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West Indies squad for series in India
« on: September 23, 2014, 06:54:03 PM »
                             

For immediate release

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

 

West Indies squad for ODI series in India

 

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua – The selection panel of the West Indies Cricket Board announced on Tuesday, a 15-member West Indies squad for the upcoming series of five One-day Internationals on the tour of India.

 

Squad

Dwayne Bravo (Captain)

Darren Bravo

Jason Holder

Leon Johnson

Sunil Narine

Kieron Pollard

Denesh Ramdin

Ravi Rampaul

Kemar Roach

Andre Russell

Darren Sammy

Marlon Samuels

Lendl Simmons

Dwayne Smith

Jerome Taylor

 

NOTE: Chris Gayle is rehabilitating from an injury

 

WEST INDIES TO INDIA 2014 – SCHEDULE OF MATCHES

 

October

Fri 3                            India-A vs West Indians – Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai

Sun 5                          India-A vs West Indians – Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Wed 8                         1st One-day International – Nehru Stadium, Kochi

Sat 11                         2nd One-day International – Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, Delhi

Tue 14                        3rd One-day International – Reddy Stadium, Visakhapatnam

Fri 17                          4th One-day International – HPCA Stadium, Dharmasala

Mon 20                      5th One-day International – Eden Gardens, Kolkata

Wed 22                       Only Twenty20 International – Barabati Stadium, Cuttack

Sat 25-Mon 27          BCCI President’s XI vs West Indians – Green Park, Kanpur

Thu 30-November Mon 3  1st Test – Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad

Fri 7-Tue 11               2nd Test – Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore

Sat 15-Wed 19          3rd Test – Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad



socafighter

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2014, 05:58:54 AM »
Johnson, Taylor recalled for India ODIs
Story Created: Sep 24, 2014 at 11:51 PM ECT
Express
ST JOHN’S

Left-hander Leon Johnson is poised to play his first One-Day International (ODI) in six years after being named in a 15-man West Indies squad for the one-day tour of India starting next month. The 27-year-old Johnson is joined by fast bowler Jerome Taylor who has also been recalled after last playing an ODI four years ago. Dwayne Bravo will captain the squad which will face India in five ODIs from October 8-20.

Johnson, on the fringe of selection for some time, made an impressive Test debut in the final match of the two-Test series against Bangladesh which ended earlier this month, gathering scores of 66 and 41. He last played for West Indies in an ODI in a Tri-Nation tournament in Canada back in 2008 which involved Bermuda.

Taylor’s call-up, meanwhile, comes against the backdrop of his return to the Test arena against New Zealand in June, following a protracted break because of injury and loss of form. The right-armer has already played 66 ODIs and taken 98 wickets.
Fellow Jamaican Marlon Samuels has earned a recall after being dropped for the Bangladesh series. The right-handed Samuels’s form has waned in Tests but averages over fifty in his last eight one-day innings. Aggressive Barbados opener Dwayne Smith will also feature in the squad after missing the recent Bangladesh tour.

Selectors have dropped out-of-form right-hander Kirk Edwards and also overlooked left-arm spinner Nikita Miller who failed to play a match in the one-day series against Bangladesh. Seasoned opener Chris Gayle was not considered for selection as he continues to rehabilitate from injury.

SQUAD: Dwayne Bravo (captain), Darren Bravo, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor.


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2014, 06:00:27 AM »
...Windies to play in Delhi following fixture change
Story Created: Sep 24, 2014 at 11:49 PM ECT
Express
MUMBAI

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has switched the second One-Day International between India and West Indies from Cuttack to New Delhi, for the upcoming tour next month. In turn, Cuttack will now host the one-off Twenty20, changes the BCCI said were down to “operational reasons”.

“The match schedule of the series between India and the West Indies to be played in October-November had to be revised due to operational reasons. Cuttack will now host the one-off T20I and Delhi will host the second ODI,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement. “Vishakhapatnam and Dharamshala will host the third and fourth ODIs respectively. The final ODI will be played at Kolkata.”

No changes have made to the scheduling for the three-Test series. The tour will start with the five-match ODI series in Kochi on October 8 with the one-off T20I set for Cuttack on October 22. The three-match Test series bowls off October 30 in Hyderbad.

REVISED SCHEDULE:

Oct 3: Practice match in Mumbai
Oct 5: Practice match in Mumbai
Oct 8: 1st ODI in Kochi
Oct 11: 2nd ODI in New Delhi
Oct 14: 3rd ODI in Vishakhapatnam
Oct 17: 4th ODI in Dharamshala
Oct 20: 5th ODI in Kolkata
Oct 22: T20I in Cuttack
Oct 25-27: West Indies v Board President’s XI in Kanpur
Oct 30-Nov 3: 1st Test in Hyderabad
Nov 7-11: 2nd Test in Bengaluru
Nov 15-19: 3rd Test in Ahmedabad



socafighter

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2014, 07:21:31 AM »
Confident Windies leave Caribbean for India
 
Vinode Mamchan
Published: Guardian
Sunday, September 28, 2014

A confident West Indies cricket team left the Caribbean yesterday bound for India to compete against that country in series of five one day internationals, a Twenty20 and three

Test matches. Denesh Ramdin, Lendl Simmons, Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Kemar Roach, Jerome Taylor and Darren Sammy left and will meet up with skipper Dwayne Bravo, Jason Holder, Ravi Rampaul and Sunil Narine, who is already in India because of the ongoing Champions League T20 tournament.

Skipper Bravo was a confident man, saying: “We did well against Bangladesh in the Caribbean and although they are not as touch as the Indians, three wins have given us confidence moving forward. “Traditionally the West Indies have done well in India and we want to continue in that in this series. “We have as strong a team that we can assemble at this point except for opener Chris Gayle and we will be playing our hearts out, I can assure you. “A number of our players have done well in India for their clubs in the Indian Premier League and our players feel at home in these conditions.”

With the World Cup just under five months away, the West Indies will be playing with that in mind and will be looking at different combinations in a bid to have the best team for the marquee event. The series in India begins in earnest on October 3 with a clash against India A in Mumbai. Two days later they play another game, also against India A, before moving to the Southern Western part of the country for the first ODI in Kochi on October 8. 

Bravo was also happy with the return of the seasoned Marlon Samuels and Jerome Taylor. “Samuels is always a great option in these parts. He has always done well here and he is expected to carry on with the great form he had in the Caribbean Premier League. It is good to see him back in the mix and he is expected to be a crucial part of our set up as we move towards the World Cup.”
The last ODI series that the West Indies played in India was last year and that series ended in a 2-1 win for the home team.

SQUAD: West Indies squad: Dwayne Bravo (capt), Leon Johnson, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Smith, Denesh Ramdin, Keiron Pollard, Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Jerome Taylor, Sunil Narine, Darren Sammy and Ravi Rampaul.


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #4 on: October 01, 2014, 07:48:36 PM »
West Indies have the ability to beat India: Richardson


Richardson acknowledged that India were a higher ranked team but said West Indies is a good side that can beat anyone.
Mumbai: West Indies cricket manager Richie Richardson on Tuesday said he is well aware that India would look to bounce back from their forgettable England tour but believes in his side's ability and looks forward to beat the hosts.

"When you are a top team and you lose, you just can't wait until the next series to really put things right. I just hope that it continues to be a problem for India. We know they are going to look to avenge what happened in England. Put things right, because they were heavily criticised. But we are up for the challenge and we also have a lot to prove. So we are going to go there and play positive cricket and look to beat India," the former West Indies skipper said here in a press conference.

He acknowledged that India were a higher ranked team but said they have a good side that can beat anyone. "I believe that we have the calibre of players that can go out there and perform and play well enough to beat anybody. We accept that we are not at the top of the rankings, but the ability that we have, if we execute well, the guys are going to play confident and positive cricket. I believe we can do very well against India," he said.

India would play five ODIs, followed by a lone T20 match and three Tests against the West Indies, with the series kickstarting October 8 with the first ODI. West Indies have two warm-up matches before the series and Richardson said it would help them to get used to the conditions.

"We have a few days to practice and get acclimatised. We have just come out of a successful series against Bangladesh and all of our players have been involved with cricket. Some are still playing (in Champions League T20). We feel we are in much better shape, much better prepared to take on the Indians and we are just looking forward to a very serious challenge, a good challenge and a successful challenge," he said.

He further said the recent series against Bangladesh would hold the team in good stead. "The fact that a number of our batsmen have been playing against Asian spinners, it certainly would help. But one would say the Indian spinners are a better combination and much more formidable. So we would have to work harder, dig a bit deeper. Certainly having recently played against Bangladesh would help our batsmen," he said.

He also backed Dwayne Bravo to lead the side well in the ODI series against India. "In the short space of time that he has been captain, he has done reasonably well. He is a very intelligent cricketer.

He has got lots of experience. He has been playing for West Indies for a while, played all over the world and certainly has a lot of experience in Indian conditions. He knows the Indian players and I am pretty sure he will do well as a captain in ODI matches," he said. The 52-year old said they are viewing the ODI series as a preparation for next year's World Cup.

"Obviously we look at this do-or die series as preparation for the World Cup. I am sure the coaches and the selectors would be looking at a number of players. The coaches will have their strategy along with the captain as to how they want to prepare and their plans. This is like a starting point for us to put things in place and start our plans and preparation for the World Cup," he said. Coach Stuart Williams said the wickets in India are similar to what they have in West Indies.

"The wickets here are basically similar to the Caribbean. This is early season in India as well, so maybe we will get one or two fresh wickets. It is not much different to the Caribbean. We are just looking forward to the challenge whatever we wicket we play on. We got to adapt and adjust quickly and move forward," Williams said. Asked about the opening combination in the absence of explosive batsman Chris Gayle, Williams said, "you have Dwayne Smith and Lendl Simmons. Those guys having played here in the Champions League, they are very familiar with the condition as well."

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #5 on: October 01, 2014, 08:37:18 PM »
West Indies in India 2014-15
Rohit set to miss West Indies ODIs
Amol Karhadkar
October 1, 2014


Rohit Sharma, who missed the Champions League Twenty20 due to multiple injuries, will be unavailable for the limited-overs' leg of India's home series against the West Indies. Rohit is likely to be available for the three-Test series, starting October 30, that follows the five ODIs and one-off T20.

Rohit was initially ruled out for four weeks, which meant he could have recovered in time for the last two ODIs and the T20 game. But though his fractured finger has healed, it is understood he will take three more weeks to recover from his shoulder injury. Sharma is being monitored by BCCI physios at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

It is also understood that neither the player nor the selectors are willing to rush him back to international cricket considering the major assignments that follow the West Indies series. The selectors and the team management believe Rohit will be a vital cog during India's winter tour to Australia and the World Cup to be staged in Australia and New Zealand in February-March. As a result, he will not be considered for selection for the first leg of the series against West Indies. The ODI and T20 squads will be named on October 4.

Ajinkya Rahane, who scored his maiden ODI century while filling in for Rohit in England, should continue to partner Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order, while the selectors are likely to persist with Murali Vijay as the back-up opener.

Rohit could be asked to prove his match fitness before he is selected for the Test series. If he recovers as per schedule, Rohit could feature in the Duleep Trophy semi-final if West Zone beat East Zone in their quarterfinal. If West Zone do not qualify for the Duleep semis, Rohit might be selected in the Board President's XI, which will face the West Indians in a three-day tour game in Kanpur from October 25.

Rohit played only one of India's five Tests in England and had to cut short his tour after fracturing his finger in the field during the second ODI.

Amol Karhadkar is a correspondent at ESPNcricinfo

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© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.


socafighter

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #6 on: October 01, 2014, 08:42:56 PM »

    
West Indies in India 2014-15
'We are in much better shape' - Richardson

Amol Karhadkar
October 1, 2014


'If we play positive cricket, we will play well' - Richardson
Over the past three years, India and West Indies have become the most familiar of opponents. Since India's tour to the West Indies in June-July 2011, the two teams have played each other in eight Tests and 16 ODIs.

After playing three Tests and five ODIs in India in the winter of 2011, West Indies returned for two Tests and three ODIs last year for a hastily arranged series to bid farewell to Sachin Tendulkar. Over the next seven weeks, the two teams will again be pitted against each other in five ODIs, a Twenty20 and three Tests, starting with the first ODI on October 8.

West Indies coach Stuart Williams didn't think the amount of cricket between the two countries had resulted in waning interest. Instead, he felt the series against India gave West Indies an opportunity to challenge themselves against a high-ranking team.

"The calendar is set up as such that once you get the opportunity to play international cricket, we look forward to it. India obviously is a high-ranked team and West Indies is hovering in the seventh or eighth position. We look forward to playing India or anybody else. Whichever challenge we get, we are looking forward to that."

Despite their frequent tours, West Indies haven't been able to win a Test series in India for three decades. Their last ODI series win in India was also a decade ago. Team manager Richie Richardson hoped their additional training camp ahead of the series would help them change that.

"We have arrived a good time [in advance]," Richardson said. "We have a few days to practice and get acclimatised. All of our players have been engaged. We have just come out of a successful series against Bangladesh and all of our players have been involved with cricket. Some are still playing [in the CLT20]. We feel we are in much better shape, much better prepared to take on the Indians and we are just looking forward to a very serious challenge, a good challenge and a successful challenge."

Richardson also acknowledged it would be a huge task for West Indies with the Indian team desperate to get back to winning ways after a poor Test series in England. "When you lose, especially when you are a top team and you lose, you just can't wait until the next series to really put things right," he said. "I just hope that it continues to be a problem for India. We know they are going to look to avenge what happened in England. Put things right, because they were heavily criticised. But we are up for the challenge and we also have a lot to prove. So we are going to go there and play positive cricket and look to beat India."

West Indies will be without Chris Gayle for the ODI series since he is recovering from a lower-back injury. However, Williams said the opening combination wouldn't be too much of a problem with Dwayne Smith and Lendl Simmons around. "Those guys having played here in the Champions League, they are very familiar with the conditions as well."

Amol Karhadkar is a correspondent at ESPNcricinfo

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© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #7 on: October 04, 2014, 07:13:34 AM »
R Ashwin rested, spinner Kuldeep Yadav picked for first three ODIs against West Indies

Press Trust of India | Bangalore | Posted: October 4, 2014 5:37 pm

Rookie left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav was the surprise inclusion, while leg-spinner Amit Mishra was on Saturdayrecalled in India’s 14-member squad for the first three ODIs against the West Indies, starting October 8 at Kochi.

Regular off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was rested while Murali Vijay also made a comeback in place of an injured Rohit Sharma in the squad announced by the BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel after a meeting of the selection committee in Bangalore.

Kuldeep will become the first cricketer in the last 10 years to make it to the national team without playing a single first-class or list A match
The squad, to be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, had no place for seniors like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, who have remained in the sidelines for quite a while.

The 19-year-old Yadav, who hails from Uttar Pradesh, was the surprise inclusion and the lone new face in the squad, getting the nod ahead of experienced left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.
Yadav was rewarded for his performance in the ongoing Champions League Twenty20 where he bagged seven wickets so far playing for Kolkata Knight Riders.
He will become the first cricketer in the last 10 years to make it to the national team without playing a single first-class or list A match.

Apart from the selection of Yadav, there was no other major surprise in the squad which had no place for Karn Sharma, Stuart Binny, Sanju Samson and Dhawal Kulkarni, all of whom figured in the 17-member ODI team that had toured England recently.

The pace department has seen no changes with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma and Umesh Yadav retaining their places.
With Ashwin rested, the spin department will be spearheaded by experienced leg-spinner Mishra in the company of Ravindra Jadeja and Yadav.
Vijay was lucky to get a place in the team after Rohit was ruled out of the series due to finger and shoulder injuries.

Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane are likely to open the innings with Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu and Dhoni batting in the middle-order.

The first ODI of the five-match series against the West Indies will be held in Kochi on October 8, followed by games in New Delhi on October 11 and Vishakhapatnam on October 14.
The last two matches of the series will be played in Dharamshala (October 17) and Kolkata (October 20).

Team for the first three ODIs: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay, Kuldeep Yadav.

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #8 on: October 04, 2014, 07:14:15 AM »

Ashwin  chucks , so India is scared... :pissedoff: :pissedoff:

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #9 on: October 06, 2014, 07:45:13 AM »
Bravo, Russell arrive in Kochi
Story Created: Oct 6, 2014 at 12:04 AM ECT


West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo and batsman Andre Russell arrived yesterday ahead of the first One-day International against India on Wednesday. There was some confusion as the two players got into the wrong vehicle. When informed, they got out into another car which was also not meant for transporting them.

Kerala Cricket Association officials said there was no security lapse and the confusion was only because the media personnel rushed ahead on seeing the two players. Only media personnel and police were informed about the arrival of the two players. As soon as the two were spotted, the media rushed to them, the officials said.

The rest of the members of the West Indies contingent and the Indian team are expected to arrive here today. While the Indian team is expected to practise at the stadium tomorrow at 9.30 a.m., the West indies would practice at 1.30 pm. Over 1,800 police personnel would be deployed for the smooth conduct of the ODI, senior police officials said.


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #10 on: October 07, 2014, 06:03:03 AM »
Ramdin: WI need strong effort in India
 
Published: Guardian
Tuesday, October 7, 2014

MUMBAI—Denesh Ramdin says West Indies need to sharpen up in all aspects of their game if they are to beat India in the upcoming one-day series, and believes the arrival of the players from the Champions League Twenty20 will enhance their chances.

The Caribbean side face India in a five-match series starting tomorrow in Kochi but will head into that game on the backs of two defeats to India A in the 50-over tour matches.

“We have to play well in all departments. We can’t bat well and don’t field well. It is very important our batters come out and put the runs on the board,” said Ramdin, who struck a sizzling century in the second game on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium.

“We will be without Sunil Narine so hopefully the guys will pull their weight more and come up with the goods. Young Jerome Taylor in the fast bowling department is going to be very exciting...but the Indian batsmen are very talented as well so we need to get early wickets and put the middle and lower order under pressure.”

West Indies lost their first match by nine wickets at Brabourne Stadium last Friday and went down again, this time by 16 runs in Sunday’s second match.

On both occasions, the Windies batting disappointed. They were bundled out for 148 in the first game and then crashed to 65 for four in pursuit of 283 for victory on Sunday, before battling their way to 266 for nine.

Ramdin, however, believes the addition of captain Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith and Andre Russell will bolster the strength of the squad.

Bravo and Smith were part of the Chennai Super Kings squad that won the Champions League Twenty20 final on Saturday while Russell campaigned for losing finalists Kolkata Knight Riders.

“There are a couple guys missing from our team who are very important, the captain Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith at the top of the order—a devastating batsman—and then Andre Russell one of our better finishers,” the wicketkeeper said.

“Hopefully when these guys come in and fill their slots, we can have better finishing (especially) with Kieron Pollard and (Darren) Sammy (there).”

Despite West Indies’ loss on Sunday, Ramdin enjoyed a great day, taking five catches and scoring a run-a-ball 102.

He put on 101 for the fifth wicket with Sammy (50) and a further 62 for the sixth wicket with Jason Holder (54).

“It was a good day in terms of my glove work and then batting I got a good score. But I wasn’t happy with me not batting down to the end and finishing of the game for the team,” Ramdin pointed out.

“Young Jason Holder batted very well and I got a little partnership with Darren Sammy but we just needed some help in the end and we couldn’t get that support.” (CMC)


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #11 on: October 07, 2014, 02:46:21 PM »
West Indies in India 2013-14
Does anyone care that the West Indians are here?
The West Indians are in India but there has been absolutely no build-up to this series, such has been the glut of cricket since the IPL
Sidharth Monga
October 7, 2014


West Indies toured India in 2013-14 and were beaten inside three days in both Tests © BCCI

A little over a month ago, England beat India in the final ODI of a series they had already lost. At the press conference, Alastair Cook thanked and said goodbye to the journalists, never mind they had been calling for his head all summer. He was not going to play the Twenty20 international two days later. There was time for humour when a journalist told him, "See you in the West Indies [England's next Test assignment, in 2015]." Cook replied, "Oh, you are not covering Sri Lanka [England's next ODI assignment, in December]?" Cook's season was over and hostilities had been dropped momentarily.

Around the same time India's captain MS Dhoni was reading on his Blackberry an email briefing him about travel plans for the Champions League T20. There were to be five days between the end of the two-and-a-half-month tour of England and the start of the Champions League T20. Dhoni didn't say goodbyes to anyone when the England tour ended. His season wasn't over. When he won the Champions League T20, it is unlikely he would have said goodbyes. He will be back playing West Indies three days later. Nobody has had a chance to miss Dhoni or his other India cricketers.

Indian cricket has no season or off-season anymore. It is like entertainment wrestling - two big shows, a reality show and two other smaller shows every week, and a big pay-per-view every month, all year round. England tour merges into Champions League merges into home season merges into Australia tour merges into World Cup merges into IPL. The consequence is that you will struggle to think of an international season in India that has begun amid such indifference. We are on the eve of possibly the least anticipated, looked forward to, and advertised season in India.

Hardly anyone is talking about the series. It doesn't help that the visiting team is West Indies, here for the third time in four seasons. Not many Indian fans are glancing at scorecards of their tour games to see which player could be a threat.

It is difficult to get excited about a team that lost two Tests in just over five days on their last trip to India. A team whose batsmen keep swinging with high back-lifts even when the ball is reverse-swinging on pitches that generally keep low. A team whose best players until now were more interested in T20 leagues than international cricket. Only those with little heart will grudge a surprise from this West Indies unit, but their track record won't make you hold your breath.

This season could be a watershed in the consumption of cricket: the T20 leagues might not have become as popular as they are perceived to be, but this indifference to an international season in India is a signal that cricket all year round, combined with lack of quality opposition, could be difficult to sustain.

Earlier this year, when the Big Three ushered in changes in the ICC, its new chairman N Srinivasan spoke of the importance of a well-defined home season for India. Right now, the BCCI AGM, an envelope and court cases, and the T20 leagues seem to have taken priority. Perhaps the BCCI takes for granted that the Indian public has no other form of entertainment and will flock to grounds and TV sets even if no attempt is made to build up to a season.

The next contest most Indian fans are looking forward to is the tour of Australia, after yet another debacle in away Tests in England. It won't be such a bad idea to take this West Indies series for granted from the team composition point of view too, in order to give India a chance to put up a better fight in Australia. In England, India's key players were defeated by the conditions and the relentlessness of a five-Test series. India's build-up to Australia will be thinner: a pair of two-day games and no other practice matches in between the Tests.

A lacklustre opposition gives India room to prioritise the Tests in Australia. They should identify a few players who will be key in those conditions, and send them there for the whole of November. The BCCI could request CA to let them play in their domestic tournaments. If that isn't possible, even club cricket would do. It is about getting attuned to how the ball behaves in Australia. And once again, it will be a side with little experience of the conditions that will enter the Gabbatoir in the first week of December. Acclimatisation has always been a big problem for India, one that has often been neglected. There is an opportunity this year to correct that.

It will be a blow to the home Tests if key players are missing, but the home season doesn't seem to be anybody's priority this year anyway.

Sidharth Monga is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

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© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #12 on: October 07, 2014, 02:56:46 PM »
Favourites India aim to gain more than just a win
7 Oct 2014, 2035 hrs IST,  Vineet Ramakrishnan,  gocricket.com 

Favourites India aim to gain more than just a win© BCCL


Virat Kohli, seen exchanging notes with assistant coach Sanjay Bangar, will be looking to put a tough tour of England behind him.
Kochi: For the India-West Indies series - the third in four years - to commence from Kerala in many ways is very apt. Kochi's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, formerly the Kaloor International Stadium, is set to host its third ODI in two years, but the buzz around the stadium or in the city itself feels a bit damp, just like the weather, which also is threatening to play a pivotal role in the first of the five-match ODI series on Wednesday.

It could be because the opposition is West Indies, who have failed to put up any fight against India at home in their last three series, or the reason could be that Kochi doesn't go overboard with excitement but it moves on with its unhurried charm.

And unhurried will be the Indians against a Caribbean side sans Chris Gayle and Sunil Narine and with the visitors losing the two warm-up matches to India A, the competition looks awfully one-sided. To put it simply, for India it will be an international practice series as the World Cup nears and for the West Indies, the series is much more important as they try to assess the worth of their unit building towards the grand event in Australia.

With the high of thumping England in England, India will be aiming to make the most of the resources that they have got and fine-tune their plan of action. The likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli will be hoping to get amongst the runs and thus in form before embarking on a tough series down under.

With Rohit Sharma out with an injury, Ajinkya Rahane at the top of the order did exceedingly well in England and going by what MS Dhoni said in the pre-match briefing, he could hold onto the opening slot for long if he keeps up the performance.

But for India the real concern is their bowling - fast bowling to be more precise - and again, this provides the likes of Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar to get some kind of a rhythm going and also experiment a bit. Getting in Umesh Yadav is also an option and again looking forward to Australia. Umesh was the lone bright spot last time India toured down under, and to keep him ready would be a good idea.

The 19-year-old Kuldeep Yadav's inclusion was a surprise but for the chinaman bowler to get a debut at Kochi seems highly unlikely when there is Ravindra Jadeja and comeback man Amit Mishra in the fold. The Kolkata Knight Riders bowler yet to make his first-class debut for Uttar Pradesh, is however very likely to get a debut in the series after his impressive show in the CLT20.

The odds are stacked heavily against the West Indies but the absence of Sunil Narine will give them the opportunity to assess their second spinning option, Sulieman Benn, who will be playing his first ODI game since 2011. The pace department is where the visitors can actually compete with India with the likes Kemar Roach and Jerome Taylor looking good, especially the latter, who took 3 for 51 in the second warm-up game.

The likes of Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard are very much accustomed to the sub-continental conditions owning largely to the IPL and CLT20, but the key for these guys will be the shift from the T20 format to ODIs and how well they cope with the spin in the middle overs. The West Indies have recalled Marlon Samuels to strengthen the middle order and that could mean Darren Sammy not getting a game, as was the case during the home ODIs against Bangladesh.

The Kochi pitch is traditionally on the slower side and with the rain threat looming large, chances of a curtailed game is high. Also with the game being a day/night fixture, dew will play its role making the toss all the more crucial.

Probable XIs:

India: 1 Ajinkya Rahane, 2 Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Suresh Raina, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 9 Amit Mishra, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Mohammed Shami.

West Indies: 1 Lendl Simmons, 2 Dwayne Smith, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Denesh Ramdin (WK), 5 Marlon Samuels, 6 Kieron Pollard, 7 Dwayne Bravo (Capt), 8 Jason Holder, 9 Sulieman Benn, 10 Ravi Rampaul, 11 Kemar Roach.


socafighter

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #13 on: October 08, 2014, 11:23:57 AM »
Kohli's extended summer break
Plays of the day from the first ODI between India and West Indies in Kochi
Devashish Fuloria
October 8, 2014


No joy yet for Virat Kohli © BCCI

Kohli's extended summer break
Virat Kohli's reputation took a hit during the English summer. Every other day, experts deconstructed how his angled bat was the reason for his failures. Umpteen replays showed how match after match, he kept edging. James Anderson's celebrations diminished in intensity as the series progressed; Kohli's wicket was a given. The home series against West Indies was supposed to bring joy, and Kohli's push through wide mid-on was a signal in the first ODI. However, as Jerome Taylor found away movement, Kohli found his edge.

Kohli's fielding has been a nightmare too. Today, he took one catch at long-off. In the last over of the innings, another chance came his way. Kohli moved to his left at long-off and got into position to take the overhead chance, but the ball bounced out of his hands to land over the boundary. The ghosts of the summer were still around.

Six and out
The West Indian batsmen love their sixes. Dwayne Smith had hit one early in his innings off Ravindra Jadeja. As the bowler came to bowl his third over, Smith greeted him with a straight hit that went all the way, but in trying to repeat the shot next ball, Smith missed and was bowled. Little did Darren Bravo, watching from the other end, know he was going to meet the same fate. He drove a flighted delivery from Amit Mishra over long-off for his first six, and was caught at the boundary the very next ball as he tried to repeat the shot.

The tandem effort that wasn't
Mohit Sharma, from long-on, covered good ground towards the sight-screen to cut off a Smith straight drive in the 15th over. He swooped low, picked up the ball cleanly, and as he was losing balance he lobbed the ball towards Ajinkya Rahane, who had run all the way from mid-off. However, Mohit's lob wasn't controlled or accurate, which meant Rahane had to run back towards mid-off to gather the ball, resulting in an extra run.

The field-placement reversal
Two short balls from Taylor in his second over were emphatically pulled for boundaries by Rahane, prompting Dwayne Bravo to push square leg back and bring the fine leg in the circle in Taylor's next over. Taylor, however, served up a ball he shouldn't have - a half-volley on the pads. Rahane flicked it fine, to the right of the short fine-leg fielder. Three balls later, another fuller delivery was glanced through the left of that fielder. Dwayne Bravo quickly went back to his original field of having the fine leg out and square leg in.

Bravo! The opening
Dwayne Bravo had opened the batting in ODIs before, twice to be exact. The ploy hadn't been successful though, highlighting why it had not been tried in the last six years. But with Lendl Simmons injured, Bravo, the captain, took the responsibility and strode out to partner Smith. He played like an opener too, crunching two length deliveries from his Chennai Super Kings team-mate Mohit through covers off the back foot, all along the ground. However, it wasn't too long before his natural instincts took over. He tried to play a lofted drive against an away-swinging Mohammed Shami delivery, but edged it to slip.

Devashish Fuloria is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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socafighter

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #14 on: October 08, 2014, 03:45:29 PM »
Samuels special hands India 124-run drubbing
8 Oct 2014, 1351 hrs IST,  gocricket staff,  gocricket.com 
READ MORE: Shikhar Dhawan|Ravindra Jadeja|Mohammed Shami|Marlon Samuels|Mahendra Singh Dhoni



Marlon Samuels celebrated his international return with an unbeaten century and followed it up with two wickets.
The ongoing tussle between the West Indies players and their board had taken the spotlight away from the Indian team before the first ODI at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi, but a heavy 124-run defeat following the drama on Wednesday morning brought out the familiar frailties plaguing MS Dhoni's team at the moment. After conceding 321 runs to the West Indies, who were led by Marlon Samuels' sixth one-day hundred, and helped to an extent by some wayward bowling that leaked 30 extras - including 17 wides - India collapsed to 197 all out in conditions expected to help the side chasing with heavy dew in the outfield.

Their judgment may have been clouded with respect to an ongoing contract dispute with the WICB, but the West Indies players didn't show any signs of that on the field, as Samuels powered the visitors to 321 for 6, the highest total achieved at the venue. Samuels, who belted an unbeaten 126 from just 116 balls, featured in a record fourth-wicket stand of 165 from 139 balls with Denesh Ramdin (61, 59b, 5x4, 2x6) that launched the West Indies into a position of strength.

Like in the ODI series in England, India began their chase confidently, helped to 49 without loss by Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan before the pair was involved in a terrible mix-up in the ninth over. Rahane clipped the ball towards backward square and there was always two, but Dhawan was caught ball-watching before the two ended up in the same end, with Rahane having to walk back for 24. Virat Kohli's travails outside the off-stump were well documented in England, and Jerome Taylor - back playing an ODI after four years - found his outside edge shortly after for 2.

India continued losing successive wickets as Suresh Raina fell for nought, attempting an expansive drive off Dwayne Bravo, soon after Ambati Rayudu had holed out to mid on off Andre Russell for 13. Dhoni's dismissal for 8, bowled by a Darren Sammy yorker, reduced India to 114 for 5 even as Dhawan went on to compile a patient half-century at the other end, having seemingly forgotten his torrid time in England.

Dhawan's dismissal for 68, brought to an end fittingly by Samuels, however, ended any hopes of a miracle, and despite Ravindra Jadeja holding one end up, the lower order disintegrated to hand the West Indies a thumping victory. Samuels capped off a fulfilling day with figures of 2 for 10, while every West Indies bowler finished with at least a wicket except for Sulieman Benn, while captain Bravo returned 2 for 28 as the Indian innings ended with nine overs remaining, suffering their fourth heaviest defeat in an ODI at home.

Samuels, who was dropped for the home series against New Zealand and Bangladesh, celebrated his return with a typically aggressive innings that contained 11 fours and four sixes, and he and Ramdin had given an explosive West Indies middle order the perfect launch pad. The Indian seamers, led by Mohammed Shami's late wickets, however, returned to limit the damage that had already taken the visitors to a score that would have taken some chasing, after MS Dhoni had won the toss and inserted them in. Dhoni had already stressed on the difficulty his bowlers had faced containing the flow of runs with only four players allowed on the boundary, and despite an improved final five overs, he would still be upset with the bowling.

Dwayne Smith and Dwayne Bravo - who had promoted himself to open the innings - got the West Indies off to a steady start against the Indian seamers who found appreciable movement in the air. Bravo's adventure ended on 17 to Mohammed Shami but Smith and Darren Bravo added 63 quick runs to keep the scoring rate up. India had gone into the game with two spinners hoping to do the holding job in the middle overs, but a lightning outfield and small boundaries encouraged the visitors to continue their charge.

Smith and Darren Bravo went for a six too many and perished the following delivery off Jadeja and Mishra, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar returned to complete a tidy spell to finish with 0 for 38, but Samuels and Ramdin - who came in at No. 5 - set themselves up by taking 52 from the batting Powerplay.

It was Samuels' second century against India, having already spoken of his intentions of achieving less than he had set out for in the beginning of his career that proved to be the difference in the end. At the World T20 in Bangladesh earlier this year, Samuels was a shadow of himself, eating up deliveries that eventually saw the West Indies losing in the semi-final, but here he was assured against both pace and spin, and particularly severe on Amit Mishra, whose return to the Indian squad was an expensive affair, going for 72 runs from his 10 overs.
« Last Edit: October 08, 2014, 03:47:57 PM by socafighter »

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #15 on: October 08, 2014, 04:02:15 PM »
West Indies Cricket Board offers apology, says players may abandon Kochi ODI


West-Indies_m The future of the Kochi ODI hangs in balance with the WICB issuing an apology in advance. (Source: PTI)

Express News Service | Posted: October 8, 2014 10:59 am | Updated: October 8, 2014 11:27 am

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) on Wednesday said that some of its players are considering to abandon the first One Day International (ODI) between India and West Indies.

The WICB apologises to the fans, the BCCI and all other stakeholders should the first ODI be disrupted
WICB issued a press release, saying, “The WICB apologises to the fans, the BCCI and all other stakeholders should the first ODI be disrupted as a result of player action. The WICB is making every effort to ensure that it fulfills all its commitments and that cricket is played.”
Related
On eve of first ODI, West Indies players and cricket board spar over revenue
West Indies endorse change, say its revenue will double

This comes amid a tussle betweem WICB and West Indies Player’s Association (WIPA) over revenue sharing.
While captain Dwayne Bravo skipped the pre-match press conference on Tuesday, the other team members decided to miss the training session in Kochi.

However, the BCCI has told WICB to sort out their differences as soon as possible.
But with the WICB now trying to look for a “reasoned approach,” there is ambiguity about the future of the Kochi ODI.


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #16 on: October 09, 2014, 06:09:24 AM »
BIG WIN
Samuels century powers WI in 1st ODI


Story Created: Oct 8, 2014 at 11:59 PM ECT
Express
KOCHI


Back on top: West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels is elated to reach his century on return to the regional team during the first One-day International against India at Kochi, India yesterday. –Photo: BCCI

Marlon Samuels stroked a pristine, unbeaten hundred as West Indies temporarily cast aside their bitter wrangle with players union, WIPA, to crush India by 124 runs in the opening One-Day International here yesterday.

Uncertainty surrounded the staging of the contest at the Nehru Stadium after it emerged Tuesday that the Caribbean side were unwilling to take the field in protest over the terms of the recently signed Collective Bargaining Agreement with the West Indies Cricket Board.
But after shelving strike plans, the Windies showed no signs of disinterest or lethargy as they rattled up an imposing 321 for six off their 50 overs, with Samuels marching his way to an imperious 126 – his sixth ODI hundred.

Recalled for this tour after being dropped for the recent Bangladesh series, the right-hander spanked 11 fours and four sixes and posted 165 for the fourth wicket with Denesh Ramdin who hit 61 off 59 balls.
Opener Dwayne Smith stroked 46 from 45 deliveries while stylish left-hander Darren Bravo weighed in with 28.

Seamer Mohammed Shami picked up four for 66.
In reply, India wasted a start of 49 and then a position of 82 for two in the 15th over, to collapse to a disappointing 197 all out off 41 overs.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan top-scored with 68 while Ravi Jadeja got 33 not out and Ajinkya Rahane, 24.

Samuels was once again at the centre of the Windies effort, taking two for ten from three overs – including the key wicket of Dhawan as India slumped to 134 for six in the 19th over.
He was supported by seamers, captain Dwayne Bravo (two for 28) and Ravi Rampaul (two for 48).

Samuels’ excellent all-round efforts earned him the Man-of-the-Match honour and handed the embattled Windies a crucial 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
With regular opener Lendl Simmons injured, West Indies took the unusual step of opening with skipper Bravo, an experiment that failed after the all-rounder perished for 17 in the eighth over with the score on 34.

However, Smith and Darren Bravo then put on 64 for the second wicket before he attempted a hit off left-arm spinner Jadeja and was bowled in the 18th over.
Darren Bravo, who hit two fours and a six, followed soon afterward when he holed out to mid-off off leg-spinner Amit Mishra to leave West Indies on 120 for three in the 23rd over.
Samuels and Ramdin then took control of the innings. Samuels started slowly, needing 15 deliveries for his first four runs but slowly got into gear.
He dabbed seamer Mohit Sharma to third man for his first boundary before steering Jadeja behind point for his second, a few overs later.

Having found his touch, he lifted Mishra for two successive sixes – first over long on and then over long off – at the start of the 31st over to move into the 40s and reached his half-century in style with a straight six off part-time off-spinner Suresh Raina.

Samuels bossed India’s bowling, scoring at will and punished both good and bad deliveries. He cruised into the 90s by clearing mid-off with Mohammed Shami for his seventh boundary before reaching three figures with a single down the ground in the 45th over.
Ramdin, who hammered five fours and two sixes, eventually holed out to long-on off Mohammed Shami in the 45th, and the right-armer then claimed Kieron Pollard (two) and Andre Russell (one) in his next over, to stall the Windies’ late charge.

But Samuels and Sammy (10 not out) smashed sixes off Mohammed Shami in the last over which cost 15 runs, as West Indies finished strongly.
Dhawan and Rahane gave India a sound start before a terrible mix-up left both batsmen at the keeper’s end in the ninth over.

The dangerous Virat Kohli fell cheaply in the next over for two, edging the fifth ball he faced to Sammy at slip off fast bowler Jerome Taylor, at 55 for two.
Dhawan and Ambati Rayudu (13) attempted to rebuild and had added 27 when Rayudu tugged medium pacer Russell to Sulieman Benn at mid-on in the 16th over. In-form Raina lasted two balls before he was bowled by Dwayne Bravo off the in-side edge without scoring and India were in strife at 114 for five in the 26th over when Sammy yorked captain MS Dhoni for eight.


socafighter

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #17 on: October 11, 2014, 01:33:47 PM »
India v West Indies, 2nd ODI, Delhi
Strike-rotating shenanigans
Plays of the day from the second ODI between India and West Indies
Karthik Krishnaswamy
October 11, 2014

Street-smart, over-smart



The final minutes of India's innings were full of strike-rotating shenanigans, as MS Dhoni, batting with the lower order, sought to face the bowling for the majority of the last few deliveries. Fielding at long-on at the start of the 49th over, Kieron Pollard looked to test Dhoni's resolve to remain on strike. Bhuvneshwar Kumar hit the ball straight towards Pollard, and the batsmen ran the single that was on offer.

Having picked the ball up, though, Pollard didn't throw it to the bowler, and chose instead to roll it away a few yards and entice the batsmen to run a second. It seemed as if he was punting on getting one of the two run out if they chose to take the bait, with the consolation that Dhoni would get off strike if the dismissal didn't materialise. The batsmen hesitated for a couple of seconds, and then decided they would take the second. Pollard threw to the bowler, but Bhuvneshwar was home and dry well in time.

The non-crossover

Facing the last ball of the 49th over, Bhuvneshwar miscued Dwayne Bravo high in the air, and scurried down the pitch by force of habit. Dhoni, at the non-striker's end, had backed up a few steps out of his crease. As the ball fell towards Pollard's cupped hands at long-on, Dhoni realised he would lose the strike for the start of the final over if he crossed over mid-pitch with Bhuvneshwar, and ran backwards, towards his crease, stopping Bhuvneshwar with his hand held aloft like a traffic policeman.

The slip

Having thus kept the strike, Dhoni swung the first ball of the final over hard through midwicket. Long-on had a good distance to cover to his right, and two runs were on the cards. Just as he was turning at the non-striker's end to go back for the second, however, Dhoni slipped and fell, and had to send Mohammed Shami, who had run three-quarters of the way down the pitch, all the way back to the keeper's end. To add another disorienting element to the drama, the throw came in hard and flat, missed the bowler, and nearly struck the fallen Dhoni on his head.

Kohli's missile

In the tenth over of the West Indies innings, Dwayne Smith played a checked drive off Mohammed Shami towards Virat Kohli at mid-on, and did so with soft enough hands to run a quick single. Kohli attacked the ball, swooped down on it, and let rip a powerful low throw that missed the stumps at the bowler's end. Fortunately for India, it also missed - narrowly - Amit Mishra, who had sprinted in from short cover to try and back up, and Shami, who was lying sprawled on the pitch, having dived to try and stop Smith's shot.

Karthik Krishnaswamy is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #18 on: October 11, 2014, 01:37:22 PM »
India v West Indies, 2nd ODI, Delhi
India level series after West Indies implode

The Report by Karthik Krishnaswamy
October 11, 2014

India 263 for 7 (Kohli 62, Raina 62, Dhoni 51*, Taylor 3-54) beat West Indies 215 (Smith 97, Pollard 40, Shami 4-36, Jadeja 3-44) by 48 runs



Chasing 264, West Indies were coasting. Dwayne Smith had gone past his highest ODI score, and his second-wicket partnership with Kieron Pollard was assuming threatening proportions. With nine wickets in hand, a long list of batsmen waiting in the dressing room, and 128 required at exactly a run a ball, this was West Indies' match to lose. They went and lost it.

It started with the wicket of Pollard, who chased a wide ball and dragged Amit Mishra onto his stumps. From that point, West Indies imploded. On a two-paced Feroz Shah Kotla pitch, India's bowlers put the brakes on the scoring, and panic took hold of the batsmen. West Indies lost their last nine wickets for 79 runs, and their last eight for 45.

In ODI cricket, six an over is usually a doddle when you have wickets in hand and not too many runs left to get. On this pitch, however, scoring quickly wasn't easy unless you had your eye in. India had discovered this to their detriment earlier in the day, both at the start and the end of their innings.

Having opted to bat first, they had struggled to break the shackles against accurate new-ball bowling from Ravi Rampaul and, in particular, Jerome Taylor, who attacked a good-length area close to off stump and allowed the pitch to do the rest. The second-wicket pair of Ajinkya Rahane and Ambati Rayudu had looked quite ill at ease while adding 46 in 67 balls, and even Virat Kohli had taken his time to find his feet.

Suresh Raina looked fluent right from the time he walked in, however, and his front-foot stride - the surest sign that his mind isn't entirely consumed by thoughts of the short ball - was light and sure whenever the bowlers gave him half an opportunity to drive through the off side.

Raina and Kohli slowly got on top of the bowling, and began the batting Powerplay on the cusp of India's first century stand for the fourth wicket since August 2012, and the score read 163 for 3.

It looked like a launchpad to a 280-plus score, but the dismissals of Raina and Kohli, in the 37th and 41st overs, sucked the momentum out of India's innings. Without MS Dhoni's unbeaten 40-ball 51, it's unlikely India would have gotten near their total of 263, with pretty much everyone else at the other end struggling to come to terms with the surface and West Indies' adroit use of the slower ball at the death.

The wicket of Pollard caused a similar, and even more dramatic, turnaround in the tempo of West Indies' innings. Till then, Mishra had endured a frustrating evening. He had bowled a number of good balls, had had a close lbw shout against Pollard turned down, and had been picked off for three massive sixes, two of them by Pollard, and not necessarily off the middle of his bat. Having just struck his third six, he went after one tossed up wide outside off and inside-edged it onto leg stump.

Following that breakthrough, Mishra bowled 16 successive dot balls, landing everything on a good length on off stump, getting some balls to grip on the pitch and others to skid off the surface, and completely confounded Marlon Samuels, who had scored a century against this same attack three days ago.

Smith carried on fluently at the other end, picking off Kohli's wrong-footed legcutters for four fours in two overs, and launched Mohammed Shami over the long-on boundary in the first over of the batting Powerplay. In sight of his first century in ODIs and List A cricket, however, Smith received the perfect riposte from Shami, a full, fast ball that swung in a touch and cannoned off the pads and into the stumps.

The required rate crept up to over seven, and Samuels slapped a perfectly slappable long-hop from Umesh Yadav straight to cover. The spinners then discovered the turn available on the pitch, Mishra spinning one sharply to find Denesh Ramdin's outside edge, Ravindra Jadeja doing the same to beat Andre Russell's edge and have him brilliantly stumped by Dhoni. By this point, West Indies had been knocked out - the four wickets that remained fell in the space of 26 balls, and India won with 21 balls left to play.

Karthik Krishnaswamy is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #19 on: October 11, 2014, 07:52:13 PM »
Return to script
WI batsmen lose plot in 2nd ODI


Story Created: Oct 11, 2014 at 8:59 PM ECT
Express


Desperation: West Indies pacer Ravi Rampaul fails to stop a boundary during the second One Day International against India at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in Delhi, India yesterday. India won by 48 runs. —Photo: BCCI

 A now familiar batting implosion derailed West Indies’ run chase, as the Caribbean side quickly returned to their old habits in a 48-run defeat to India here yesterday.
In pursuit of 264 for victory in the second One-Day International at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, West Indies slumped from 170 for two in the 36th over to 215 all out off 46.3 overs – losing their last eight wickets for just 45 runs.

Opener Dwayne Smith missed out on a maiden ODI hundred with a run-a-ball career-best 97, and it was his dismissal in the 36th over that triggered the fatal slide.
Kieron Pollard, promoted to number three, managed 40 from 50 balls while Darren Bravo, who opened with Smith, scored 26 from 44 deliveries.

They were the only three batsmen to pass 20, however, as seamer Mohammed Shami (four for 36) combined with left-arm spinner Ravi Jadeja (three for 44) to destroy the innings.
Leg-spinner Amit Mishra, finding bounce and turn, dried up the scoring in the middle overs and put pressure on the middle order and his spell of two for 40 from his ten overs proved incisive.

India had earlier posted 263 for seven off their 50 overs, with Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina both striking 62 and captain MS Dhoni rallying the innings at the end with an important unbeaten 51 off 40 balls.
Fast bowler Jerome Taylor picked up three wickets but conceded an expensive 54 runs from his ten overs.

The defeat saw India level the five-match series at 1-1, with the third match carded for next Tuesday in Visakhapatnam.
Coming off a clinical performance in Wednesday’s first ODI in Kochi, the Windies had hoped for a repeat but sustaining those lofty standards proved beyond their reach.
They started well, however, reducing India to 74 for three in the 18th over, after the hosts won the toss and opted for first knock.

Taylor got one to come back to Shikhar Dhawan (1) in the second over to hit the left-hander’s off-stump with the score on four and his partner Ajinkya Rahane added 46 for the second wicket with Ambati Rayudu (32), before driving medium pacer Darren Sammy’s slower ball to Dwayne Bravo at cover, to fall for 12 in the 13th over.

When Rayudu, who faced 54 balls and struck three fours, edged left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn to Sammy at slip in the 18th over, the Windies were in command.
However, Kohli and Raina breathed life into the innings with a fourth wicket stand of 105, a partnership that set the ground work for India’s late rally.

The right-handed Kohli faced 78 balls and struck five fours while Raina lasted 70 balls and counted five fours and two sixes.
They eventually fell within 23 balls of each other, and on 196 for five in the 41st over, India needed someone to drive the innings and Dhoni stepped forward, hitting five fours and a six in shepherding the lower order.

In reply, West Indies got a patient start from Smith and Darren Bravo, the pair putting on 64 off 79 balls a measured partnership.
Smith’s first 11 balls yielded just four runs but he blossomed well to hit 11 fours and two sixes. Darren Bravo never quite got going, and was bowled off-stump by Mohammed Shami playing down the wrong line, after counting two fours.

Smith and Pollard seemed to have put the Windies on course for victory in their 82-run, second wicket partnership that lasted 94 balls.
Both played circumspectly but Pollard was unusually subdued with six runs from his first 16 balls. He cleared midwicket for six with Jadeja to mark his first boundary in the 19th over, and added a four and two more sixes, before missing a heave at Mishra in the 29th over and playing on at 136 for two.

Smith, meanwhile, picked off the boundaries when they came and moved to 48 by hammering seamer Umesh Yadav through cover for his sixth four in the 20th over before bringing up his seventh ODI half-century with a single to long on in the next over.
He celebrated by lifting Mishra into the stands at mid-wicket and then smashed three fours off Kohli’s second over, the 32nd of the innings, to race to 87.

Smith struck Mohammed Shami cleanly back overhead for six to move to within three of a century but was bowled off the very next ball, playing on to one that swung in, hit his pads and disturbed his stumps.

Stroke-maker Marlon Samuels was almost unrecognisable from the player who reeled off a sublime unbeaten 126 in the first ODI, and endured a painful struggle for 16 off 38 balls.
It was almost a relief when he swatted Yadav to Kohli at cover at the start of the 40th over at 183 for four but those following him proved just as wasteful.

socafighter

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #20 on: October 11, 2014, 08:15:58 PM »
Simmons still struggling as WI battles India today
 
Vinode Mamchan
Published: Guardian
Saturday, October 11, 2014


West Indies will most likely have to do without the services of opener Lendl Simmons again, when they battle Inda in the second match of the Micromax limited overs series at the Feroz Shah Kotla cricket ground in Delhi. While the team practiced under in the blazing hot sun at the ground yesterday, Simmons was indoors with physiotherapist CJ Clarke working on his back problem. 

Skipper Dwayne Bravo speaking at the pre-match press conference said they were hoping for Simmons to be fit but he was struggling: “We would love to have Simmons take his place on the team but at this moment he is struggling. “We are hoping that by match time tomorrow he is fit to play. If not we would have to use another person to open. Whoever gets the chance to open needs to give us a good start. Anyone of us can be used in the role, or I might even go back as I did in the first match and open.”

The West Indies hammered the Indians by 124 runs in the opening match at Kochi and Bravo is saying that it is the best all round effort he has seen. “We had a great game, that first match and it was the best all-round effort for quite some some.” West Indies batting first made 321 for six and India was bowled out for 197.

Bravo is looking for another great performance: “We are looking to come here and continue the good work. India is a very difficult team to play in India and we will be looking to give them a great fight again. In the past we have gotten good starts and thrown it away, so we are determined to continue that great start. It feels good going into this game against the world champions.

The allrounder continued: “We are just focussing on this series. We cannot look too far ahead, we are in India so we are focussed here, then we go to South Africa and then to Australia for the World Cup. We need to focus on doing the right things at the right time for different conditions and we will be fine.” India in the meantime seems to have made the mistake of looking too far ahead and all the talk amongst the Indian officials is focussed on the World Cup. The win by the West Indies in the first game would have led to a shift in their focus and they are expected to come hard at the Caribbean men.

Match Zone
TIME: 2.30 pm Indian time, 5.30 pm TT time.

TEAMS

West Indies: Dwayne Bravo (Captain), Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo,  Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith and Jerome Taylor.

India: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Ambati Rayudu, Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, M Vijay an Kuldeep Yadav.

PITCH: This pitch is slow and low and assists the spinners, although in recent time it has improved and gotten a little quicker. In 2009 an ODI between India and Sri Lanka ended when match officials decided the pitch was of “extremely variable bounce and too dangerous for further play”. As a result a 12-month ban was placed on the ground after the ICC found the pitch to be “unfit” and “dangerous”.

WEATHER: There is no rain about and it is very hot with temperatures hovering around 37 degrees celsius. There will be some cloud cover but no rain.

HEAD TO HEAD AT KOCHI: Both teams have met at Delhi once before and the West Indies won by 20 runs after a man of the match performance by captain Sir Viv Richards. He scored 44 quick runs and grabbed 6/41 with his off-spinners.

FAN VIEW: Talk on the street here is that India under-estimated the West Indies in the first match and the loss by the home side has created keen interest. People are looking forward to the game and the 40,000 seater Kotla is expected to be sold out. Yesterday some fans scaled poles just to see the West Indies team train.

socafighter

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #21 on: October 11, 2014, 08:17:29 PM »
Windies pay dispute no threat to series says BCCI
 
Published: Guardian
Saturday, October 11, 2014

NEW DELHI—The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) says there is “no threat” to India’s ongoing home series against West Indies despite a bitter pay dispute between the visiting cricketers and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA).

BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel says matches will be played as scheduled after West Indies cricketers threatened strike action hours away from the first of the five One Day International (ODI) against India. “I want to clarify that there is no threat to the India versus West Indies series.

The matches will go on as per schedule,” said BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel. “In fact, I have spoken to a few officials from the WICB and have got assurance that there will be no disruption”.

The players have protested the new terms of WIPA’s CBA/MOU deal with the WICB, arguing that the new agreement has reduced their income and that their Test, ODI and T20 fees had been decreased by 75 per cent.

WIPA’s President Wavell Hind has dismissed the players’ claims as false and says the new agreement reflects a 15 per cent across the board increase in match fees and retainer contracts that range from 12.5 per cent to 25 per cent, along with the introduction of two new contract categories. Patel has given the assurance that the BCCI will be happy to help the WICB mediate their dispute with WIPA once the series ends. (CMC)


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #22 on: October 13, 2014, 08:57:59 AM »
Dwayne Smith disappointed
 
Published: Guardian
Monday, October 13, 2014

After more than 10 years, and in his 93rd ODI, Dwayne Smith finally looked set to score his first international hundred in limited-overs cricket. West Indies, having done well to keep India to 263, were well-placed at 170 for two and were on their way to secure a morale-boosting 2-0 lead in the series with a win at the Ferozeshah Kotla.

However, for the second time in the series, Smith fell to a bowler after hitting him for a six and was bowled by Mohammed Shami. Smith’s departure for 97 triggered a West Indies collapse as the visitors folded for 215, and the batsman was disappointed at having missed out on a century and with the way his team-mates unraveled in the face of some incisive bowling.

“I’m disappointed. I worked really hard during the CPL and since I came here to India, I really wanted to make my mark in this series,” Smith said. “Tonight I was looking to bat all the way through and take the team to victory. Someone needed to bat to the end and see the game home but unfortunately I wasn’t able to complete the job. We came close tonight and victory, would have made it 2-0, so as a team we are disappointed


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #23 on: October 13, 2014, 09:49:33 AM »

Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri highest earners from BCCI: report
13 Oct 2014, 0945 hrs IST,  gocricket staff,  gocricket.com 


New Delhi: Former India captains Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri fetch more money from cricket's richest board than does the current one, according to a report in The Indian Express.

The Indian daily on Monday printed a story in which it said that Gavaskar and Shastri, both of whom commentate on television and hold roles for the Indian cricket board, are the highest-paid BCCI retainers with estimated annual incomes of Rs 6 crore each.

Shastri was recently confirmed as director of the Indian team until the 2015 World Cup, a role he was given after the Test series defeat in England, while Gavaskar is head of IPL operations. For their respective roles, the pair received an added bonus of Rs 2 crore which, considering their already had annual contracts worth Rs 4 crore as BCCI-endorsed commentators, takes their yearly income from the board to Rs 6 crore.

In comparison, MS Dhoni has over the past one year fetched Rs 2.49 crore from his on-field role (35 international matches) and a retainer of Rs 1 crore.

The Indian Express quoted an unnamed BCCI official as saying: "The board pays Shastri and Gavaskar Rs 4 crore annually as commentators. As per Supreme Court orders, Gavaskar will be paid an extra Rs 2.37 crore. Roughly the same will be given to Shastri." The report also estimated that Gavaskar sent the BCCI an invoice of Rs 2.37 for the previous IPL season.

Earlier this year, Forbes magazine ranked Dhoni as the fifth most financially valuable athlete in the world, behind Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Phil Mickelson and Maria Sharapova. Forbes valued Dhoni at 21 million dollars, but that was without factoring in his earnings from lucrative endorsements.

With his commercial deals estimated to fetch him a whopping $26 million per year, the Indian captain is apparently the word's eight highest paid sportsperson. Dhoni makes six and a half times more money on endorsements than he does on salaries/winnings (Rs 4 crore).


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #24 on: October 14, 2014, 04:06:18 PM »
India vs West Indies ODIs: Akshar Patel Gets National Call-up
Akshar Patel has been named in national squad for the last two ODIs between India and the West Indies. The Gujarat left-arm spinner is a Kings XI Punjab regular.
Reported by: NDTVSports Last updated on Tuesday, 14 October, 2014 15:16 IST


Akshar Patel (C) has been selected after consistent seasons for Gujarat and KXIP.
© BCCI

Akshar Patel is the latest inclusion in the national squad for the last two Odis between India and the West Indies to be played at Dharamshala and Kolkata on October 17 and October 20, respectively. The team was picked in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Left-arm spinner Patel, who is a Kings XI Punjab regular, has also made the Team India cut for the one-off T20 against the West Indians. Batsman Manish Pandey, who plays for Kolkata Knight Riders, has also been included. The match will be played in Cuttack on October 22.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma will make a return to first-class cricket. He has been picked for the Suresh Raina-led BCCI President's XI squad that will play a three-day match against the Caribbeans in Kanpur from October 25.

SQUADS

For ODIS: M.S. Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay, Kuldeep Yadav, Akshar Patel.

For one-off ODI: M.S. Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Stuart Binny, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, Karn Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Sanju Samson, Manish Pandey, Umesh Yadav

Board President's squad for the three-day game against the West Indies, to be played at Kanpur from October 25-27: Suresh Raina, Jiwanjot Singh, K.L. Rahul, Naman Ojha, Rohit Sharma, Manoj Tiwary, Wriddhiman Saha, Karun Nair, Parvez Rasool, Pankaj Singh, Ishwar Pandey, Jasprit Bumrah, Karn Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav.


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #25 on: October 14, 2014, 04:13:09 PM »
18,000 tickets on sale at Eden Gardens for 5th India-WI ODI
Published: Tuesday, October 14, 2014, 12:36 [IST]


Eden Gardens

Kolkata, Oct 14: Cricket fans will have the opportunity to buy about 18,000 tickets, almost double the numbers earlier sold in counters, with lukewarm response from the affiliated units for the India-West Indies fifth and final one-dayer here on October 20.

After a two-day distribution among the members that began yesterday (October 13), the counter sale of tickets will begin at CAB from October 15 while it would be available at Mohammedan Sporting tent from October 18. File photo: Eden Gardens "Earlier we used to sell about 8-9,000 tickets from counters but this time we have almost double the amount available. Response varies for different matches and this time we will get more number of tickets," a CAB official said. The Eden has an official seating capacity of 67,000.

The CAB has kept the same price ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 2000 and the association celebrating Eden Gardens' 150th year has lined up a host of events from October 16-19 beginning with a book release on Eden Gardens which will be done by former India all rounders Salim Durani and Chandu Borde. Deepak Shodhan and Krishnamachari Srikkanth, the two living first Test and ODI centurions at Eden Gardens, will release a commemorative gold coin on Eden Gardens October 18.

It was Mushtaq Ali who struck the first Test century at the Eden on January 5 1934 (against England) but since he's no more, Shodhan who scored 110 versus Pakistan on December 12, 1952 will be the guest along with Srikkanth. In a novel gesture, the Eden will felicitate 150 former members on October 17 while on October 19 former India middle-order batsman VVS Laxman who has played some cherished knocks at the Eden will deliver the third edition of the Board's MAK Pataudi Lecture at the Taj Bengal.

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #26 on: October 16, 2014, 06:37:09 PM »
Festive season affects tickets for India-West Indies fourth ODI


HPCA_m On the 19,500 tickets on sale only 12,000 tickets are sold as of now. (Source: PTI)
Press Trust of India | Dharamsala | Posted: October 16, 2014 5:00 pm | Updated: October 16, 2014 5:04 pm
Dharamsala may be a quiet town but its residents prefer the fast-paced T20 version of cricket they often see in the IPL, with the lack of buzz ahead of the fourth One-day International between India and the West Indies being a clear indicator.
While walking around the hill station, one doesn’t get the feeling that India’s madly-loved cricket stars will be playing at the scenic HPCA Stadium after almost two years.
The locals and organisers say excitement during the IPL is much more palpable than at the time of an international match.

Mohit Sood, media manager at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA), attributed the lack of buzz in the picturesque town to the ongoing festive season. He added that about 12,000 tickets have been sold for the ODI while the seating capacity is 19,500.

“I think the lack of buzz is because Diwali is round the corner. People especially the tourists are not ready to leave their homes and travel all the way to Dharamsala. The scenes would have been different had the match was organised in a bigger city,” Sood told PTI on Thursday.

He added: “The IPL is more popular as it is fast paced and less time consuming. Its timing is also much better. The schools are off during the IPL leg here and tourists flock to Dharamsala in thousands. Having said that, we are expecting a full stadium tomorrow (Friday).”

Arvind Sharma, a travel agent based out of McLeodGanj claims the tourists influx is high during the IPL.
“I can safely say there are still many hotel rooms available around Dharamsala and McLeodGanj. When the IPL season is on, it is all packed a week prior to the matches. The rush is definitely more during the IPL. May be not many tourists could plan well with doubts surrounding over the ODI,” he said.

HPCA boss and BCCI joint secretary Thakur appealed to people to attend the second-ever ODI in Dharamasala.
“We understand it is a festival season but I request people to come to the stadium for the match and hopefully celebrate Diwali with India’s win.”

socafighter

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #27 on: October 17, 2014, 05:10:28 AM »
West Indies reluctantly agree to take field for Dharamsala ODI
17 Oct 2014, 1440 hrs IST,  gocricket staff,  gocricket.com 
READ MORE: WIPA|WICB|India v West Indies 2014-15|Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association


West Indies reluctantly agree to take field for Dharamsala ODI© Sportzpics

The touring West Indians are doing their best to keep a positive mood in the camp.

Dharamsala: In what can only be described as a strong show of solidarity against the backdrop of the dispute with the WIPA over cuts in player fees, West Indies captain Dwayne Bravo was accompanied by his entire team for the toss ahead during fourth ODI.

"As you can see, my team is standing behind me. Its been a tough situation, a tough tour for us so far," said Bravo at the toss. "We don't want West Indies cricket to suffer and we don't want our fans, back home and here in India, to suffer. This is the reason we represent the West Indies team but it's come that time when we have to make a decision as a team.

 Things haven't been going our way but we try our best. [We are] Yet to come to any agreement, yet to come to any contract so something might happen, we don't know what will happen. I must give credit to my boys for all the fight they've put up, sticking it through this tough time. We just want to go out and play our best during this game.

The clash between WIPA and the players first came to notice during the series opener in Kochi. It was then reported that BCCI had to interfere in the matter in order to clear things between India the two boards.

According to reports on Friday, it took a lot of convincing from the BCCI and the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association to ensure the touring West Indies played the fourth ODI. The team was scheduled to arrive at the stadium around 2:30pm IST on Thursday for practice, but that didn't happen. In fact, they were not even willing to address the media but following a lot of request from the HPCA, the press conference took place. During the conference, West Indies manager Richie Richardson ducked a question about the tensions between the two parties, saying: "We are here to play cricket and our focus isn't on anything else."

Richardson also said that they just arrived whereas rumour had it that they the team was out visiting neighbouring McLeadganj, which had many doubting the attitude of the players. The fact that they even skipped practice on Thursday came as a surprise in view of their fragile batting.

The touring team had threatened to go on strike on the eve of the five-ODI series due to the new contracts handed to the players, which would have seen their salaries drop by 75 per cent. Bravo has written to WICB president Dave Cameron, asking for the WIPA to be dissolved as the team felt "hoodwinked" by the manner in which it agreed to the new contracts without consulting the players.

Disgruntled with its players association due to an ongoing pay dispute, the West Indian team has sought the cricket board's "urgent intervention" to dissolve the body as it no longer had the "authority to speak" on the side's behalf.

The series is tied at 1-1 after the third ODI at Visakhapatnam was abandoned because of cyclone Hudhud.


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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #28 on: October 17, 2014, 05:34:57 PM »
India v West Indies, 4th ODI, Dharamsala
West Indies go AWOL

West Indies may have formally played the fourth ODI in Dharamsala but their fielding suggested their minds were already on the flight back home
Abhishek Purohit
October 17, 2014


The West Indian team stood behind Dwayne Bravo at the toss, India v West Indies, 4th ODI, Dharamsala, October 17, 2014
A tough start to the day for West Indies players was followed by several lapses on the field © BCCI


The drops
Catches are put down almost every match, but West Indies fluffed too many sitters. Andre Russell had just broken the opening partnership with a sharp bouncer to Shikhar Dhawan, and in his next over, he had Ajinkya Rahane top-edge a hook, only for Jerome Taylor to drop it at fine leg. It came down at a comfortable height barely a few paces to Taylor's right, and he got there easily, but it popped out of his hands.

Dwayne Bravo brought up the rear end of West Indies' meltdown by putting down Virat Kohli on 101 in the 47th over. Kohli whipped Taylor straight to the West Indies captain at midwicket, but Bravo could not cup his hands around it. Kohli walloped the next ball over long-on for six.

Dhoni had swung the second ball of the 47th over to deep square leg, who did not have to move at all, but still managed to clang it.

The triple whammy

That second ball summed up West Indies' state of mind. There was a run-out chance at the striker's end after the dropped catch but the wicketkeeper collected the throw some way behind the stumps, and missed the target with his lob. The resulting overthrow made it three runs off the delivery, to go with the dropped catch and missed run-out opportunity.

The untimely overthrow
There is no good timing for an overthrow, but this was probably as bad as you could go with it. Kohli was on 99 going into the 47th over, eager to score his first century in a long time. Kohli tucked Taylor to midwicket and the batsmen ran out a few steps before retreating to their ends. With Kohli having already grounded his bat, the fielder needlessly had a go at the striker's end, and missed by a long margin to hand Kohli the century on a platter with an overthrow.

The misfield
There were several of them but this was one of the most glaring. Kohli eased Dwayne Bravo to long-on in the 31st over. This was a regulation ODI push down the ground, without any power, done only to turn the strike over. The ball was rolling very slowly towards the fielder, but he still messed the pick-up.

The dare
India were 328 for 5 going into the last two deliveries of the innings, and you would think West Indies would be keen to save every run possible. Kohli had driven Jason Holder to long-on, and it should have been only a single. But Andre Russell picked up the ball and just stood there for a few seconds, daring the batsmen to go for a second. Kohli and Ambati Rayudu did exactly that, and by the time Russell belatedly let go of the ball, the second run was being safely completed.

Abhishek Purohit is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo

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© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
« Last Edit: October 17, 2014, 05:46:50 PM by socafighter »

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Re: West Indies squad for series in India
« Reply #29 on: October 17, 2014, 05:39:28 PM »
West Indies in India 2014-15
West Indies pull out of India tour

Nagraj Gollapudi
October 17, 2014


WICB claims it did not take decision to call off tour

What led to the West Indies pullout

September 19 WICB and WIPA sign new bargaining agreement and Memorandum of Understanding. WIPA president Wavell Hinds says agreement "not perfect", but brings stability to the system.

October 7 West Indies players threaten to sit out the first ODI against India and claim that Hinds "hoodwinked" them while signing the MoU.

October 8 West Indies play the first ODI, but the captain Bravo asks Hinds and other WIPA officials with conflict of interests, to tender their resignation immediately.

October 11 Bravo writes to WICB president Dave Cameron seeking an "urgent intervention" over payment issues between the board, the players, and WIPA.

October 15 The growing impasse between the players and WIPA intensifies, with the players and WIPA exchanging emails. Hinds denies all claims made against him and says senior West Indies players had expressed "100% support" towards a resolution. Bravo denies any such a resolution was passed.

October 16 WICB says it will "engage" only with the WIPA, and not the players, to resolve the issue.

October 17 West Indies play the fourth ODI against India in Dharamsala, but news breaks during the game that the rest of the tour has been abandoned.
The West Indies tour to India has been thrown into uncertainty with the BCCI saying it had been called off by the WICB and announcing a replacement tour, while the West Indies board said in a later statement that it had not taken any such decision.

The developments followed a protracted payment structure dispute between the players, the WICB and West Indies Players' Association. The WICB said it would make a further statement following the conclusion of the fourth ODI in Dharamsala, which India won by 59 runs.

At the end of the game, the official broadcaster Star Sports displayed India as the winners of the ODI series by a 2-1 margin, though no trophy was given to MS Dhoni at the presentation ceremony.

The WICB has called for a meeting at 3pm Caribbean time to discuss the developments, after which the board will explain its position.

Following news of West Indies' pullout emerged mid-way through the first innings, the BCCI said it was "shocked and disappointed" that the decision to abandon the tour had been "taken by the WICB", and that India would now play five ODIs against Sri Lanka between November 1 and 15, after Sri Lanka Cricket accepted the invitation to fill the void.

"They have withdrawn their team and this [development] has come abruptly. We received an email from Richie Richardson, the West Indies team manager, only this [Friday] morning," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told ESPNcricnfo. Patel also said the board was contemplating legal action against the WICB.

Shortly after that development, however, the WICB put out a statement saying it had not taken a decision to end the tour. "The West Indies Cricket Board advises, that, contrary to media reports, it has taken no decision to discontinue the ongoing tour to India," it said. "The WICB will make a further statement following the conclusion of the fourth one-day International which is in progress."

Late in the day, the BCCI issued a second release quoting Richardson's email and chronicling the events of the last week to support their position: "Despite agreeing to play the fourth ODI in Dharamsala, regrettably, the current West Indies players have decided that they will not participate any further in this tour and wish to return home after this match. In light of this, I suggest that the entire squad travel to Delhi tomorrow and be booked into a hotel there, until international return flights have been booked. On behalf of the entire squad and WICB, I apologise for the inconvenience caused." West Indies were scheduled to play a fifth ODI, one Twenty20 international and three Tests after the Dharamsala one-dayer.

The BCCI's first release had said, "The WICB's inability to resolve internal issues with its players and allowing the same to affect an ongoing bilateral series does not reflect well on any of those involved." They said the withdrawal had "given little thought to the future of the game, the players and the long standing relations between the BCCI and WICB."

"This is a unilateral decision taken by the WICB and its players, in spite of several appeals to the WICB to honour its commitment and complete the series."

The BCCI's joint secretary Anurag Thakur told PTI the West Indies players were "hell bent not to play" the fourth ODI, and only agreed to take the field upon his insistence.

Before the game, Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies ODI captain, had indicated something serious was brewing when he told television commentator Ian Bishop at the toss: "Time to make a decision." Bravo was accompanied by his West Indies team-mates, who stood beside him.

Tony Irish, the executive chairman of international players' association FICA, is reported to be working with WICB and WIPA to try and resolve the issue. "FICA is dismayed that the tour has been called off," he said. "It's not good for cricket and it's not good for player relations within cricket."

The reason for the dispute was the memorandum of understanding and the combined bargaining agreement signed between WIPA and WICB in September. Bravo, acting as the player representative, had claimed that WIPA president and chief executive Wavell Hinds had kept the players in the dark over the MoU, which he allegedly signed without their consent.

On the eve of the first ODI in Kochi, Bravo had warned that if Hinds did not cooperate and respond to the questions raised by the players, a strike or a pullout from the tour could not be ruled out. Though Hinds responded eventually, Bravo continued to insist that he should step down as chief executive and president, and even asked the WICB to not communicate with WIPA till a solution was found. However, WICB president Dave Cameron sent an email to Bravo saying the board would only engage with WIPA, adhering to the MoU signed in September. That development led to the West Indian players taking the extreme step of pulling out of the tour.

Former West Indies seamer Michael Holding called the development "ridiculous" and "embarrassing". "I have never seen anything like this in the past," Holding told Sky TV. "I can see serious repercussions from this. I think this is a ridiculous decision by the West Indies Cricket Board. They like to hide behind half-truths.

"It's embarrassing for me, as someone who played for West Indies, to see this happening. I was told a director of the WICB did not know about this decision. Let us hope the majority of the board made this decision, otherwise it has been made by very dubious means."

Nagraj Gollapudi is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

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© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.


 

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