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Chanderpaul century thwarts India again

West Indies 256 for 5 (Chanderpaul 111*, Brathwaite 63, Ojha 3-58) v India
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How they were out

	That man again: Shivnarine Chanderpaul scores his seventh century against India © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Kraigg Brathwaite | Shivnarine Chanderpaul Matches: India v West Indies at Delhi Series/Tournaments: West Indies tour of India Teams: India | West Indies

Two old nemeses turned up against India on the first day of the series. A typical slow and low Kotla track broke the bowlers' backs, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul continued his torture of Indian bowlers with his seventh century against his favourite opposition, making it two in the last two Tests. Attrition remained the order for the day, as is evident from West Indies' run-rate of 2.81, but Chanderpaul scored at close to four per over. India, though, kept chipping away at the others with accurate spin bowling to make sure the honours were shared on the first day.

Chanderpaul drew support from a man who was two years old when he began using the bail to mark his guard in Tests. Kraigg Brathwaite, who became only the second West Indian to score two fifties before his 19th birthday, has similar reserves of patience, idolises Chanderpaul, and uses the bail to mark his guard. For 37 overs and 108 runs today, the youngest and the oldest members of the side did all that together. Except that the youngster played the old-fashioned watchful innings and Chanderpaul turned the momentum with quick runs.

You couldn't quite blame the teams for the slow cricket, though. When the third ball of the match doesn't carry through to the wicketkeeper, and when it happens four more times in the next seven overs, it's best not to expect attractive cricket. Effort balls went through waist high, and strokes found little value. On this pitch, Syed Abid Ali and Eknath Solkar would have been as effective as Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav. When India bowl 91 overs in a day's play, it has to be either during a push for a win on the final day or when the pitch has nothing in it for the quicks. While the latter was true, the way the West Indies top order went into a shell the former didn't seem incorrect either.

Smart stats Shivnarine Chanderpaul's century is his seventh against India, bringing him joint-second on the list of players with the most Test centuries against India. Garry Sobers and Viv Richards are on top with eight centuries each. The century is also Chanderpaul's 24th in Tests. He is now level third with Viv Richards on the the list of West Indians with the most Test centuries. Brian Lara and Garry Sobers, with 34 and 26 centuries respectively, are the top two on the list. MS Dhoni went past Syed Kirmani's tally of 198 wicket-keeping dismissals to become India's all-time leader. He now has 200 dismissals in 62 Tests. Dhoni also became the 13th wicketkeeper to reach the landmark of 200 Test dismissals. Mark Boucher is on top with 521 dismissals. Chanderpaul's strike rate of 66.46 in his innings is the third-highest for a 100-plus score in his career (all other completed knocks). The highest strike rate is 138.88 during his 100 off 72 balls against Australia in 2003. The 108-run stand between Chanderpaul and Kraigg Brathwaite is the ninth century stand for the fourth wicket for West Indies in Tests in India. It is also the third-highest for West Indies in Tests in Delhi.

Kieran Powell and Kirk Edwards, who scored 29 off 80 balls between them, allowed Pragyan Ojha and debutant R Ashwin to bowl wherever they liked to. What started as one slip and one short leg soon became a spinner's umbrella field. The result was a period of 14.3 overs that went for 20 runs and consumed both the batsmen. Both fell to Ojha, whose figures then read 7.3-4-8-2. Darren Bravo tried to disturb that state of affairs, but gave Ashwin his first Test wicket when he went manufacturing a cut off a length ball.

When Chanderpaul walked in, at 72 for 3, the man at the other end was going at the strike-rate he himself often does. He would have known if two men did that, sooner or later one might pop up to one of the many catching men. Thus began his shuffle, nurdles, deflections, late-cuts, chips, stolen singles, and two sixes down the ground. Mid-on and mid-off had been deep earlier too, sweeper-cover had been in place too, but the field looked much more porous now.

There were three shots that very Chanderpaul. The second ball of spin he played he dragged it from outside off for a single through midwicket. Later on in the piece, he moved well across into a wide delivery from Umesh Yadav, and it was like just the momentum of the shuffle and the wrists forced the ball between mid-off and extra cover. That four took him to 62, level then with Brathwaite, who was 30 when Chanderpaul walked in. In the next over, he danced down to Ojha, was beaten in the flight, but nonchalantly flicked him for his second six over long-on. He was working the singles, he was forcing the fours, and even when he was beaten in the flight it was not proving good enough.

Brathwaite might not have taken similar liberties, but was good at running the ball to third man or helping it around the corner on the leg side. Behind square on the off side he scored 26 runs, including four boundaries, all of them intentional. Ojha, though, continued his toil and finally got one to dip, which made Brathwaite drag his back foot as he tried to play the forward-defensive. It wasn't a big drag, nor did it take him long to get back, and he might have possibly survived with other keepers, but MS Dhoni's no reverse-follow-through stumping left him no chance.

That was one fine way to reach 199 dismissals, beating Syed Kirmani's Indian record in 26 fewer Tests. No. 200 came soon when Marlon Samuels, always one to camp back against spin, edged a length ball from Ashwin. With two wickets for 20 runs, India now looked to build more pressure. Chanderpaul took 11 runs in the next over. Four overthrows followed in the next over, and Chanderpaul was in his nineties. With a gentle paddle sweep he matched Viv Richards' 24 centuries, and there hardly seemed any pressure.

Even as Carlton Baugh remained circumspect with stumps approaching, Chanderpaul made sure the sixth-wicket partnership of 56 runs chugged along at 4.1 per over. Chanderpaul walked back with Indian players rushing to shake his hand, and no one to nag him, telling him how to bat.

Anil Kumble 10 wickets record

West Indies bat first, India hand out debuts to two bowlers

Toss West Indies chose to bat v India
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West Indies unsurprisingly chose to bat first on a Kotla track expected to stay slow and low and break up later in the match. They made a surprising move in leaving Adrian Barath out and persisting with the opening combination that did the job in his absence in Bangladesh. They also brought back Ravi Rampaul, who did well against India in the home series earlier in the year.

India chose Umesh Yadav over Varun Aaron as one of the two bowling debutants. R Ashwin expectedly got a Test cap, and, just as expectedly, Yuvraj Singh was preferred at No.6 over Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane.

West Indies 1 Kieran Powell, 2 Kraigg Brathwaite, 3 Kirk Edwards, 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 6 Marlon Samuels, 7 Darren Sammy (capt), 8 Carlton Baugh (wk), 9 Ravi Rampaul, 10 Fidel Edwards, 11 Devendra Bishoo

India 1 Virender Sehwag, 2 Gautam Gambhir, 3 Rahul Dravid, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 VVS Laxman, 6 Yuvraj Singh, 7 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Pragyan Ojha, 11 Umesh Yadav

Dhoni makes England pay for lapses

50 overs India 271 for 8 (Dhoni 75*) v England
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	Steven Finn continued his fine form but he was let down by his fielders © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links Matches: India v England at Kolkata Series/Tournaments: England tour of India Teams: England | India

Steven Finn continued his impressive personal performance in an otherwise abject England campaign, but another scruffy fielding performance undermined his best efforts as India, led inevitably by MS Dhoni, were allowed to recover from a major mid-innings wobble to post a very healthy 271 for 8 in the fifth and final ODI at Kolkata.

Dhoni's unbeaten 75 from 69 balls lifted their total from a dicey 123 for 4, and took his recent tally to 330 runs without dismissal in his past six ODI innings - an Indian record. It was his second half-century of the current series and his sixth in his past seven against England, in which time he has been extracted just the once, for 69 in the third of the five-match series at The Oval in September.

After winning the toss for the fourth match in a row, Alastair Cook this time chose to bowl first in muggy conditions at Eden Gardens, but in front of a sparsely populated stadium, England's initial efforts were flat in the extreme. Basic errors littered England's play, with Gautam Gambhir gifted two boundaries as, first, the slip cordon and, then, Stuart Meaker at third man let the ball roll through their grasp.

At the other end, Ajinkya Rahane continued his impressively fluent start to international cricket with six fours in a 61-ball innings of 42, and at 71 for 0 after 15 overs, India's hopes of exacting instant retribution for their Test-series whitewash in the summer were looking extremely rosy. The only real chance in that period was a life for Gambhir on 25, who edged Meaker high to Craig Kieswetter's left, and away for four as the keeper mistimed his leap.

However, the advent of the bowling Powerplay brought the free scoring to a dramatic halt, as India scraped together 10 runs in the next five overs for the loss of three key wickets. After one over from Swann, Cook reverted to his frontline seamers, Tim Bresnan and Finn, who responded with a double-wicket maiden to lift his team-mates' flagging morale.

First to go was Gambhir for 38, in near-identical fashion to his dismissal by Finn at Mumbai, as a lifting delivery outside off nipped off the inside edge and into the stumps. Then, after welcoming Virat Kohli with a series of excellent deliveries in the channel outside off, he bowled him with a final-ball beauty that zipped off the seam and crashed into off stump as the batsman offered no stroke.

Four balls and no runs later, and Bresnan was into the act as well, as Kieswetter atoned for his earlier miss with a soaring leap to his right to cling on to a flying edge. A second consecutive maiden for Finn was then followed by an equally frugal first over from Ravi Bopara, and India's collapse should have been four wickets for one run in 25 balls when Swann at slip dropped his clanger.

Suitably liberated, Raina followed up with a slashing cut for four in an over that went for 10, and with the newly recalled Manoj Tiwary settling into an aggressive but comfortable rhythm at the other end, England's brief bubble of optimism looked in danger of bursting. The pair added 42 runs for the fourth wicket in six overs before Tiwary's cameo ended at 24 from 30 balls with a snick to the keeper off Meaker, but it wasn't until a fortuitous run-out of Raina that England really regained their footing.

In the first match in Hyderabad, Raina had been reprieved at a crucial juncture of India's innings when most observers believed he should have been sent on his way. This time, his luck ran out as he dived for his crease to beat a shy from square leg from Bopara, only for his bat to bounce up after it had passed the line. To the naked eye, he appeared to be in by two feet, but the third umpire's call was the correct one, and he was on his way for 38 from 46 balls.

Ravindra Jadeja got off the mark with a first-ball drive for four off Finn, and had reached a run-a-ball 21 by the time Bell clung onto a full-blooded pull at midwicket to give Samit Patel his first wicket of the day. Patel's fellow spinner, Swann, however, had another below-par day at the office, and his figures received a bruising when Dhoni clubbed him for two sixes in three balls in an eighth over that went for 16.

However, Dhoni saved his most savage assault for the new boy, Meaker, whom he battered for a massive six over wide long-on in a penultimate over that went for 21. That tally included another aberration from Kieswetter, who let a slower-ball bouncer dribble away off his pads for five wides. Praveen Kumar then slogged Patel's next ball over midwicket for six before being caught on the boundary one delivery later, but Dhoni completed the assault with 2, 2, 6, 2, as India put themselves firmly in sight of their coveted 5-0 whitewash.

Bangladesh declare after Windies fight back

Bangladesh 350 for 9 dec (Mushfiqur 68, Tamim 52, Bishoo 3-81) v West Indies
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When Mushfiqur Rahim asked his last-wicket pair to return to the dressing room, it marked Bangladesh's fourth declaration in their 11-year Test history. In an effort to put some pressure on West Indies in the limited time available in this rain-marred Test, Bangladesh declared on 350 for 9 following a very short period of acceleration after lunch. The visitors will start the second innings with their account already open - West Indies were awarded five runs after the Bangladesh batsmen, Tamim Iqbal yesterday and Nasir Hossain today, were warned and eventually penalised for running on the pitch.

Lunch Bangladesh 332 for 8 (Naeem 22*, Shahadat 4*, Bishoo 2-73, Samuels 2-73) v West Indies

A smattering of die-hard spectators graced the stadium with their presence as the sun broke out in full glow after being overshadowed by wet weather over two washed-out days. There was some entertainment in store for the sparse crowd, provided by both teams in an eventful session that went West Indies' way after the hosts had taken the honours on the first day. The time lost to weather meant there won't be much to play for in the remainder of the game, barring some momentum ahead of the next Test.

The pitch didn't appear to have been affected much by the wetness that could have seeped through after two days under covers. Movement for the seamers was limited but there was some extra bounce; the spinners, however, derived a lot more assistance from the track than they did on the first day. There was sharp turn, exploited particularly well by Devendra Bishoo, and the Bangladesh batsmen didn't help their cause by falling to some rash strokes.

Mushfiqur Rahim had acquitted himself well with the bat in his first day as Test captain but lasted just one delivery on the fourth day, playing a little early to a short ball from Fidel Edwards and top-edging a catch to Bishoo at square leg. Unlike the first day, the Bangladesh batsmen were more aggressive and were helped by periodic doses of short balls. Shariar Nafees, who had retired hurt after being smacked on the nose by an Edwards bouncer, returned to slash and pull the seamers for a couple of boundaries. But his stay ended when he chased a wide one from Edwards, under-edging a catch to the keeper.

The highlight for Bangladesh was the debutant Nasir Hossain, who gave the crowd plenty to cheer with his sprightly batting, which has already earned him two ODI half-centuries. He began by dispatching an Edwards full toss for four; a treatment reserved for several bad balls that the visitors doled out in the first session. He swatted and slashed Rampaul and Edwards, who was also driven through mid-on. Bishoo varied his flight well and beat the batsmen often but Nasir went after him as well, punching him through extra cover and pulling over midwicket. He succumbed to his own aggression, though, when he top-edged a slog sweep against Bshoo. Not long after, Bishoo sent back the other Bangladeshi debutant, Elias Sunny, with a flipper.

West Indies missed two run-outs much to the crowd's amusement - one was straightforward, Kirk Edwards missing a direct hit with the batsman miles out - but the session ended with them having fought back well to recover some ground.

India canter to another comprehensive win

India 223 for 4 (Kohli 86*, Raina 80, Finn 3-45) beat England 220 (Bresnan 45, Trott 41, Aaron 3-24, Ashwin 3-38) by six wickets
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	Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina all but sealed the match with a 131-run stand for the fourth wicket © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Ravichandran Ashwin | Tim Bresnan | Steven Finn | Ravindra Jadeja | Virat Kohli | Suresh Raina Matches: India v England at Mumbai Series/Tournaments: England tour of India Teams: England | India

England's weakness against spin cost them for the third time in the series as they unravelled from a strong position to post an underwhelming total on a slow turning pitch in Mumbai. Their fast bowlers struck three early blows but Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina motored to a 131-run stand at close to seven an over, showcasing the difference between the sides and sparking another needless bout of words in the middle as England's frustration overflowed.

It was England's own batsmen who had let down their ragged bowlers down when they caved in against spin in the afternoon. R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took 5 for 79 in 20 overs between them after Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen had built on England's quickest start of the series.

Vinay Kumar broke the 73-run stand between Trott and an uncharacteristically subdued Pietersen, then Jadeja and Ashwin worked their way through a clueless England middle order, striking three times in six overs. Tim Bresnan took the score past 200 with a run-a-ball 45, but England were dismissed with 23 deliveries remaining when fast bowler Varun Aaron bowled Bresnan to finish with three wickets on debut.

Disciplined pace bowling led by the impressive Steven Finn kept England in with an outside chance at the start of the chase. Kohli and Raina kept the runs coming, though, not allowing the score of 46 for 3 to tie them down in a partnership that steadily at first, and then emphatically, pushed England out of the match, making a 5-0 whitewash ever more likely.

Finn and Bresnan had started with testing spells that kept the India openers quiet. The first five overs produced only 17 runs, leading Parthiv Patel to whip across the line and lose his stumps to Finn. Finn struck again in his next over when Gautam Gambhir inside-edged onto his stumps. His opening spell of 5-0-10-2 was followed by a sharp burst from debutant Stuart Meaker that induced Ajinkya Rahane into a poke outside off stump only for wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter to take a leaping one-handed blinder.

Scott Borthwick, the young legspinner surprisingly chosen ahead of Grame Swann, bowled with heart, but it was unfair to expect him to have the same effect that the experienced Swann could have managed. Kohli and Raina continued almost unbothered, picking off the singles easily and finding the boundaries with crisp shots. The duo's approach was in sharp contrast to England's tottering line-up.

Despite India being three down at the start of the bowling Powerplay, Raina took the chance and chipped Meaker just over mid-off for a boundary. His innings grew into a blur of scythes through extra cover and swings down the ground before Finn bowled him after a missed slog during a heated over. Raina had surged to 80 by then and with Kohli easing into elegant drives and cuts, India were runaway winners with almost ten overs remaining.

England's fate had virtually been sealed when their middle order tried to sweep and slog-sweep their way out of trouble. Pietersen was one of three batsmen to fall on the shots, though the substitute fielder Manoj Tiwary was responsible for sending him back with a diving catch after running across from deep midwicket.

Ravi Bopara missed one from Jadeja to be caught in front and Jonny Bairstow's disappointing series continued when he was bowled by a ripper that pitched on leg and turned to hit off stump. Samit Patel and Bresnan tried to salvage something from 145 for 6 but Patel slog-swept Ashwin straight to deep midwicket in another disappointing batting Powerplay for England.

Aaron, who had consistently hovered above 140kph on debut, came back to run through the lower order, hitting the stumps three times, the last of which straightened past Bresnan's outside edge to clip the top of off, with England well short of a challenging total on a turning pitch without Swann.

Things hadn't looked as gloomy for England when Pietersen and Trott accumulated solidly in a steady partnership that helped them recover after Alastair Cook and Kieswetter departed off successive deliveries. Though Pietersen went hard at deliveries and mistimed his strokes at times, Trott kept the runs flowing, cutting Jadeja three times to the deep point boundary. Trott welcomed Vinay's second spell with a cracking drive that beat the cover sweeper easily but was dismissed two deliveries later. Pietersen continued to find the field and the India spinners soon got on top decisively, yet again.

Innings Dot balls 4s 6s PP1 PP2 PP3 Last 10 overs NB/Wides England 147 21 3 61/2 24/0 (15.1-20) 30/1 (35.1-40) 28/3 (40.1-46.1) 0/14 India 115 25 1 25/2 26/0 (15.1-20) 32/0 (35.1-40) 4/0 (40.1) 1/5