West Indies' top four made half-centuries for only the third time in Tests, to quell fears over how the young batting line-up would fare in the absence of the injured Shivnarine Chanderpaul, their most experienced and reliable batsman.
Adrian Barath and Kraigg Brathwaite gave West Indies their best start in five years, before R Ashwin briefly buoyed India's spirits by sending back both openers bat-pad in the course of a testing spell before tea. Kirk Edwards and Darren Bravo, though, added a century stand of their own to emphatically make it West Indies' day at the Wankhede Stadium. It was a pancake flat track but India made it even harder for their bowlers by shelling a couple of catches.read more at ESPNcricinfo
Dhaka, Bangladesh -- West Indies made it four wins out of four on Sunday to seal a spot in the International Cricket Council’s Women’s World Cup 2013. Speaking after the victory, over Bangladesh in the final qualifying match, captain Merissa Aguilleira said the players were thrilled with their achievement, which will now see them play in the marquee event in India.
West Indies were in a fight to prevent a big loss at Eden Gardens, needing to bat close to five more sessions with seven wickets in hand. They imploded in the morning session to get bowled out in 48 overs, three more than what Devendra Bishoo bowled when India batted. Such capitulation was not forthcoming in the follow-on, but a patient Ishant Sharma chipped away at them and got rid of both half-centurions, Adrian Barath and Kirk Edwards, before stumps. West Indies still needed 283 to make India bat again with two days remaining in the match.
India established firm control on the Kolkata Test through a quick 224-run stand between VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni followed by two quick wickets before bad light forced a premature end to the day's play. The Laxman-Dhoni association was similar to their 259-run association at the same venue last year, which set up the declaration and gave India enough time to force an innings win against South Africa.
If it is Eden gardens, it must be Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. Add bits of Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, and you know the opposition has had a bad day. All the specialists who got out would have been kicking themselves even as Dravid made his way to his fifth century after his 38th birthday, behind only four men on that count, all of whom finished before he started. India won the toss on an easy-paced track, and all their batsmen looked good before three of them found fielders with their attacking shots. Dravid and Laxman, though, didn't seem in any mood to let this opportunity pass, and added 140 for the fourth wicket at a rate of four per over, which matched up to the rest of the innings.
