The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Rain hampers practice session

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Rain hampers practice session

Port of Spain: Rain in the last few days has hampered the West Indies in its practice sessions at the Queen's Park Oval, the venue of the first three limited-over matches against India starting on Saturday, and it had to sweat it out at the indoor facilities.

As the West Indies trooped into Queen's Park Oval for a session, it was disappointed to learn that rain over the last few days had rendered the practice pitches unfit to use.

The squad was left with no option but to train at Bryan Davis Indoor Nets at the venue which will host a Twenty20 International and the first two ODIs of the series.

Batting coach Desmond Haynes sought out out 22-year-old Darren Bravo, who is seen as the next Brian Lara in this part of the world but had not done well against off-spinners in his young career, for a batting tutorial on the least-damaged pitch with a little mat rolled over the surface.

As Bravo honed his skills, there was a sensational mirror-image of Lara presented to the bystanders. The same languid gait, the same nipping of left glove to the groin as he awaited the delivery, the same uncoiling of electric body movement as he struck it.

Eye-catching

The fielding session of the West Indian team was eye-catching and certainly designed for a sharp output within the inside ring.

The pitch at Queen's Park Oval being predicted as slow and low, rotating the strike would be critical and the West Indian effort was clearly designed to ensure the Indians don't attempt it without considerable risk. Players formed a ring and took aim at three stumps in the middle of the Oval, doing it with an intensity which was breathtaking.

West Indian captain Darren Sammy though missed this practice session and came only around the time the boys were heading for the indoor nets. — PTI

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