India vs West Indies : Dhoni finally wins a game for India

Dhoni finally did well with the bat to win a game for India. But even in the third ODI against the West Indies he probably left it to the very end to hit the winning six, the game got a bit too close for comfort. India went into the final over needing 11 and Dhoni hit the second ball from Jerome Taylor over midwicket to leave India on course for victory. Had Dhoni not hit the six (he had hit only 2 boundaries prior to this) India would have been in tough spot.

Even I have been quite critical of Dhoni in the last couple of months, but he has began to play better. All is still not good, but things do look like improving.

India vs West Indies : Rain helps India

Gary Kirsten, India’s coach, has credited India’s innings not being affected as much as by inclement weather as crucial to taking a series lead. West Indies innings began two hours late and was interrupted thrice due to rain, and further intervals initially readjusted India’s target to 195 in 27 overs before a further shower reduced it to 159 in 22 overs. In the end, thanks to MS Dhoni’s unbeaten hand, India won in the final over with six wickets in hand.

“It definitely helps a team batting second in this type of set up,” said Kirsten. “It did suit us to be batting second because you can dictate the game a little better when the overs are shortening in terms of what you need.”

India vs West Indies 2009 2nd ODI - Indian wickets

India vs West Indies 2009 2nd ODI - Indian wickets.

Shameful batting by India

India vs West Indies 2009 : 2nd ODI - Yuvraj’s wicket

India vs West Indies 2009 : 2nd ODI - Yuvraj’s wicket. The biggest wicket of the match as Yuvraj was looking really dangerous.

Bring back Sachin and Dravid?

With the way the Indian batsmen, barring Yuvraj, are batting these days I think its time to bring back Dravid and make Sachin play all the games. The current crop of batsmen cant handle bouncers and spin, and today they showed they cant handle swing as well. They seem to be just flat track bullies.

Gambhir’s form seems to have deserted him, Rohit is a mystery, Raina and Dhoni just seem to be fraud batsmen. It maybe a backward step but it might be time to reinstate the masters Sachin and Dravid of winning matches for India.

India vs West Indies : Darren Bravo impresses on debut

Darren Bravo has won the admiration of rival captains Chris Gayle and MS Dhoni after his brief, yet impressive, first outing in international cricket in the first ODI at Sabina Park. He struck two boundaries in his knock of 19, displaying sound technique and flourish in West Indies’ reply to India’s 339.

“He didn’t show any form of nerves, being around his brother actually calmed him down a bit. He did well batting and in the outfield as well and hopefully he can get a bigger score if the opportunity comes across him again,” Gayle said of Darren Bravo.

Darren Bravo came in to bat following the dismissal of his half-brother Dwayne, and put on 36 in quick time with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was anchoring the run chase. But when Chanderpaul fell with the score on 224, the game swung decisively in India’s favour - though they did suffer a lower-order scare - and Darren Bravo followed soon after, miscuing a pull off Harbhajan Singh.

“He’s good. He will improve, the more international cricket he plays the better for him,” Dhoni said, suggesting that youngsters ought to be given more exposure at the international stage. “Most of the players who play at the international level have the talent - it’s just that some players get more backing than others. Some are considered match-winners and often match-winners are given more time compared to others.”

India beat West Indies in first ODI by 20 runs

Spearheaded by Yuvraj Singh’s scintillating 131 of 102 balls, India beat the West Indies by 20 runs in the thrilling first cricket one-day international here to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series on Friday.

The Indian batsmen scored an intimidating 339 for six after opting to bat at Sabina Park. The hosts responded with 319 in 48.1 overs.

For the West Indians, Shivnarain Chanderpaul top scored with 63, while wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin played a sparkling 29-run knock.

Earlier, Yuvraj treated the West Indian bowlers with utter disdain, clobbering them for seven huge sixes and 10 boundaries apart from sharing a crucial 135-run stand with Dinesh Karthik (67).

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (41), Yusuf Pathan (40 unbeaten) and Harbhajan Singh (21 not out) also chipped in with useful contributions.

With the wicket of Chanderpaul in the 36th over it looked all over for the hosts but their lower order batted with steely resolve and made it an edge-of-the-seat contest.

West Indies required 21 off the last two overs with one wicket in hand but Ashish Nehra removed Ramdin in the first ball of the 49th over to bring a huge relief for his side.

Ramnaresh Sarwan (45) and Runako Morton (42) did well and got the starts for the West Indies but could not convert those into big knocks.

Jerome Taylor (21) and David Bernard (19), batting at number seven and nine respectively did their best but their effort went in vain in the end.

For India, Nehra (3/49) and Yusuf Pathan (3/56) took three wickets each. It was raining sixes as 23 of them were hit in the match.

Yuvraj's 131 for India leaves Windies chasing 340

Yuvraj Singh still seemed to be stuck in Twenty20 mode, and rescued India with a boundary-laced 131 in the first One-day International against West Indies on Friday.

Yuvraj struck 10 fours and seven sixes from 102 balls to propel India to 339 for six from their 50 overs, after the visitors chose to bat at Sabina Park in the opener to their four-match series in the Caribbean.

When Yuvraj entered, India had stumbled to 32 for two in the eighth over, following the dismissals of Gautam Gambhir in the fifth over and Rohit Sharma in the eighth.

Gambhir was caught at mid-wicket for 13 when he miscued a hook at Jerome Taylor, and Sharma was caught at deep square leg for four when he top-edged a pull off Lionel Baker.

But Yuvraj joined Karthik, and the left-hander treated the modest crowd to a breath-taking array of strokes to reach his hundred from 88 balls, when he steered Taylor to third man for a single.

He added 135 for the third wicket with Dinesh Karthik, who was caught behind off Dave Bernard Jr for 67 from 77 balls, when he miscued a scoop shot in the 29th over.

Yuvraj reached 50 from 55 balls, when he turned a delivery from West Indies captain Chris Gayle into square leg for two, and then dominated an 86-run, fourth-wicket stand with India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Yuvraj indulged himself during the Batting Power Play that spanned the 34th and 38th overs, when he smashed two fours and six sixes, as India added 62 runs.

The 37th over was particularly memorable for Yuvraj, when he struck Taylor for two sixes - over mid-wicket and long-off - in an over that cost 21.

But Yuvraj was slightly hobbled by a Taylor yorker, and eventually tamely surrendered, when he was caught behind off Dwayne Bravo in the 39th over glancing a leg-side delivery.

After his dismissal, India made steady, if not spectacular progress in the closing overs, and left West Indies with a difficult assignment in the second half of the match.

Dwayne Bravo captured two wickets for 66 runs from his 10 overs to be the pick of West Indies' bowlers.

India vs WI 2009 : India draws first blood, courtsey Yuvraj

What an innings by Yuvraj, he started of like a broken autorickshaw but finished off like a Ferrari. His innings of 131 included 10 fours and 7 hits over the rope, and took only 102 balls. The crucial phase came when India took the batting power play and Gayle brought his best bowler Taylor into the attack. But Yuvraj tore into him as well.

But all was not good for Yuvraj at the start of the innings. He started of slowly but at the other end Dinesh Karthik was scoring freely and that took the pressure of him. The story of Gambhir and Rohit was same as T20 World Cup, both got out to bouncers again. Dhoni batted slowly again, and it was left to Yusuf and Bhajji to up the ante in the death overs.

Another pleasing thing for India from this match was the ‘injured man’ Ashish Nehra. He bowled well and picked up 3 crucial wickets. In Zaheer’s absence he has to play the role of the experienced fast bowler and he did that nicely today.

India vs West Indies : Yuvraj’s hundred

Yuvraj’s 12th hundred, 131 (102b 10×4 7×6).