5th Test: West Indies v India at Jamaica, 18-22 May 2002 CricInfo Live Report

5th Test: West Indies v India at Jamaica, 18-22 May 2002
Anand Vasu

India 1st innings: Tea - Day 2, Stumps - Day 2,
West Indies 1st innings: Lunch - Day 2,
Live Reports from previous days

INDIA IN A SPOT OF BOTHER
The session after tea was nothing if not trouble for India. Tendulkar was back in the hut, Das, dismissed and India teetered on the brink at 141/4 at stumps on the second day.

The session began quite well for India. There was a certain stubbornness to the pair of Das and Tendulkar doing business. Both not at their best, both searching for a few runs, the pair somehow kept the bowling at bay.

And before you knew it, Tendulkar looked in better and better form. The loose balls were dispatched with increased regularity, the sticky deliveries were left well alone… Until Adam Sanford had the last laugh.

Reaching for a delivery well outside the off stump, without quite moving his feet, Tendulkar (41 runs, 63 balls, 7 fours) dragged the ball back onto his stumps. There was a visible lowering of morale in the Indian dressing room. Shoulders drooped, players looked beaten.

And then Das was dismissed. Playing across the line to a full delivery from Cameron Cuffy that would have clipped the middle and leg stump, Das saw to his dismay that the appeal for lbw was upheld. Das (33) was back in the pavilion and India were in trouble at 86/4.

Then came another partnership that took India out of trouble. VVS Laxman, batting with a confidence and abandon that suggested he was already on a decent score, drove his way to 27 not out. Ganguly, on 22, was not far behind.

INDIA STRUGGLE IN RESPONSE TO WINDIES' 422
The second session on the second day was the kind neither team benefited overly from. West Indies, all out for 422, with India on 34/2 must consider themselves well on top of the situation.

It all began with Ridley Jacobs being bowled when he was looking good. In good nick and going for his shots, Jacobs (59 runs, 90 balls, 7 fours, 2 sixes) went for a cut shot that just wasn’t there. Harbhajan Singh exulted as the resultant edge went back onto the stumps.

Merv Dillon, trying to give Chanderpaul company lasted just two balls for his duck as he was trapped plumb in front by the Harbhajan Singh. The offie was delighted, after all, you don’t expect a spinner to get too many wickets on a green-top.

Chanderpaul, nudging, nurdling and knocking the ball away to all parts for valuable runs, fell when he was looking good. He’s simply not the batsman you want at the crease when you’re trying to force the pace. With wickets falling around him, Chanderpaul attempted one stroke too many, flashing to the keeper when he was on 58 (148 balls, 7 fours). A disappointment yes, but only relatively.

The tail then packed up in predictable fashion and West Indies were all out for 422. Harbhajan Singh had a 5-fer, albeit an expensive one – 5/138.

In response, India struggled. Wasim Jaffer, who played so beautifully in the previous match, was out before he could trouble the scorers, nicking Merv Dillon through to Ridley Jacobs.

And then the man who has been India’s source of strength all tour, Rahul Dravid, was trapped plumb in front. Playing down the wrong line to a ball that would have shattered middle stump Dravid (5) had no chance and the dreaded finger went up.

Sachin Tendulkar, like Brian Lara, was nervous starting off. The pressure on the little master from Mumbai was immense after he registered scores of 0, 0, 8, 0 in the last four innings of the series. He was, however, unbeaten on 14 when tea was taken. An equally unsure Shiv Sunder Das (15 not out) was at the crease at tea.

WEST INDIES RULE THE ROOST
India’s problems became much more pronounced by lunch on the second day. Despite the unusual wicket of Carl Hooper, West Indies managed to reach 381/5 at lunch on the second day.

The day began with West Indies trotting along comfortably on 287/4, untroubled by anything the bowling could serve up. A late middle-order collapse did nothing to dampen the spirits.

And yes, even the wicket of Carl Hooper did nothing to stop West Indies. When Javagal Srinath let slip a short ball and Hooper let it go, after dabbing at it, the most embarrassing thing happened. At least for the skipper of the West Indies. The ball took the edge of the bat and bobbed straight up in the air for Rahul Dravid at slip to back-peddle and catch. Hooper added 3 to his overnight score to be dismissed on 17.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ridley Jacobs however had no problems with the bowling. It’s becoming a big problem for the Indians, Chanderpaul is. No matter what they bowl at him, on any wicket, the man the Windies calls Chanders just goes on and on and on.

So the runs are not coming in cracking fashion for the hosts. Yet, to reach 381/5 at lunch on the second day, after being put in to bat, is not a bad place to be. The West Indies won’t worry. Not with Chanderpaul on 38 not out and a belligerent Jacobs on 51. There’s more to come from this West Indian line-up. Make no mistake about that.