The Hindu : Sport : Weather delays India's progress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 14, 2006

Sport

Sport

Weather delays India's progress

S. Ram Mahesh

Gros Islet: The elements combined on Tuesday to hamper India's march towards victory in the second Test. Day four — scheduled to start half an hour early to compensate for loss of play on day three — was called off without a ball bowled, after the umpires inspected conditions at tea.

Overnight rain, and intermittent showers through the morning ensured the grey covers were pegged in place, covering the square. The forecast doesn't look good: the met office predicts scattered showers for Wednesday. Evidently, the West Indies guardian angel has been working over time, allying herself with the weather gods.

Batting out two days would have been the toughest of asks — demanding skill, concentration, technique, fortitude, and dollops of good fortune. "We expect to win from this position," Anil Kumble had said on Monday evening. A reasonable expectation considering India required nine wickets for what would be only its fourth Test triumph in the Caribbean; West Indies, on the other hand, needed 330 runs to make the touring side bat again.

But, the rain threw the home side the lifeline its cricketers couldn't. The umpires, Simon Taufel and Asad Rauf, walked around the field — which was in reasonable condition considering the deluge it had taken — after lunch. Munaf Patel and Ramesh Powar followed suit under an umbrella. For the ground staff to begin work, however, the rain had to stop for an adequate length of time.

Frustrating

It must be particularly frustrating for the Indians, stymied for the second Test in succession — this time by phenomena they have no control over. Rahul Dravid's side had taken a suffocating hold over West Indies: a hold that — had the weather held — could have evolved into victory.

Asked to follow on after tea on the third day, the islanders lost Chris Gayle early — to the third ball of its second innings. Then occurred one of those instances that make you sit up and take notice. Brian Lara walked out at three — ahead of Ramnaresh Sarwan — to join the battle. For 17 overs, the skipper and Daren Ganga stood firm.

The pair had taken West Indies to 43 for one, when ominous clouds assumed position over the Beausejour Cricket Ground on Monday evening. The light deteriorated — sufficiently for umpires Rauf and Taufel to deem Virender Sehwag's sticky off-spin grievous enough to cause bodily harm — and it began to rain.

The covers, caught in strong gusts of wind, flapped around like a demented hen, engulfing Taufel and almost knocking over Rauf.

Indian bowlers do well

Earlier on Monday, India's bowlers did well to round up the West Indies first innings by tea. The wicket called for patient, consistent bowling: Kumble, Munaf, and Sehwag provided it. "The track is a little slow, but it's still good," said Kumble. "I thought we bowled really well, and kept it in the right areas. For me, it was the usual: wicket to wicket, with the odd ball staying down."

India took two wickets in the first session, and followed it up with five in the second to dismiss the islanders for 215 - 373 behind India's first innings total. Kumble breached Courtney Walsh's mark of 519 wickets, to move into fourth place behind Shane Warne (685), Muttiah Muralitharan (635), and Glenn McGrath (542) on the all-time highest wicket takers' list.

"After 500, that was the next thing," said the 35-year-old leg-spinner. "It's nice to go past such a great player. But, landmarks happen. I personally am looking to win the match." Ah, if the weather gods could hear him.

SCOREBOARD

India — 1st innings: 588 for eight wickets decl.

West Indies — 1st innings: C. Gayle c Dhoni b Kumble 46, D. Ganga lbw b Munaf 16, R. Sarwan lbw b Munaf 0, B. Lara lbw b Kumble 7, S. Chanderpaul lbw b Pathan 30, D. Bravo c Dravid b Kumble 25, D. Ramdin c Dhoni b Munaf 30, I. Bradshaw c & b Sehwag 20, J. Taylor c Kaif b Sehwag 23, P. Collins c Dravid b Sehwag 0, C. Collymore (not out) 2; Extras (b-5, lb-2, nb-9) 16. Total (in 85.1 overs) 215.

Fall of wickets: 1-36 (Ganga), 2-36 (Sarwan), 3-55 (Lara), 4-106 (Gayle), 5-106 (Chanderpaul), 6-167 (Bravo), 7-178 (Ramdin), 8-209 (Taylor), 9-210 (Collins).

India bowling: Pathan 11-2-43-1, Munaf 17-4-51-3, Kumble 30-12-57-3, V.R.V. Singh 10-3-23-0, Sehwag 16.1-5-33-3, Yuvraj 1-0-1-0.

West Indies — 2nd innings: C. Gayle c Dhoni b Pathan 2, D. Ganga (batting) 24, B. Lara (batting) 15; Extras (nb-2) 2. Total (for one wicket, in 17.3 overs) 43.

Fall of wicket: 1-2 (Gayle).

India bowling: Pathan 7-1-23-1, Munaf 5-4-4-0, V.R.V. Singh 3-0-9-0, Kumble 2-0-7-0, Sehwag 0.3-0-0-0.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport