Same ending, familiar sight for India

It was always going to be a contest with the elements today. India, in their second innings, capsizing at an overnight score of 237 for seven, chasing 408 for victory, and failing a miracle, requiring extended occupancy at the crease to at least wrap up the series with pride intact. The skies never brightened from their Tuesday evening darkness, it poured overnight, and out yonder, towards the harbour, towards the greying Blue Mountains, rainy spells were visible. It was continuous rain/undeserved draw versus one dry spell/comprehensive defeat. The Windies bowlers were never really going to be called upon to work up a sweat, and they indicated as much. Before play, it was Corey Colleymore, the Barbados bowler called to replace Adam Sanford for the one-dayers, who came out for a practice bowl. Their work had been done, only cruel obstruction from the heavens above could undo that.

Last rites never make for happy, instructive reading. So when Zaheeer Khan was caught by Pedro Collins off Mervyn Dillon, just 39 minutes after play commenced, post-mortems were rendered irrelevant. This script had been finalised in the first four days, today the two teams just had to appear on stage and go through the motions. The visitors just had to keep their contrite lines ready, the hosts, as they later showed, had the champagne handy.

The scorecard, often so skeletal that is, hides the nuances in this lovely, lovely game, today tells a well-fleshed tale. The first fall of wicket in the West Indies innings at 111, on a track bristling with grass, betraying its dual pace in Javagal Srinath’s very first overs, evidences poor bowling, listless fielding and uninnovative strategy.

The one century and four fifties in the Windies 422-run total screams that it is more than poor opposition that is eliciting the spectre of a great cricketing revival in these emerald isles where cricket has seeped into their very soul. Till Kingston, it seemed to be just about Carl Hooper’s dream return to international cricket, final realisation of much praised potential, and then a bit about his Guyanese juniors — Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan. But at Sabina Park, the rest rallied and lined up to be counted.

But the scorecard masks certain, critical, things. It shows India’s key batsmen getting in, but getting out before a stable partnership could be constructed. It gives proof of coach John Wright’s lament that all India needed were two good innings. What it masks is the manner in which one after another Indian batsman returned to the dressing room. They made a poignant sight in Sabina Park when they almost kicked themselves for throwing away their wickets. But then one just had to rewind to previous dismissals, and ask, when will you learn? Do tell.

Cynics have been sniffing that it took Indian mistakes to make the West Indies look good. That’s cruel. Brian Lara may have struggled. But his mates exuded character, spirit and application. And they gave spectators what they crave at a cricket ground. Great, heartwarming turnarounds — Hooper’s comeback will definitely stamp this series — bowlers exulting as they realise their potential, batsmen weaving colourful wagonwheels. The Indians did much of that too, but in spurts. Therein lies the difference.

In the end, two shots of the Indian skipper as the rain came pouring down just as the award ceremony got underway. As the Windies team went wild, first spraying each other and mediapersons with water, then beer, then finally champagne, all through screeching with joy and beating metal doors hard, Ganguly looked on wistfully. Noting the wild celebrations among spectators just beyond, he whispered, they don’t celebrate like that in India when we win. We are just expected to win at home.

There’s much in that, but on a dreary afternoon, you go figure that one out. Hint, hint: victories and defeats have textures. Then up two flights above, at the post-match conference. It’s in the mind, he said, this inability to turn close ones one’s way. Well said, skip. You could have well wrapped up a decade and more of Indian cricket with that statement. But what about a way ahead? Ganguly himself provided a hint this time, but of the malaise. We didn’t even look at 400 (the target), he recalled, we just thought well a normal Test innings when we went out to bat on the fourth day.

It is still pouring here in Kingston, the celebrating hordes have shifted the party elsewhere. But whether this cleansing shower will clear away the cobwebs foiling Indian cricket is still uncertain.

Sachin in 8000 club

KINGSTON: Sachin Tendulkar reached yet another milestone when he became only the second Indian and the 10th in the world to score 8,000 runs in Test cricket.

Tendulkar now has 8,004 runs from 96 Tests and 154 innings at an average of nearly 58. He has scored 29 centuries and 32 half-centuries. He is the highest scorer in the One-day cricket, having more than 11,000 runs to his credit.

Following is the complete list of players with 8,000 or more runs in Test cricket —

# Allan Border (Aus): 11,174 in 156 Test
# Sunil Gavaskar (Ind): 10,122 in 125 Test
# Steve Waugh (Aus): 9,600 in 148 Test
# Graham Gooch (Eng): 8,900 in 118 Test
# Javed Miandad (Pak): 8,832 in 124 Test
# Viv Richards (WI): 8,540 in 121 Test
# David Gower (Eng): 8,231 in 117 Test
# Geoff Boycott (Eng): 8,114 in Test 108
# Gary Sobers (WI): 8,032 in 93 Test
# Sachin Tendulkar (Ind): 8,004 in 96 Test

(PTI)