Miss of the day
Darren Sammy and Kirk Edwards will not be at the same dinner table tonight. You cannot sit with your captain and chit-chat especially if you spill an easy catch early into the opposition innings and then fail to anticipate and respond to another opportunity later in the day. When Gautam Gambhir opened the face of the bat to glide the ball between the slips, Edwards, standing at the first slip, stretched to his left lazily. What was supposed to be an easy catch never was. Mid-pitch Sammy, half his face covered in zinc cream, resembled a disgruntled warrior, as he stared hard at the man who had deprived him of a second wicket. Though Edwards tried to offer some explanation at the change of overs, his captain just ignored him.
Negligence par excellence
With 45 minutes of play left, Sammy had been dispatched to the midwicket boundary by a VVS Laxman flick. Next ball, Sammy pitched short on the off stump. An over-eager Laxman quickly moved across and tried to pull. The thick outside edge looped high towards short point. As Laxman went in circles trying to figure where the ball was, Edwards, who was standing at gully did not pick the ball at all. Neither did Marlon Samuels at cover, who didn't move a step. It was an astounding act of negligence by the West Indies fielders and Sammy, rightly, let out a cry of disbelief, raising his hands.
Tendulkar moment of the day
Though Sammy said he would do everything to break the hearts of Indian fans tomorrow morning in his attempt to deny Sachin Tendulkar the century, he might have suffered few palpitating moments, at first slip, when Carlton Baugh let go the Indian on 58. Devendra Bishoo, who has got Tendulkar's number already twice so far in the series, nearly added to his tally when Tendulkar tried to cheekily glide it past the narrow alley between the wicketkeeper and the first slip. But Baugh, usually an alert glovesman, missed out on the opportunity.
Shout of the day
"VVS, VVS, VVS" the crowd chanted so loudly it might have floored the phlegmatic Laxman, who is not used to such a delirious reception.
Ball of the day
For India to force a result in this match, they needed Virender Sehwag to bat four sessions. Instead, he lasted just 50 balls, the last of which nipped back sharply to hit middle and leg. Sammy may lack pace, but his accuracy and ability to deviate the ball off the seam have made him the pick of the West Indies bowlers.
Goal-line clearance of the day
The last ball before tea, from Bishoo, was defended solidly enough, but it somehow spun back toward the stumps. Rahul Dravid was alert to the danger though and side-footed it away just as it was about to disturb the stumps. Given their sloppy defending of late, Chelsea might just be tempted to give him a trial.
Upper-cut of the day
It's the shot that millions of Indians will forever associate with a World Cup game against Pakistan in Centurion in 2003. Shoaib Akhtar was the bowler then. Today, it was Fidel Edwards pitching one short and wide of off stump. Sachin Tendulkar leaned back and bunted it way over the slip cordon and over the rope at fine leg. Just over 20,000 fans roared in approval.