india vs west indies 2nd t20 no result

'Technical' delay, rain, wet field: bizarre no-result

International cricket has lost valuable time in strange circumstances in recent weeks - bright daylight but non-drying outfields in rainy months - but what happened in Lauderhill on Sunday might just be too bizarre for even cricket to come up with. For 40 minutes at the start of the day, on another beautiful sunny morning, the full house at the ground was denied cricket because the broadcasters suffered an "unavoidable" and "technical" problem. Once the game began India bowled superbly to bowl West Indies out for 143, but two overs into the chase, a 20-minute shower was enough to ensure the three remaining overs required to constitute a result would not be bowled.

This two-match series, which West Indies won 1-0, was supposed to be an exercise to take the game into a new market, a market where fans are used to being treated better than cricket tends to treat fans in India. They would have been in for a rude surprise when, after paying steep prices for their tickets, they didn't even get a proper public announcement explaining the delayed start. The broadcasters had paid massive sums for the rights and deserved some consideration, but there was rain expected later in the afternoon. You can imagine the eggshells the match officials would have walked on while sanctioning that delay.

That was not the last bizarre act of the day. At around 12.40pm, with India looking to be on their way to a win having restricted West Indies, it rained for around 20 minutes. The ground didn't have a Super Sopper, and wasn't covered fully. The business area was promptly ready for play and the deep parts of the outfield drained well too, but the top of the bowlers' run-ups, around the area where the painted advertisements are, didn't dry up. The captains were seen looking at that particular area with concern minutes before the game was called off at 2pm.

The official presentation was carried out in gloomy circumstances with the official interviewer steering clear of even mentioning the delayed start, without which the crowd would have had a result. The studio shows and the official interviewer only spoke of how humans are helpless against "mother nature" and "weather". Without being prompted, the West Indies captain Carlos Brathwaite said he hoped the drainage and equipment would improve at the ground, which he said was a wonderful venue otherwise.

It would have been particularly disappointing for the India fans who would have been expecting to celebrate a bowling comeback after their side went for 245 on Saturday, and the comeback of Amit Mishra. He last played a Twenty20 international during the World T20 in 2014. In the next year-and-a-half India only played bilateral Twenty20 internationals, not bothering with flying in T20 specialists for one or two three-hour matches. By the time India started taking T20 internationals seriously again, in the lead-up to the 2016 World T20, Mishra had lost out to Pawan Negi and Harbhajan Singh without being given a chance to build on his impressive bowling in 2014.
Now, perhaps precisely because India didn't bother to fly in T20 specialists for another bilateral series, Mishra got another chance, and made immediate impact to help India bowl West Indies out for 143.

Mishra removed Johnson Charles with the first ball he bowled, inside the Powerplay. Charles had run away to 43 off 24 in the first five overs, but Mishra began with a front-of-the-hand legbreak that followed Charles as opposed to turning away, cramping him up, getting him caught at long-on. After that the spinners choked the life out of the West Indies batting. Ravindra Jadeja zipped through with quiet overs, and R Ashwin bowled cleverly to take the wickets of Lendl Simmons and Kieron Pollard.

The fact that spinners bowled so well just after the Powerplay meant India could afford to introduce Jasprit Bumrah after the 10th over. He prefers the ball to be as old as possible. Bumrah responded immediately with the wicket of Marlon Samuels, and the others tightened the screws around him. West Indies, with Brathwaite coming in at No. 9, kept coming hard at India even though they kept losing wickets. India still kept taking wickets, bowling West Indies out for a below-par score, but they were powerless against the "weather".

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INDIA LOSES 1ST T20 VS WEST INDIES BY 1 RUN

Bravo magic seals one-run win in 489-run T20I

    West Indies 245 for 6 (Lewis 100, Charles 79) beat India 244 for 4 (Rahul 110*, Rohit 62,  Bravo 2-37) by 1 run

A hurriedly arranged exercise to take a glimpse into the future of cricket economy provided a giddying look into the future of Twenty20 cricket on the field. This was a future of fearless, relentless, calculated, almost unhurried hitting taken to the next level as West Indies first amassed their personal best of 245 only for India to come within two runs of mounting the highest successful T20I chase almost without breaking a sweat.

Evin Lewis and KL Rahul, replacing regular openers Chris Gayle and Shikhar Dhawan, smashed hundreds, but in this future bowlers did deal the consequential blows. India bowled superb wide yorkers to concede just 40 in the last four and 64 in the last seven, but the wily Dwayne Bravo outfoxed MS Dhoni and the centurion Rahul by defending seven runs in the last over. India needed two off the last ball, but Bravo made Dhoni wait and wait before bowling a slower ball that was caught by Marlon Samuels at short third man.

On a day that some batting records were broken and all sorts of others, and low-flying aircrafts, were under threat - Richard Levi's fastest hundred off 45 balls thrice, most runs in an over, most runs in boundaries in a team innings, highest T20I score, highest successful T20I chase - the bowling was the story of the day. In particular the last over of the day.

When Bravo began it, 483 runs had been scored in 39 overs. Thirty-two sixes and 35 fours had been hit on a flat deck surrounded by short boundaries. Johnson Charles had looted 79 off 33, playing only five scoring shots on the off side. Playing only his second T20I, replacing Gayle, Lewis had hit five sixes in a Stuart Binny over. Rohit Sharma looked like he could cream his way to another hundred when he scored 62 off 28. Andre Russell, the best T20 cricketer going around today, had just been mercilessly taken for 36 runs in his last two overs.

Bravo had no business even hoping to save this one, especially when bowling to a man batting on a smooth hundred and the other renowned to be one of the best finishers in ODI cricket, Dhoni. In ran Bravo, a nine-run 18th over behind his back, hoping to not concede a boundary first ball, to "try to get into the over". He had reason to just hope: 20 of the 39 previous overs had been taken for at least a boundary in the first two balls.

Bravo did way better, though, bowling a bewitching slower ball, dipping on Dhoni - 40 off 21 at that time - drawing a big edge, but at short third man Marlon Samuels dropped what Ian Bishop called was the "sittest of sitters". This was the second catch West Indies had dropped; Russell had reprieved Rahul when he was only 36. Rahul had gone on to play a chanceless innings, continuing to run hard despite having been hit on the toe twice.

Back to the frustrated Bravo then. This one was full and outside off, Rahul smashed it into the off side, and now was the time to hope this went to a fielder. Straight to the sweeper-cover fielder it went. Six required off four now. Still a matter of hoping. Bravo's next ball was on a length, but smartly he followed Dhoni, cramping him up, conceding just the leg-bye.

If Bravo and Russell were the big boys West Indies went to with only 53 required off the last four overs, Bravo now went to the big boys of death bowling. No more mucking around. Bowl them yorkers. The first one was a low full toss, the original call was two as this went to long-on, but finally, at long last, Rahul had had enough up haring up and down with a badgered toe. Also if there had been a run-out - and there could only have been one at Rahul's end - India would have had a new batsman facing up with four required off two balls.

Instead we had the cool head of Dhoni. Against his trusted lieutenant for years at Chennai Super Kings. Bravo bowled the near perfect yorker, Dhoni dug it out powerfully, the ball bounced over Bravo's head, who got a hand to it, slowing it down. Was this absorbing of the blow that cost West Indies the second run here? Would this have been a single had Bravo not intercepted or would it have beaten long-off to end the game right there? We won't know.

Now time stood still. Dhoni has often destroyed many an inexperienced bowler by bringing the contest to a one-on-one from the 11-on-1 that it is for major durations of the match. The hunter had become the hunted now. Bravo had begun the over with nothing to lose, and now he had left Dhoni in the spotlight. And he left Dhoni on a slow burn. About five minutes went by before he bowled the next ball, but it seemed like an eternity. First a man from the off side was moved to midwicket inside the circle to block that Dhoni bunt into the leg side for a couple. Then once the field was set, once Dhoni was ready to face, Bravo walked back all the way to long-on for another conference with Kieron Pollard and new captain Carlos Brathwaite.

Dhoni had met an equal at mindgames. He had only recently outfoxed Bangladesh when they needed two off the last ball. He was now being given enough time and more whether to go for a boundary or the safe route of getting bat on ball for a single to tie and then see if they could get the bonus second? Bravo, and those who know Dhoni, knew the answer. "Knowing MS," Bravo said in a flash interview, "I knew he was going to take the safer route."

Bravo said he wasn't always sure of bowling the slower ball, but once he saw Dhoni move towards him a little, he pulled out that slower dipping offcutter again. Destiny's child Samuels, twice Man of the Match in World T20 final wins, got another chance as Dhoni edged while trying to push this into the off side for the safer route. Samuels caught it this time. Bravo had taken a stunning catch earlier to get rid of Ajinkya Rahane and had taken the crucial wicket of Virat Kohli without pulling out his Champion Dance, but turns out he had saved it for something special: this.

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INDIA VS WEST INDIES,4TH TEST DRAWS DUE TO RAIN

West Indies v India, 4th Test, Port of Spain, 5th day August 22, 2016

Farce ends as third-shortest Test ever

The farce in Port of Spain ended in bright sunshine with no play possible, just like the earlier three days. Called off at 9.30am on the fifth day, this was the third-shortest non-abandoned Test ever.

This was the first Test played in August in Trinidad, which is the rainy season. The outfield had taken a lot of beating in the days leading up to the Test, but the ground staff was economical with covering the ground when it rained, leaving the bowlers' run-up exposed. There was no super sopper available either. As a result the field didn't recover from the rain on day one, and only 22 overs - all in the first session of the Test - were bowled.

The draw meant India lost their No. 1 ranking to Pakistan one week after they had gained it thanks to the whitewash of Australia in Sri Lanka. They still won the series 2-0, the first time they won two Tests in a series in the West Indies.

 

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INDIA VS WEST INDIES, 4TH TEST, PORT OF SPAIN - DAY 4

India vs West Indies, 4th Test, Day 4 at Port of Spain, Trinidad

Play called off: 

Wow that was quick! The umpires had a long discussion with West Indies coach Phil Simmons and Indian coach Anil Kumble and it was decided that play would be called off already despite the bright sunshine. That's three days in a row now! Pakistan will have to wait for one more day now before they get crowned as the new World No.1.

Absolutely: 

When you are waiting at the hotel & getting bored. Rains are annoying when a match is going on

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli

Build up: 

Only 22 overs have been bowled in three days as rain has had a major say in the final Test. Even though we have had bright spells of sunshine on many occasions, the wet patches on the outfield haven't dried up and hence not even a single delivery was bowled on day two and day three. This is a huge blow in India's quest to retain their No.1 spot in the Test rankings. It's a bit bizarre that a Test match has been scheduled in this part of the world in August as it usually rains at this time of the year. The umpires will conduct an inspection shortly but the signs aren't good yet.

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INDIA VS WEST INDIES, 4TH TEST, PORT OF SPAIN - DAY 3

India vs West Indies, 4th Test, Day 3 at Port of Spain

Play called off: 

A wet outfield, followed by heavy showers, meant that the umpires were forced to call off the play for the day. A second day in succession being abandoned without a single ball being bowled has dealt a big blow to India's prospects of retaining the No. 1 ranking. With the outfield taking a long time to dry, and the unavailability of a super-sopper, puts the fourth day's play too under doubt.

 Heavens open up: 

As expected, the dark clouds that were hovering above the ground, brought with them a heavy spell of rain, forcing more covers to be brought on. Even the area that was dug up to hasten the drying process, had to be covered. This should be the end of the day's play, official confirmation awaited. Considering the abysmal drainage at the ground and the limited resources available for the groundsmen, it could well be the end of the Test.

Update: 

Just when the umpires were getting ready for the inspection, dark clouds forced the groundsmen to bring the covers on. With a portion of the outfield already dug up, the Test maybe as good as over if the intensity of the rain increases.

Build-up: 

The first session on day one saw 22 overs being played, following which there has been no action at all in the fourth Test at Port of Spain, apart from groundsmen being kept busy and the umpires doing some inspections from time to time. While rain played spoilsport on day one, washing out the second and third sessions, no play was possible at all on day two, despite no rain. A wet outfield forced the day's play to be called off and inadequate drying facilities at the ground added to the woes.

While day three was again expected to begin early, the outfield is still soggy, leading to a further delay. "Folks here have some questions to answer. Not having a Super Sopper is unacceptable," said Viv Richards, disappointed with the facilities at the ground. A pitch fork was used to check how much the outfield has dried, but the signs weren't promising as the fork sank in with ease, indicating the wetness underneath. After several inspections on day two which did not provide any positive news, another inspection has been scheduled for today, at 11:00 AM local time. Will there be a different script today?

Unfortunately for the Indian team, which needs a victory to remain No. 1 in the Test rankings, there aren't any promising news. Thunderstorms have been forecast for later today, and in case the intensity of the showers happen to be as much as it was on day one, this Test is as good as over. But for now, fingers crossed.

 © Cricket Fever

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INDIA VS WEST INDIES, 4TH TEST, PORT OF SPAIN - DAY 2

Outfield consumes two sessions, rain the last

     West Indies 62 for 2 (Brathwaite 32*) v India

Port of Rain: There was little rain but the wet outfield accounted for the whole second day's play

From the moment Port of Spain woke up to 2.15pm, when any hope of a resumption of play evaporated, no rain fell at Queen's Park Oval. Yet not a single ball was bowled despite the sun beating down on the ground till 2pm.

The umpires came out for inspection after inspection after inspection, but didn't find the outfield to be fit for play. There was no super sopper to assist the ground staff nor was the whole ground covered when it rained. The eventual downpour at 2.15pm, 15 minutes before yet another inspection, accounted for any remaining hopes.

With only 22 overs possible on the first two days, with forecast not great for the rest of the Test and given the facilities available at Queen's Park Oval, only an unbelievable three days could produce a result. India needed to win this Test to retain their No. 1 Test ranking and not lose it to Pakistan. West Indies were 62 for 2 after 22 overs, all bowled in the first session on the first morning.

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INDIA VS WEST INDIES - 4TH TEST, PORT OF SPAIN - DAY1

West Indies lose two before rain washes out 68 overs

     West Indies 62 for 2 (Brathwaite 32*) v India

Ishant Sharma struck with the first ball he bowled

India's hopes of retaining the No. 1 Test ranking going into the home season suffered a setback as only 22 overs were possible on the first day in wet Port of Spain. Forecast for the second day wasn't great either, and the facilities at the ground came under scrutiny too. The first day's play began half an hour late despite no rain since the evening before the Test, and it was called off as early as 2pm. There is no super sopper at Queen's Park Oval.

Any team will be a tad disappointed with losing two wickets in the first session after choosing to bat on a slow track, but such has been the state of the West Indies batting that they might take this, with the rain being the bonus. Only once in the series have they lost their third wicket after reaching three figures. Kraigg Brathwaite, who has shown the willingness to buckle down, did that job, but he will be disappointed they lost two wickets especially after he and Leon Johnson had seen off the first spells of the opening bowlers.

West Indies will be all the more disappointed because the pitch was really slow after having spent a lot of time under covers because of rain leading up to the Test. It had left the outfield wet enough to delay the start of the Test by half an hour. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who had cracked open the last Test for India, wasted little time, though, in creating opportunities. In his first four overs, he hit the outside edge of Brathwaite's bat four times: twice the ball fell short, once it travelled in the gap in the slip cordon, and once Virat Kohli dropped it at second slip, seeming to suggest he expected third slip KL Rahul to go for it.

That wasn't the first disfavour he had done his bowlers: he had decided to play just the four bowlers so that both Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma could be included. Also he dropped Shikhar Dhawan for M Vijay after an uncertain batting line-up had been reduced to 126 for 5 in the previous Test.

After seeing off Bhuvneshwar and Mohammed Shami for a partnership of 31 runs, Johnson fell to the first ball bowled by Ishant Sharma. This was his second straight dismissal to short leg, and again straight off the bat. Ishant got it just high enough into the ribs, but Johnson could have left it alone.
The second wicket didn't take so much co-operation from the batsman. After Darren Bravo had picked R Ashwin for a two and a four at his home ground, the next ball was just a bit shorter, creating the distance between the pitch of the ball and the bat. Then it had enough time to turn from middle and leg and past the outside edge to hit the top of off stump. That in the first session of a Test is excellent for a spinner.

Brathwaite, though, remained solid and in partnership with Marlon Samuels took West Indies to within 15 minutes of lunch when rain brought them early relief. As it turned out steady rain for the next hour or so was all it took for the day's play to be called off.

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INDIA VS WEST INDIES 4TH TEST REVIEW

Record-setting India aim for 3-0 series win

Rain is expected to play spoilsport during the course of the final Test

   

World No 1 - that's where the Indian Test team stands at the moment. It's a small incentive, as Virat Kohli rightly termed it, but the team is looking at continuing its winning form for much longer, in order to carve out an era.

India are 2-0 up with one game to play in the Test series against hosts West Indies, already a record scoreline for any Indian side visiting the Caribbean, and they will look to wrap up the series 3-0 when the two teams meet on Thursday at Queens Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The pitch at the Queens Park Oval looks like one that will play to the spinners' benefit and that will put India at more of an advantage. Ravichandran Ashwin has already scored two hundreds and picked up a truckload of wickets on the tour, and he will be looking at another strong performance to cap off a successful series.

India's batsmen have been in good form, too, with Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha and Ashwin all getting hundreds. The curator at Port of Spain reckons the pitch will be a good one for batsmen, even though there will be spin and bounce on offer. India's batsmen will be keen on putting up another big performance with the bat.

For the West Indies, the only way is up. They showed some fight during the second innings at Jamaica and the first at St Lucia. However, they slumped to a new low during their second innings in the third Test, losing wickets in a heap and succumbing to another big defeat. They will hope for a good performance from at least one of their top four batsmen, who have all been, expect Kraigg Brathwaite to some extent, in bad form. The middle-order failure in the last game exposed how dependent the team is on them, and they can ill afford another bad show with the bat, against an Indian team hungry for success.

 When: West Indies vs India, 4th Test on August 18 at 10:00 AM local time (7.30 PM IST)

Where: Sabina Park, Port-of-Spain Trinidad

What to expect: Rain is expected to play spoilsport during the course of the Test, and the pitch could play a tad differently. Kohli opined that the rain, and with the pitch kept under covers, could help the faster bowlers, while the curator felt that the pitch will be a good one for batsmen and spinners.

 Team News:

India: India sprung more than a couple of surprises during their last game in St Lucia, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them do so again in Port of Spain. Murali Vijay could come in for the out-of-form Shikhar Dhawan, while there might be a case for an extra seamer for Ravindra Jadeja, judging by Kohli's reading of the wicket.
Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Shardul Thakur have also been named in the sides to play in the Duleep Trophy. All three were left out of the starting XI in the last Test, and it will be interesting to see if the players are released to play in the pink-ball tournament if they are not picked for the fourth Test.
West Indies: The only change West Indies could make would be bringing in specialist spinner Devendra Bishoo for one of their pacers. Alzarri Joseph had a good debut, while Miguel Cummins sparkled with a six-fer in the second innings in St Lucia. It will be interesting to see which pacer gets the drop, should the team management go with Bishoo.

What they said:

Virat Kohli: If you're playing five batters and looking to bat someone at number five then the batting order that we played in the last game works. When we play six batters and four bowlers in home conditions maybe where you won't require that extra fifth bowler who might not bowl too many overs, then the combination becomes different. We are open to both

Jason Holder: Personally, I would like to get some better starts. Part of my job is to do the holding bit at one end, as the hard working boys tend to rest. I felt that I was always doing well in the series but just haven't got the wickets to show.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Cheteshwar Pujara, Stuart Binny

West Indies: Jason Holder, Devendra Bishoo, Kraigg Brathwaite, Carlos Brathwaite, Jermaine Blackwood, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Leon Johnson, Alzarri Joseph, Marlon Samuels

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