India clinch first series win in Caribbean in 35 years

 Ashish Shukla

KINGSTON (JAMAICA): India scripted a new chapter in their cricketing history by securing their first series win in the Caribbean in 35 years with a 49-run victory in the fourth and final cricket Test against the West Indies here on Sunday.

The Indians snubbed a late fight-back by the hosts who, chasing a target of 269, recovered from a top order collapse and took the attack to the rival camp before being all out for 219 on the third day at Sabina Park.

Anil Kumble proved to be the talisman once again with six for 78 and single-handedly hussled the West Indian lower order into submission to give India a memorable victory with two full days to spare.

India's last series win in the West Indies came in 1971 under Ajit Wadekar.

And the 1-0 triumph was also the team's first outside the subcontinent in two decades - with the exception of the victory in Zimbabwe last year - since the 2-0 win over England in 1986.

Nevertheless, the Indians had to endure some anxious  moments as the Caribbeans threatened to pull off a coup through a gallant performance by the tailenders.

Young wicketkeeper batsman Denesh Ramdin hit an unbeaten 62 and lifted the home team from 128 for six through partnerships of 36 and 39 runs with Jerome Taylor (20) and Pedro Collins (3).

The last four West Indian wickets produced 71 runs and some flutter in the stomach for the visitors.

Ramdin kept the fight going till the end with a lusty 84-ball innings that contained eight fours and a towering six off Kumble.

Ramdin nursed number 10 batsman Pedro Collins through a potentially match-winning ninth-wicket stand before the latter became Kumble's fifth victim of the innings.

The sixth wicket for the master leg-spinner came in the form of Corey Collymore who tried to cut and was caught behind.

Earlier, West Indian pacers Corey Collymore and Jerome Taylor cut short the Indian second innings to 171 to give the hosts a glimmer of hope.

Collymore picked his fourth five-wicket haul of 5-48 while Taylor, who claimed his maiden fiver in the first innings, returned with 4-45.

India, who started the third day's play on 128 for 6, were all out after 80 minutes of play, adding 43 runs.     

Dravid, India's vanguard of hope who was unbeaten on 62 at the start of the day's play, was dismissed for 68 after a delivery from Collymore kept low.

Collymore accounted for Kumble (10) when he got the overnight batsman to edge a catch into the slip cordon.     

Harbhajan Singh struck a couple of hefty blows and Sreesanth actually slogged a six over long on against Taylor.     

Sreesanth departed when he came down the track to Taylor and then sparred a catch to Lara in the slip cordon.

Harbhajan Singh was the last man dismissed, in a similar fashion, and it gave Lara his fifth catch of the match.

Scoreboard

India (1st innings) 200
West Indies (1st innings) 103
India (2nd innings)
W. Jaffer c sub b Taylor 1
V. Sehwag lbw b Taylor 4
V. Laxman c Lara b Collymore 16
R. Dravid b Collymore 68
Y. Singh c Lara b Collymore 13
M. Kaif b Collins 6
M. Dhoni b Taylor 19
A. Kumble c Bravo b Collymore 10
H. Singh c Lara b Collymore 9
S. Sreesanth c Lara b Taylor 16
M. Patel not out 0
Extras (b-4, lb-3, nb-1, w-1) 9
Total (all out, 65.1 overs) 171
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-6, 3-49, 4-63, 5-76, 6-122, 7-141, 8-154, 9-171, 10-171.
Bowling: P. Collins 22-8-61-1 (nb-1), J. Taylor 15-4-45-4, C. Collymore 24.1-9-48-5, D. Bravo 4-1-10-0 (w-1).

West Indies 2nd Innings

C. Gayle c Laxman b Sreesanth           0    
D. Ganga b Sreesanth                   16    
B. Lara lbw b Patel                    11    
R. Sarwan not out                      31    
S. Chanderpaul lbw b Kumble            13    
D Bravo  b Kumble                33 
M Samuels  lbw b Kumble       5      
D Ramdin  not out     62      
J Taylor  lbw b Kumble   20  
P Collins  lbw b Kumble   3   
C Collymore  c Dhoni b Kumble   0    

Extras 5 ( b:0 lb:2 nb:3 w:0)
Total (69.4 overs)                   219 all out   

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-27, 3-29, 4-56, 5-126, 6-128, 7-144, 8-180, 9-219, 10-219   

Bowling: Sreesanth 15-2-38-3, M Patel 12-2-26-1, Harbhajan Singh 16-3-65-0, A Kumble 22.4-3-78-6, Sehwag 4-0-10-0