By:
Chandrashekar Bhat
A DAY of turgid, rain-interrupted cricket noticed the West Indies grinding their technique to 229 for 5 in reply to India’s first innings whole of 438 at stumps on the third day of the second and closing Take a look at at Queen’s Park Oval in Trinidad on Saturday (22).
In including 143 runs in 65 overs between seasonal showers the cricket definitely wasn’t electrifying, though the dedication of the house facet to keep away from a repeat of the capitulation of the primary Take a look at meant survival was prioritised over any try at leisure.
Kraigg Brathwaite’s innings of 75 typified the house facet’s purposeful, if unattractive, manner within the aftermath of their three-day innings humiliation in Dominica per week earlier.
By no means one to be preoccupied with the aesthetics of batsmanship, the West Indies captain spent virtually 5 hours on the crease in dealing with 235 deliveries, hanging 5 fours and one six earlier than being undone by a well-recognized foe.
Ravichandran Ashwin dismissed him twice at Windsor Park Stadium and the wily spinner once more obtained the higher of the right-hander, bowling the opening batsman between bat and pad halfway by way of the afternoon.
Brathwaite had began the day with debutant Kirk McKenzie with the West Indies effectively positioned at 86 for one.
They made serene progress virtually to the tip of the primary hour when McKenzie wafted at a large supply from fellow debutant Mukesh Kumar to present the 29-year-old his first Take a look at wicket as he edged a catch to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan.
With just one wicket in every of the primary two classes, India pressed arduous for extra success initially of play after tea and had been rewarded instantly when the often attacking Jermaine Blackwood fell to an excellent catch by Ajinkya Rahane at slip off left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja.
His innings of 20 occupied 92 deliveries.
When Mohammed Siraj uprooted Joshua da Silva’s center stump for his first wicket of the innings at 208 for 5, the vacationers felt they’d the possibility for extra inroads earlier than the sunshine pale.
However former captain Jason Holder stayed with Alick Athanaze (37 not out) because the younger left-hander negotiated a difficult interval towards the second new ball to hold the West Indies effort into the fourth morning.
“The batting situations could not have been as powerful as in Dominica however given the standard of bowling that they’ve they nonetheless made life troublesome for us,” mentioned Athanaze on the finish of the day.
“It was difficult on the finish of the day towards the brand new ball however we had been in a position to maintain on. It’s no secret that we are attempting to rebuild and it’s all about having fun with the problem that we face.”
(AFP)
