The Tri-Nation Series with Sri Lanka, West Indies and India developed into an exciting series as the West Indies defeated India by one wicket in a close contest with some competitive cricket. India batted first and after some penetrative bowling by the West Indies, India was restricted to 229 runs for 7 wickets after their 50 overs. Opening batsman Rohit Sharma scored 60 runs from 89 balls, Suresh Raina 44 from 55, Dinesh Karthik 23 from 56 and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni 27 from 35.
West Indies did an excellent job under the captaincy of Kieron Pollard. Kemar Roach and Darren Sammy both bowled splendidly with each of the bowlers taking 2 wickets for 41 runs from their 10 overs. Jino Best came back late in the innings to knock out the stumps of Dhoni and the inform Ravindra Jadeja. Best ended at 2 for 52 from his 10 overs.
India after 25.3 overs were 98 runs for 3 wickets with the swashbuckling left-hander Shikhar Dhawan removed by Kemar Roach, caught and bowl for 11. The West Indies bowlers did a fine job on the Jamaica field putting the ball in the correct places.
WINDIES FOUGHT BACK FROM SOME EARLY TROUBLE
Chris Gayle, Devon Smith and Marlon Samuels fell in the second, fourth and fifth overs respectively at 26 runs for 3 wickets as Darren Bravo joined the inform Johnson Charles. The two players consolidated well to put on 116 runs together before Bravo fell for 55 runs off 78 balls. This number five position seems very fitting for Bravo if the team can find a steady number three batsman.
Darren Sammy scored an exciting 29 runs from 25 balls as he pounded 3 sixes and 2 fours and Kemar Roach held on for the West Indies for 32 balls in a desperate effort and scored a valued 14 runs giving the West Indies victory at 230 for 9 in 47.4 overs.
Johnson Charles scored 97 runs from 100 balls and he batted until 40.2 overs. He was the eighth wicket to fall slamming 8 fours and four mighty sixes. He surely will get a call from the Indian Premier League. It was nice to see Charles bat on after scoring his half century. Too many times West Indian batsmen fail to carry on after good starts. A remarkable victory for the West Indies in spite of it being close.
WINDIES DEFEATS SRI LANKA
West Indies defeated Sri Lanka in the first game of the Tri-Nation Series at Sabina Park in Jamaica by 6 wickets thanks to a swashbuckling 109 from 100 balls from Chris Gayle. He slammed 7 sixes and 9 fours. Sri Lanka had scored 208 runs in 48.3 overs with opening batsman Mahela Jayawardene scoring 52 runs from 52 balls. West Indies Captain Dwayne Bravo picked 2 for 37 off 7.3 overs, Sunil Narine 4 for 40 off 10 overs and Ravi RamPaul 3 for 38 off 10 overs. The West Indies team tops the points table with five points from two games as the three teams compete for the Celkon Mobile Cup.
PAKISTAN TO TOUR THE WEST INDIES
Pakistan Cricket Team will be touring the West Indies for five One-Day Internationals, two Twenty20 and one 50-over warm up, which will take place in Guyana at the Bourda ground.
Thursday, July 11 at Bourda, Guyana warm up game Guyana National Stadium,
Sunday, July 14, first ODI.
Tuesday, July 16, Guyana National Stadium, second ODI.
Friday, July 19 – third ODI
Sunday, July 21 – fourth ODI All St. Lucia
Wednesday, July 24 – fifth ODI
Two Twenty20 in St. Vincent at Arnos Vale on Saturday, July 27 and Sunday, July 28.
