared their record partnership.

Bravo eventually claimed Singh for a career-best 23 off 75 balls while Taylor bowled Dhoni five short of a fifth one-day century.