Player of the Match
Player of the Match

That brings an end to another madcap game between these two sides. If they keep producing games like this, we might have a collective outbreak of missing nails among cricket fans by the time the series is over. Here's hoping for more of these close finishes, though some good cricket to boot won't be bad either. On behalf of the gang at Cricinfo, this is Nitin Sundar signing off. On your way out, do check Sid Ravi's report as it gets updated here. Cheers and bye!

Rohit is the Man of the Match. A really good innings from him, despite the untimely dismissal. "The idea was to play through out the innings, but unfortunately I wasn't able to finish it. But it doesn't matter now, we won the game. I needed support from Jadeja at that stage, we played to a plan and he batted brilliantly. Even Vinay Kumar batted really well. I didn't have much cricket after my injury, but luckily did well in the Ranji games. I am glad I got an opportunity under pressure and managed to pull it through."

Sehwag: "I was sitting in the same place and not moving! Good to win another nail-biter. Whatever you tell No. 10 or No. 11, they always do what they want to do. I just told them to play till the end and whatever happens is fine. Rohit and Jadeja batted really well in that partnership and we should have won it easily from there, but still good to end up winning. Hope to learn from our batting mistakes in the coming games."

As @Crownish points out, the whole of Orissa seems to be out there on the dais for the presentation.

Sammy: "Everytime you lose it is quite disappointing. We just didn't have the last spark to take us past the finish line. The opening bowlers did well to give us a start and we fought all the way to the end, but it wasn't enough. We could have done things differently, we even bowled 23 extras, but I would like to commend the boys."

Rohit leaps and releases his pent-up tension with an expletive that isn't good news for someone's sister. We have had two great finishes, but do spare a thought for my poor colleague Sid Ravindran who is just about starting on his final match report! He was on report duties for the Wankhede Test as well. A great finish, brought about by some hideously poor cricket from both sides. Only Sammy knows why he was bowling this over. Russell has been the better bowler today, and he should have been the first-choice. Sammy conceded two fours to the worst batsmen in the India side. Game over.

"True buddies.. Aaron and Yadav.. same number of wkts and same runs," says Bhushan.

Sitanshu: "Take that Graeme Swann! And you want ODIs to be abandoned?" There's a reason for that Sitanshu. See where England are in the Test and T20 ratings? And where they are in the one-day ratings? Easy choice for Swanny really.

48.5
4
Sammy to Yadav, FOUR, India have somehow won a match that neither team seemed interested in winning! Umesh Yadav has slammed a four down the ground. What epic timing for a No. 11! Sammy pitched it up on the stumps, Umesh gets the front foot across and on-drives with a strong bottom hand. The field is in, it easily passes mid-on and rolls down the ground in slow motion before popping over the ropes. Umesh was beaming wildly as he ran across, he knew it immediately. He joins Aaron, the man who was shielding him from the strike sometime back, in a mid-pitch embrace. The tear-aways from India have somehow pulled their side home in a classic.
48.4
0
Sammy to Yadav, no run, Is Courtney Walsh watching? Umesh lets one go outside off, and it reminds me of Walsh's superb leave against Gillespie in that epic Lara Test from 1999. Full length, just outside off, and he lets it go without chasing it.
48.3
1
Sammy to Aaron, 1 run, he's got away another run! Aaron hangs back and opens the face and steers in front of point for a single. There might have been a second too, but he slipped while turning. Dujon calls it a "Speed wobble". What a legend!
48.2
4
Sammy to Aaron, FOUR, Aaron does his mighty best to make up for some hare-brained batting and running until now. What a time to get a boundary. Short and wide outside off, Aaron cracks it away behind square for four. The Indian team is delighted, Rohit can't bear the tension.
48.1
1
Sammy to Yadav, 1 run, Umesh gets the single again, gets the front foot across perilously and then manages to work it to the leg side for a single.

END OF OVER:
48 | 2 Runs | IND: 203/9 (9 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 4.22, RRR: 4.50)

  • Varun Aaron1 (9b)
  • Umesh Yadav1 (6b)
  • Anthony Martin6-1-35-1
  • Daren Sammy8-1-30-1
47.6
0
Martin to Aaron, no run, full ball to end the over, Aaron plays it back to the bowler. Martin picks it up and makes as if to throw, Aaron is in his crease. Pressure on the youngsters!
47.5
1
Martin to Yadav, 1 run, Run out appeal, but Aaron is in. Umesh props his front foot across and makes himself prone for the lbw, but manages to get bat on it and work it down to fine leg. This time Aaron runs, and even wants a second. Umesh refused rightly, and Aaron just about managed to beat the direct hit.

Umesh has a word with him. "So will we run this time?"

47.4
1
Martin to Aaron, 1 run, Aaron gets the single, jumps out and drives down to long-off for one.

Slip and short leg in place. 15 balls gone without a run, and two wickets have gone.

West Indies tour of India 2011-12 News

India 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st37V SehwagPA Patel
2nd4G GambhirV Sehwag
3rd6V SehwagV Kohli
4th4V SehwagRG Sharma
5th8SK RainaRG Sharma
6th83RG SharmaRA Jadeja
7th17R AshwinRG Sharma
8th42R Vinay KumarRG Sharma
9th0R Vinay KumarVR Aaron
10th12VR AaronUT Yadav