Windies board moves to strengthen club cricket

The West Indies Cricket Board has moved to strengthen the roots of the game in the region with a historic US$360,000 grant programme

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jan-2011The West Indies Cricket Board has moved to strengthen the roots of the game in the region with a historic US$360,000 grant programme which is aimed at supporting club cricket across the Caribbean.The Grassroots Cricket Support Facility will make available US$90,000 to clubs in four periods between March 2011 and December 2012. Clubs and local cricket organisations can apply to the WICB for a grant of up to US$5,000 each. The grants will be issued to clubs to aid in one of three areas, namely: infrastructure development, strengthening training programmes and procurement of gear and equipment.”This is one of the most important initiatives the WICB will undertake to help strengthen cricket at the grassroots level,” said WICB chief executive Ernest Hilaire. “We are focussing on the clubs throughout the region who have expressed how difficult it is to organize and sustain cricket and we are lending a hand in a tangible way. West Indies cricket needs club cricket to be strong and we need to assist and give meaningful support.”Veteran cricket administrator and writer Tony Becca has been prominent in lamenting for years that club cricket is in dire need of a shoulder to lean on and this programme is one way in which we believe we can help to build and strengthen West Indies cricket from the ground up.”We want to have partnerships with clubs all across the region because these are where West Indies players come from and we have to not only recognise that but demonstrate to the clubs that the WICB is serious about assisting them as they execute their programmes and activities which benefit all of West Indies cricket.”

Graham Napier bludgeons Northern Districts

A summary of the fourth round of matches in New Zealand’s domestic one-day competition

Cricinfo staff23-Dec-2009Graham Napier produced the kind of innings which made him a bankable limited-overs name last summer, clubbing an unbeaten 73 from just 29 balls to get Central Districts home by three wickets over Northern Districts in Palmerston North. Napier walked to the middle in the 42nd over with CD’s score at 219 for 7, chasing 301 for victory, and larruped five sixes in an astonishing innings to take them home with 15 deliveries to spare at Fitzherbert Park.Napier’s whirlwind knock turned the match around amazingly. His half-century needed 20 balls – second in New Zealand’s domestic one-day half-century after Peter McGlashan did it in 19 balls against Auckland in 2007-08 – and he put on an unbeaten 87 in 38 balls with George Worker (27 not out).ND had a solid total to defend after teenager Kane Williamson made a career-best unbeaten 107. His second 50-over hundred encompassed 106 balls and featured seven fours and three sixes. Aiding ND were the opener Anton Devcich (54) and McGlashan (53). Williamson then turned his arm over for figures of 3 for 48, which included snapping a 57-run stand for the third wicket between Tim Weston and Peter Ingram. Williamson added Ingram (59) by beating him in flight and winning a leg-before appeal and then got rid of Jacob Oram for 35, but Napier’s assault turned the tide.At Colin Maiden Park, Auckland beat Wellington by 81 runs. Key to this win were the internationals Daryl Tuffey and Ravi Bopara as Auckland, after posting 230, dismissed the opposition for 149.Bopara continued his impressive run of form with 43 and wrapped up the Wellington tail to finish with figures of 3 for 34 off seven overs. Tuffey claimed 3 for 12 off eight overs, which included getting rid of the openers Matthew Bell and Cameron Merchant. From 61 for 5, Wellington were boosted temporarily by Stewart Rhodes (36) and Luke Woodcock (34) in the middle order, but the house collapsed in the 42nd over. Michael Bates and Roneel Hira chimed in with two wickets each.Auckland’s total was set up by Andrew de Boorder (57), Reece Young (41) and Bopara’s 68-ball effort. The match also witnessed the return of Lou Vincent, but he made just six opening the batting for Auckland. Of the Wellington bowlers, Jeetan Patel and Andy McKay were the most successful, taking three wickets each.

Gibson's career-best haul keeps Hurricanes in touch with leaders

Chamari Athapaththu dominated for Renegades but her 75 wasn’t enough

AAP03-Nov-2022Hobart Hurricanes legspinner Maisy Gibson returned career-best figures in a four-wicket win over the Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL.Gibson put in a supreme display with the ball to help restrict the Renegades to a modest 5 for 133 batting first at Blundstone Arena.In the run chase, Hurricanes allrounder Heather Graham (39* off 26 balls) put her foot on the accelerator at the right time to ensure her side cruised to victory with 11 balls to spare.The turning point in the chase was the 27 runs Hurricanes made in the power surge, which they took in the 13th and 14th overs.Hurricanes captain Elyse Villani (29) made her highest score this season before she was bowled by a superb skidding delivery from Renegades captain Sophie Molineux.Renegades slumped to their sixth consecutive defeat and are in last position in the ladder, while Hurricanes are in fifth spot but have a game in hand over the top four sides.Opener Chamari Athapaththu was the star of the Renegades innings with an unbeaten 75 from 59 deliveries. The Sri Lanka captain was on a different level to the rest of the batters, with her straight hitting clinical and power-packed.Renegades got off to a fast start with the bat, with opener Hayley Matthews (26 off 23) the prime mover.Gibson took two wickets in her first over, including Josephine Dooley with an athletic caught and bowled in her outstretched left hand. She was in the groove and another over where she snared two wickets made sure the Renegades never got away.The fielding of the hosts was supreme, with Ruth Johnston diving full stretch to take a one-handed diving catch with her left to dismiss Molineux.

Simmons hails Roach's 'exceptional influence' on young bowlers

“He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously and it shows on the field”

Mohammad Isam28-Jun-2022The fast bowlers showing the ability to take wickets from slow pitches was the biggest gain for West Indies from their 2-0 win over Bangladesh, according to head coach Phil Simmons.Alzarri Joseph was the series’ top wicket-taker while Kemar Roach became only the sixth West Indies bowler to take 250 wickets during the series. Kyle Mayers and Jayden Seales contributed with regular wickets while Anderson Phillip made an impressive debut in St Lucia.Related

  • Jayden Seales, Obed McCoy, Odean Smith earn maiden West Indies international retainers

  • 'We have to improve in every department' – Shakib

  • West Indies canter to 2-0 series win after quick bowlers finish the job

It had a big impact on Bangladesh, who got bowled out for less than 250 in all four innings in the Test series, losing both games by big margins.”The first (Test) wicket wasn’t conducive to fast bowling but we got them out for low scores,” Simmons said. “In this Test match, to get them bowled out on the first day on a comparatively slow wicket, gave us the driver’s seat. The fast bowlers deserve a lot of credit. We have worked hard in the two series, and come out victorious. This one maybe wasn’t as hard as the first one, the important thing is that at the end of the day, the W is behind the two Tests. We won 2-0 in Bangladesh in 2021 as well. You have to take all those things, and sit back and enjoy it.”Simmons was happy with Roach in particular helping out the young pace attack. Roach, who debuted in 2009, had a series to remember for reaching the 250-wicket milestone. He was lauded by West Indies greats Curtly Ambrose and Michael Holding, whose tally he crossed during the St Lucia Test.”(Roach) is helping the fast bowlers to mature quicker. I think he has an exceptional influence on all the young fast bowlers. He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously. It shows on the field. You can see him talking to them, who are trying to do the right things all the time. I think his influence has been massive to these young fast bowlers.”Mayers, too, emerged as an all-round factor for the first time in his short Test career. He contributed mainly with the ball in Antigua, before hitting his second Test century in St Lucia, a backs-to-the-wall counterattack.”He brings in the wicket-taking factor. He is not express, but he puts the ball in the right areas. If he bats normally, he scores quickly in all three formats. I have to get him to understand that he needs to bat normally. Once we get that, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with.”Phillip also had a good first outing but Simmons felt that nerves got the better of him at times. “I think he had a good debut. Two wickets earlier on, but he got a bit of cramps. It comes with all the nervousness that comes with your first Test match. If you are not nervous, something is wrong.”He was nervous, and it didn’t help him. He bowled well in both the innings. He did what the captain wanted him to do.”

Root happy with middle-order brief

The impression from Joe Root is that he is in no rush whatsoever to lobby for the job of England’s Test No. 3

David Hopps12-May-2016When it comes to batting at No. 3 for England, the impression from Joe Root is that he is in no rush whatsoever to lobby for the job. Why would you when you are averaging 54.93 in Test cricket, you are having so much fun and you are convinced that England’s Test side is on an upswing?The call-up of James Vince for England’s Test squad, one senses, therefore suits Root to a tee. England have not just retained Nick Compton at first wicket down, they have Vince on debut at five with a career history that suggests he would grab the No. 3 role if things worked out that way. Root would therefore have to option to busy himself at No. 4 and leave things to develop as they will.Root suggests he is “not really too fussed to be honest” when the thought of batting at three is put to him, but a place lower in the order has become endearing. It is here where he has discovered an enchanting tempo and become the pivotal figure in an England side proud of its attacking intent.”I feel that I am getting to grips with that role within the side,” Root said. “I just want to keep improving: whether that means moving up the order or staying were I am that’s fine. No. 4 is a position where I do enjoy batting and I enjoy batting with the guys around me there as well so I think it suits the way my game is set up.”Statistically, the case supports keeping Root in the middle order. He averages 54.62 at No. 4 and 73.12 at No. 5, compared to 32.83 at No. 3 and 37. 66 opening the batting – albeit those returns came in challenging circumstance during back-to-back Ashes series near the start of his international career.If Vince’s selection will quicken debate about England’s best batting order, Root regards the internal competition as beneficial. “I think that is a good thing,” he said. “You have got opportunities to press your claims; people will be wanting to prove that they are the man to pick.”I think that is important to have that competition and rivalry – well not rivalry but you know what I am trying to say – where you are always wanting to improve in your practice and I think that sets us up really nicely for the start of the summer.”He has played a lot of cricket with Vince in age group sides – they are the same age, at 25 – and he joined the chorus of approval from Test cricketers, past and present, who look more at Vince’s methodology than his first-class average and see a Test cricketer in the making.”James he’s been around the side all winter in shorter formats and has a fantastic temperament,” Root said. “He has got a solid game which fits beautifully for Test cricket and given the opportunity I’m sure he will take it and perform extremely well and show his class.Joe Root was at Headingley to promote healthy living•Getty Images

“I am really looking forward to him stamping his mark on Test cricket and, if given the opportunity, showing everyone what he can do. In county cricket I honestly think he is one of those players who will come in to international cricket and really raise his game.”Vince’s Test call up has revived the comparisons with Michael Vaughan that have reared their head since early in his career when the former England coach, Duncan Fletcher, made the observation. Vaughan himself has long been a big fan.”I can see he has that very classical cover drive and the swivel pull I suppose – the two shots that Vaughany was remembered for,” Root said. “But I think he is his own player. They obviously go about their business completely differently and he will be desperate to prove a name for himself rather than be compared to someone else. He is a fine player and I am really excited he is in the squad and he has the opportunity to show everyone how good he is.”Vitality is partnering with England cricketer Joe Root, who will take on the role of ambassador. Joe will use his passion for healthy living to inspire everyone to be active and make positive changes to their lifestyles. Visit www.vitality.co.uk for further information

Hrishikesh Kanitkar joins Goa as coach

Former Maharashtra batsmen Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Dheeraj Jadhav have joined Goa as coach and professional respectively for the forthcoming domestic season

Amol Karhadkar24-Jul-2015Former Maharashtra batsmen Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Dheeraj Jadhav have joined Goa as coach and professional respectively for the forthcoming domestic season. Both men have been handed one-year contracts by the Goa Cricket Association.While Kanitkar announced his retirement from competitive cricket earlier this month, Jadhav has moved closer to his hometown Pune after playing for Assam for six seasons, starting from 2009-10.”After helping Assam qualifying for the top tier as captain, there was a sense of achievement. When the Goa opportunity cropped up, I took it up since it is again a new challenge to help the team into the elite,” Jadhav told ESPNcricinfo. “And it is a great feeling to be able to be reunited with Hrishi. We had some great memories as team-mates. Let us hope we can revive the same magic for Goa this time around.”Kanitkar was the captain when Jadhav scored more than 1000 runs to help Maharashtra win the Ranji Trophy plate group in 2003-04. While Jadhav left Maharashtra to join the Indian Cricket League in 2007, Kanitkar joined Madhya Pradesh the following year. Kanitkar then joined Rajasthan and led them to consecutive Ranji titles, in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Jadhav, meanwhile, signed for Assam after returning to the BCCI fold and made 3256 runs, including 12 hundreds and 10 fifties from 44 matches at an average of 56.13.While Kanitkar played two Tests and 34 ODIs for India, Jadhav never got an international cap, though he managed to make the Test squad for three matches.The Goa stint will be Kanitkar’s first full-time coaching responsibility. In 2011, he was appointed as Kochi Tuskers Kerala’s assistant coach, but walked out of the contract even before the IPL season began because of disputes with the owners.”Coaching is something I am very keen on. If I get an opportunity to work with teams, it would be a great learning experience,” Kanitkar had said at the time of his retirement.The GCA has also announced former India wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra as its Under-19 coach. Ratra, who too announced his retirement earlier this month, has also played for Goa as a professional.

Contented NZ seal win as Craig takes five

New Zealand took just over 90 minutes to get their tour underway with a 66-run victory at Taunton and their coach, Mike Hesson, delivered a calm message of confidence

Alex Winter in Taunton11-May-2015
Scorecard1:18

New Zealand get tour underway with victory

New Zealand took just over 90 minutes to get their tour underway with a 66-run victory at Taunton and their coach, Mike Hesson, delivered a calm message of confidence to the gathered press leaned up against a white picket fence. The contrast with the England set-up could not have been more stark.The umpires here, Neil Bainton and Steve O’Shaughnessy, were the latest to express their praise for New Zealand’s attitude and professionalism, qualities that have endeared them to the world over the past 18 months. They made an efficient job of taking the remaining four wickets on the final morning and the temperature even jumped several degrees to leave the tourists happy with their opening fixture.”It was a little scratchy at times but there were enough good things,” Hesson said. “The tempo with bat was good and some of the guys got runs. But I thought with the ball we were a bit inconsistent.”That was a fair reflection for a final-day session that began with a wicket from the second ball but saw James Hildreth go through to a third century of the summer and Tim Groenewald smash his way to by far his best first-class score for Somerset.Mark Craig took three wickets to finish with 5 for 34. “The ball didn’t really spin until he bowled,” Hesson said. “He was the only one to turn it off the straight and got good turn and bounce, generally out of the footholes, and always looked a likely threat.Mark Craig picked up six wickets in the match (file photo)•Getty Images

“He’s a wicket taker but occasionally leaks runs. He’ll be better off for this, having not bowled for at least two months. Mark will be playing for us in the Test no doubt so it’s a matter of him getting into good rhythm and being confident.”Doug Bracewell will also hope to play in the first Test, which starts in ten days’ time. He got the morning off to a perfect start, trapping Josh Davey lbw, but he was outbowled by debutants Jacob Duffy and Ben Wheeler in the match, both of whom impressed Hesson.”I was delighted with them,” Hesson said. “Jacob swung the ball from straight which is a good skill. He was nervous but he will be pleased to get through that first game. Ben was outstanding. He didn’t bowl a bad ball in his first spell and created a lot of opportunities. He even came back and went well with the old ball so it’s a good start for him.”Hesson confirmed that Duffy and Wheeler would not remain with the squad beyond Thursday’s second warm up at Worcester but Mitchell Santner, who made a second-innings 94, is part of the one-day squad. “Mitchell played at a great tempo in tough conditions and we also saw what a powerful striker he is so hopefully we’ll see some of that in the one-day series.”Martin Guptill is on course to return from injury at New Road but the arrival of New Zealand’s six IPL players remains unclear. Fast bowler Matt Henry has been released by his franchise but Brendon McCullum, Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson may not be granted early release, with their franchises in position to quality for the semi-finals. They could arrive just two days before the first Test.But there are no such worries for Craig’s preparation. He is on course for Lord’s with a fine second innings return here where he gained turn and bounce. He forced a misjudgement from Craig Overton who trod on his stumps trying to pull, turned one past the inside edge of Groenewald’s drive after his entertaining 37-ball 47, where he struck five sixes, and finally ended Hildreth’s stay when he edged a cut to the keeper.Hildreth at least provided some positivity for the hosts, who slipped to their fourth successive defeat. This, his third first-class century of the summer, left him 222 runs shy of 1000 before the end of May. He has two more Championship matches to reach the landmark.He delayed Somerset’s defeat with a stand of 72 for the eighth wicket with Overton. He essayed a cover drive that didn’t require a moment’s thought of running and then hooked Neil Wagner for six over square leg. Another hook of Bracewell was not as well controlled but still found the fine leg boundary. His next four, a very well timed tuck through square leg, brought up a 117-ball century and at least something for the locals to smile about.

Harmeet Singh, Rohit Sharma shore up Deccan

Deccan Chargers survived three huge blows in the first two overs of the match, and some more towards the end by Robin Uthappa, to keep alive their hopes of a semi-final berth

The Bulletin by S Rajesh12-Apr-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out
Dale Steyn’s three-wicket burst rocked Deccan, but they fought back superbly to keep their semi-final hopes alive•Indian Premier League

Deccan Chargers survived three huge blows in the first two overs of the match, and some more towards the end by Robin Uthappa, to keep alive their hopes of a semi-final berth. In a match that lurched wildly one way and then another, Harmeet Singh delivered the most decisive blow as Deccan held their nerve and eked out a 13-run win to move up to fifth in the points table.There were several moments in the match when it seemed Royal Challengers Bangalore had nailed the decisive advantage. First, when Dale Steyn took three wickets in first two overs, including those of Adam Gilchrist and Hershelle Gibbs, to reduce Deccan to 14 for 3; then, when Rahul Dravid creamed a classy and effortless 35-ball 49 to put Bangalore right on track in their run-chase; and again, when Uthappa struck two towering sixes off Ryan Harris in the 17th over to reduce the target to 18 from 12 balls.That’s when Harmeet delivered the blow from which there was no comeback for Bangalore. Bowling his back-of-the-hand slower deliveries, he ended Uthappa’s swashbuckling innings, and effectively ruined Bangalore’s run-chase. That over went for just one run, and it was clear which team would end up the winner.Teams have struggled at overhauling even modest totals at this ground, and it was a similar story today, thanks to the conditions which make it a far more even contest between bat and ball than most other venues – the boundaries were much bigger, ensuring shots which would have cleared the ground elsewhere stayed within the arena, and the pitch was slow and assisted spin, causing several batsmen to mis-time lofted shots.Even accounting for those factors, Bangalore, with their power-packed batting line-up, should have fancied their chances, and their run-chase seemed in good health while Dravid was timing the ball crisply after the first-ball dismissal of Manish Pandey. During his 35-ball knock he showcased a whole gamut of strokes, even as Jacques Kallis struggled for timing in a laborious 37-ball 27.The first ominous sign came when Pragyan Ojha, who turned in another sterling display, got one to turn, jump, and bounce at Kallis in his first over. The new ball was probably Bangalore’s best opportunity for runs, but Kallis’ slow knock ensured Deccan still had plenty of runs to defend when the slower bowlers came on. Ojha put in his second superb display against Bangalore – he had taken 2 for 24 four days back – while Harmeet was a revelation with his slower deliveries. Kallis, Dravid and Virat Kohli all fell to lofted shots, while Ross Taylor was done in by a fine yorker from RP Singh, who put forward a much-improved performance.In the end it was left to Uthappa to rescue the team again, but the combination of the conditions and the bowling attack was too much to conquer even for him.Deccan’s score of 151 owed largely to the 82-run fourth-wicket stand between Rohit Sharma and Monish Mishra, who lifted Deccan after a stunning burst from Steyn had them floundering. There wasn’t much pace on the track, but you wouldn’t know it watching Steyn bowl his first three overs. He clearly loves bowling at this venue: on his previous visit here a couple of months back, he returned match figures of 10 for 108 and destroyed India’s famed batting line-up; this time, he did the same with Deccan’s top order.He didn’t touch the 150 kph-mark like he had in the previous two games in his home ground, but the rewards were far more substantial this time. Gilchrist edged his first ball, T Suman had no answers to a perfect short delivery aimed at the body, while Gibbs was beaten by pace and away movement.Rohit and Monish then began the rescue act. After a slow start, both turned it on during a four-over spell between the ninth and 13th overs, which fetched 48. Mishra struck sixes off three consecutive overs, while Rohit caressed three fours in a single over from Kallis. The stand was already worth 82 and threatening many more when a terrible misunderstanding undid all the good work. Andrew Symonds struck a couple of powerful blows down the ground, while Rohit stroked his second half-century of the tournament, but both fell at inopportune moments. Even then, it turned out they had enough runs on the board to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Saqib Mahmood granted visa ahead of England tour of India

Fast bowler will travel with the squad on Friday having been forced to miss a UAE training camp

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2025Saqib Mahmood has finally received his visa for England’s upcoming limited-overs series in India, meaning he will be able to travel with the team to Kolkata on Friday ahead of Wednesday’s first T20I.Mahmood, who is of Pakistani heritage, had encountered a delay in obtaining the travel document, forcing him to miss an England training camp in the UAE. Two other members of the T20I squad of similar background – Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed – had received their visas earlier.The Lancashire seamer had encountered similar issues in the past when, in 2019, he was replaced for an England Lions tour of India following a drawn-out visa process. In 2024, he sat out Lancashire’s pre-season tour having anticipated the same problem, months after England offspinner Shoaib Bashir missed the first Test against India in Hyderabad due to the slow processing of his visa.Mahmood was supposed to attend a pace-bowling camp in Abu Dhabi ahead of the India tour, led by fast bowling consultant James Anderson, which featured the likes of Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Mark Wood. Those plans were scuppered by the fact the Indian Embassy still had his possession of his passport, with Mahmood having originally intended to travel to the UAE with the group last Thursday.The 27-year-old has been on something of a comeback trail, overcoming consecutive lower-back stress fractures to return to the international fold last year, and was named player of the series during England’s T20I series in the Caribbean in November, taking nine wickets at 10.55. With 29 appearances in all formats, including two Test caps against West Indies in 2022, Mahmood will be keen to impress head coach Brendon McCullum who is now in charge of England’s red- and white-ball sides.

Rohit, Karthik and spinners set up thumping India win

Chasing 191, West Indies’ batting struggled against the spin of Ashwin, Jadeja and Bishnoi

S Sudarshanan29-Jul-2022In the first international game at the Brian Lara Stadium, India’s move to play three spinners – as opposed to West Indies’ one – reaped rich dividends as Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi combined to pick up five wickets, helping the visitors to a 68-run win in the first T20I of the five-match series.In T20s before Friday at this ground, spinners had an economy rate of 6.31, which is the fourth-lowest at any venue in the West Indies, and they had averaged 20.91 – the fourth-lowest at any Caribbean venue where spinners have bowled in more than ten innings.Related

  • Karthik strengthens his case for finisher's spot at 2022 T20 World Cup

  • Hetmyer returns for T20Is vs India, New Zealand

  • Samson replaces Rahul in India's T20I squad for West Indies series

India managed to post 190 for 6 on a seemingly slowish surface, thanks to captain Rohit Sharma’s half century and Dinesh Karthik’s unbeaten 41 off just 19 balls at the finish, before West Indies’ batting was entangled in the web of spin.Another partner for Rohit
After India were put in to bat, Rohit walked out with a new partner, Suryakumar Yadav, the seventh opener for India in T20Is this year. Suryakumar got going quickly with a four off Obed McCoy in the first over and then another off Jason Holder in the next. His trademark wristy flick for six over fine leg also made an appearance against debutant Alzarri Joseph.Akeal Hosein’s introduction, however, stalled Suryakumar’s progress. He was dropped off the first ball from the spinner before a top edge off the next ball evaded the bowler running back. Hosein had the last laugh in his next over when Suryakumar’s attempted whip resulted in a thick leading edge to short third.Change in pace leads to change of momentum
India had raced to 44 inside five overs but Suryakumar’s wicket slowed them down. Despite finding a couple of boundaries early on, Rohit struggled to get the ball away. With the odd ball gripping the surface, Hosein and McCoy thrived, the latter dismissing Shreyas Iyer for a four-ball duck.Rohit and Rishabh Pant then added 43 off 25 balls before West Indies struck again, dismissing Pant and Hardik Pandya – who ramped Joseph straight to deep third for his maiden T20I wicket – in quick succession to leave India 102 for 4 with over eight overs remaining.Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin added an unbeaten 52-run stand to take India to 190•Associated Press

The perfect finish

In the interim Rohit got to his 27th half-century in T20Is off 35 balls. Just when he had begun accelerating, he slapped Holder straight to sweeper cover. At 131 for 5 in 15 overs on a track that was slowing down, India looked on course to finish at around 170.But Karthik once again aced the finisher’s role to move India well past that score. He used the crease well to put the bowlers off their lines and lengths, and, in the company of Ashwin, took a toll on Holder and McCoy to help India amass 36 off the last two overs.Spin to win
In their pursuit of 191, Kyle Mayers got West Indies off to a rapid start, helping them score 11 off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s first over and as many off the first two legal balls of the next over, bowled by Arshdeep Singh. However, Arshdeep deceived Mayers with an off-pace short ball immediately afterwards, and India’s bowlers had landed their first blow.Holder, sent in at No. 3, couldn’t see off Ravindra Jadeja’s spin, while Ashwin sent back the left-hand batters Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer. Ravi Bishnoi then dismissed Rovman Powell and Odean Smith in successive overs to pretty much seal the game.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus