Freshers play a new tune, Windies dance

The music is more muted than it was in weeks past in St John8217;s and Kingston. The dances in the aisles here in Bridgetown are more isola...

The music is more muted than it was in weeks past in St John8217;s and Kingston. The dances in the aisles here in Bridgetown are more isolated. But don8217;t blame it on India8217;s dream start 8212; on the hosts8217; shock collapse to 186 in less than 45 overs, to the visitors8217; confident chase as they notched up 150/2 in 35 overs 8212; in what is effectively the first one-dayer in this rain-curtailed series. Dinesh Mongia was batting on 68 with Sachin Tendulkar on 13.

That8217;s simply the Barbadian way. In Antigua they cribbed about a Bajan superiority complex, about how this little isle has dominated West Indian cricket. In Jamaica, they giggled about how propah proceedings in Kensington Oval are 8212; one small music system as a concession to the musically inclined, a Bajan posse as a compromise to the beer guzzlers, and an announcer with the sternest of accents to keep all in check. And as a Jamaican 8212; dropping by to say peripatetic Windian fans are all set for a weekend of boisterous cricket in Port of Spain 8212; smiles, do they think this is Lord8217;s, the way they applaud here, so softly?

Maybe. Still, as the men in blue get their new-look one-day campaign underway, the magic is palpable. There lies the Pickwick Pavilion, lone testimony to this ground8217;s planter elite past. On its right is the Sir Garfields Sobers Pavilion, the Hall and Griffith Stand, the Eric Inniss Stand, the Greenidge 038; Haynes Stand, the Three Ws Stand. This island has played a lead role in Caribbean cricket, and here in Bridgetown there8217;s only one party today and it8217;s focussed on the game in the middle. Stop humming for a while, and you8217;ll understand why this is considered such a special stadium.

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West Indies: CH Gayle c Mongia b Yohannan 16; WW Hinds b Yohannan 15; RR Sarwan b Sehwag 44; BC Lara c Kaif b Harbhajan Singh 5; CL Hooper not out 76; S Chanderpaul run out Tendulkar 5; RO Hinds st Dravid b Sehwag 3; RD Jacobs c Dravid b Yohannan 0; M Dillon b Agarkar 2; CD Collymore lbw Agarkar 1; C Cuffy b Agarkar 0; Extras lb5, w13, nb1: 19; Total all out in 44.5 overs: 186 Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-45, 3-53, 4-140, 5-155, 6-162, 7-164, 8-182, 9-186. Bowling: Yohannan 10-1-33-3, Zaheer Khan 8-2-31-0, Agarkar 8.5-1-36-3, Harbhajan Singh 7-0-22-1, Ganguly 3-0-20-0, Mongia 2-0-16-0, Sehwag 6-1-23-2.

Few innings are as well demarcated between Before and After. There were the West Indies halfway through their 32st over 8212; 140 runs on the board, Ramnaresh Sarwan in fine fettle, taking especial liking for Ajit Agarkar8217;s medium pace, just six short of a half-century. There was fellow Guyanese Carl Hooper at the other end, for a while content to let the 8216;youngsta8217; take charge, but now darting the muddied ball towards boundary with an ominous rapidity, choosing his Indian counterpart for a walloping.

Fourth ball of the 32nd over: Sarwan out, bowled Virender Sehwag. A gleeful welcome for Shivnarine Chanderpaul is shortlived as he and then the rest of his mates leave their skipper stranded. Windies slump to 186 all out, Hooper still carrying his bat, in 44.5 overs.

This Bajan crowd may have politely applauded the Indian effort, but as lunch commenced earlier than expected, the air was thick with forebodings of imminent defeat.

If they do stumble along the way, India will have no excuse. Even the Sri Lankan team of the mid-nineties pales in comparison when you see how they have packed their side with batsmen. Coach John Wright may have joked the other day about a not too distant future when even number 11 will be selected on the basis of his batting skills, but his team seems to getting a headstart in that direction.

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The experiment8217;s gone well so far. Rahul Dravid did not fumble any more than a debutant wicketkeeper is allowed to. Debutant Tinu Yohannan 8212; now also the first Kerala player to participate in an ODI for India 8212; raced off with three wickets. Sehwag, replacing Sachin Tendulkar as an opening partner for Saurav Ganguly, made a confident 21 before being sent back by Merv Dillon. Mohammad Kaif fielded well amidst a mixed day in the field overall, justifying his inclusion at V.V.S. Laxman8217;s expense.

But these are early, early days. The Windies batsmen made life extremely easy for India. They are, however, fielding with uncharacteristic aggression. It8217;s too premature to claim vindication.