Just imagine ! 89 runs for the first wicket off just 12 overs and things
looked ominous for the Carribeans. Then the Indians handed the game on a
platter to the West Indians.
It was inefficiency of the highest order. Now future looks bleak for India
( at least in this Test ) and looms over them like a grim Sahara.
Indian greats fell like nine pins before some mediocre bowling. Indian
recklessness made it interesting, on a pitch where the ball kept low. India
had some satisfaction at the end, when they picked up two wickets and WI are
21/2.
Sehwag was given a life when he was bowled by Fidel Edwars off a no ball and
had hit 3 fours in six balls, when a straight drive was delected onto the
nonstriker's stumps, thus cruelly running Gambhir out for 41.
Sehwag's penchant for innovation saw him stumped, as he was executing some
sort of dance and his leg was in the air. Laxman seemed too lazy, poking
away from the body to be caught by Baugh. Indian chances of taking a lead
appeared remote as the lead footed Indian batsmen committed follies after
follies.
Yuvraj took 19 balls to score his first and was never comfortable against
spin. He lambasted Bishoo for a six. Dravid was the only dependable batsman
and scored 54. Sehwag got 55. The rest of the Indian batsmen were
lacklustre, to the amazement of millions of Indian fans !
Dhoni was ingloriously bowled through the gate by Sammy and Sammy also
accounted for Yuvraj. Two wickets in one over saw India plunge to abysmal
depths, from which they never recovered.
Sammy said he wanted to set a target of 350
"Our bowlers did a great job today to bowl India out (for 209). Considering
the slow and low pitch, the plan was to bowl at the right areas and from
wicket-to-wicket. We stuck to the plan," Sammy said at the end of the second
day's play. It was not a perfect day for us but we supported each other and
played fearless cricket and it paid off" said the maverick all rounder.
"We want to score minimum of 250 runs in our second innings and set 350-plus
for India as they have very good batsmen in their ranks."
"We expect India to come hard on us. We will play fearless cricket and if we
stick to our plan, we can come on top" said the all rounder, whose place in
the side is suspect.
He said he was not surprised by the pitch.
"We have come across such slow and low pitches in Bangladesh and that has
helped up in preparing our game here. Like Shivnarine Chanderpaul said, you
have to be patient and stay at the crease as long as possible and runs are
there to be scored."
Fidel Edwards got rid of Sachin and all Indians were gloomy. "Fidel was our
strike bowler and he was bowling very well. So I thought why should not I
give the ball to my best bowler to bowl at their premier batsman .We had a
similar experience in Bangladesh and I knew that once the ball was old, the
run rate would be down. At lunch break I told my players to maintain the
line and length and stick to basics. We did that and it paid off" .
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