Kochi, India: Marlon Samules’ unbeaten ton proved the difference as West Indies dismissed India for 197 to record a convincing 124-run victory in the first one-day international at the Nehru Stadium in Kochi yesterday.
With the hosts chasing a daunting 322 to win, only opener Shikar Dhawan offered any real resistance without much assistance as he laboured for nearly 30 overs.
India lost regular wickets with their star batmen failing to contribute with Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and skipper MS Dhoni all unable to make it to double-figures.
Dhawan went on to make 68, amassing 9 fours before falling to man-of-the-match Marlon Samuels in the 29th over.
Samuels took 2 for 10 from 3 overs.
Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja (33 not out) and Mohammed Shami (19) rallied late on with 42 for the last wicket, but Ravi Rampaul ended proceedings with a yorker that smashed into the tailender’s legstump in the 41st over.
Earlier, Samules and Denesh Ramdin put on 165 runs for the fourth wicket to lift West Indies to 321 for six from their 50 overs.
Samuels went on to notch his sixth century of his career and matched his highest-score with an unbeaten 126 from 116 deliveries after they were sent in to bat by Indian skipper MS Dhoni.
The pair went on to occupy the crease for over 20 overs, taking advantage of the decent platform laid by opener Dwayne Smith (46 from 45), before Ramdin mishit a low full-toss to long-on for a comfortable catch for Ravi Jadeja.
Samuels battered 11 fours and 6 maximus while Ramdin struck 5 fours and 2 sixes in his innings of 61 from 59 balls.
Mohammed Shami was the pick of the bowlers with crafty bowling that slowed the visitors down at the back-end of their innings and was rewarded with figures of 4-66 from 9 overs.
Earlier in the day the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) was spared a major embarrassment after its leading players, who had issued a strike threat following a row with their own union, showed up for the tour opener against India.
The WICB and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) signed a new agreement last month covering pay and conditions but one-day captain Dwayne Bravo said players were kept in the dark about the talks and would not accept the outcome.
The WICB on Tuesday confirmed the threat of a players’ strike loomed over the match and must have been relieved as the players took the field in the south Indian city of Kochi for the first of five one-day internationals.
Asked at the toss about the mood in the camp, Bravo, who had earlier shot an angry letter to WIPA president Wavell Hinds, said it was “very good” and went on to explain the importance of the series against world champions India instead.
“We had a very good ODI series back home against Bangladesh,” he said, referring to the 3-0 sweep in August.
“Some of them did not play against the number one or number two ranked team in the world. It’s always a great opportunity for us to see where we are as an ODI team.”
Agencies
