Caribbeans bottled in after hosts’ batsmen put the cap

Procter calculated that at the time when the incident occurred, India should have scored 119 runs, but were already ahead by 81. Though the team batting second usually wins by wickets, India won by runs after the Duckworth Lewis system came into play.

In fact, both India and Sehwag needed it the most. India, down 0-2, could have kept the series alive only with a win here and Sehwag, after his failure in the two earlier matches, had to come good to prove a point. And that is precisely what he did in the company of Ganguly today.

Chasing a target for the first time in the series, India began in a grand manner from the word go, both Sehwag and Ganguly hitting boundaries at will against the West Indian pace attack. They scored in tandem until the 40s and then suddenly Sehwag took off into the orbit. After that he was simply unstoppable.

Undaunted by the required run rate of six an over, Ganguly started the India innings by driving medium-pacer Vasbert Drakes through the covers for four and then hitting his slower ball down the ground for another boundary.

Sehwag punched paceman Mervyn Dillon for a straight four and then made room for himself outside the leg-stump and slashed him over the slips for a one-bounce four to third man.

Runs came in a hurry as India reached 68 for no loss after 10 overs before Sehwag opened the floodgates in the 13th over of the match, hitting occasional spinner Chris Gayle for three fours and a six to race to his 50 in just 38 balls.

Ganguly, hitting through the off-side with his characteristic flair, punished Drakes for two boundaries in an over to raise his 50 from 52 deliveries.

The pair continued to find the gaps even after the fielding restrictions were removed, Sehwag getting after leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo and hitting him out of the attack with a flurry of big hits.

Ganguly, watching and egging on Sehwag from the other end, did not lag behind, hitting nine boundaries in his 72 off 83 balls and looked well set for his century before being caught brilliantly by Chanderpaul at mid-off as the left-hander drove Drakes.

West Indies had shown the same aggression with which they played in the earlier two matches, opener Gayle making 72 off 68 balls, but it was the 149-run partnership between Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan which really helped them reach the 300-run mark.

India’s bowling lacked sting on a wicket tailor-made for batting and the ball nicely coming on to the bat. Srinath, though, initially troubled opener Wavell Hinds and had him edging to Laxman in the slips for 10. And Ganguly made Marlon Samuels commit the same mistake to be caught by Dravid behind the stumps.

Chanderpaul hit eight boundaries in his 77-ball 74, and was out attempting a sixer off Harbhajan to the best catch of the day by JP Yadav at deep long off. Four runs later Sarwan on 84, scored with the help of six fours and two sixes from 88 balls, edged one to Dravid to give Nehra his only wicket.

The Caribbeans must have fancied their chances, but were helpless against the Indian run-machines.