Fourth Test: India versus West Indies, Antigua

Antigua Test ends in tame draw

Day Five

The fourth Test ended in a tame draw on Tuesday, as the West Indies batted on aimlessly and India bowled all its 11 players.

There are days and there are matches like this that kill the joy of watching Test cricket. The fifth day of the match, with no possibility of a result -- with the exception of Shivnaraine Chanderpaul looking to score another Test century, his third of the series, and boost his average -- seemed too little motivation for either the players to play or the paying public to watch.

Morning session

Skipper Sourav Ganguly opened the bowling with Sachin Tendulkar, who was clobbered for a huge six over midwicket by Ridley Jacobs, to kick-off what promised to be the most boring day of the Test series yet.

India took the third new ball after four overs were bowled in the morning and wicketkeeper Jacobs clubbed Srinath to the cover boundary for a four. He then turned his attention to Ashish Nehra, flicking him one bounce to the midwicket fence to bring up the fifty-run partnership for the sixth-wicket.

This match belonged to the wicketkeepers. After Ajay Ratra sent the statisticians scurrying to update their record-books with his maiden Test century -- the first ever by a specialist Indian wicketkeeper on foreign soil -- Jacobs followed suit, swinging lustily at the weary Indian bowlers.

The burly left-handed batsman then guided Srinath past cover to register his eighth Test half-century and celebrated by cutting Srinath past the point fielder for another four.

Shivnaraine Chanderpaul's wife sat alone in the stands, anxiously anticipating her husband's century. But the batsman was in no hurry to get to the three-figure mark, playing with the full face of the bat and strolling through for singles. He flicked a full-toss from Zaheer Khan towards mid-wicket and ran a couple to get his coveted Test century -- his fourth against India -- - and went down on his knees in customary fashion and kissed the turf. The hundred also coincided with the century-partnership between him and Jacobs, off 222 balls.

Jacobs, who seemed keen to reach his second Test ton, casually flicked Ashish Nehra for another six, which forced Ganguly to take off the left-arm bowler.

The fifth-day, contrary to expectations, was entertaining, with Jacobs wielding the willow and scoring at a frenetic pace. The first session of play saw runs scored at 3.26 runs an over - the best scoring rate of the Test.

Chanderpaul, undefeated on 106, and Jacobs, on 77 and racing towards a ton, went to lunch with the West Indies on 494 for 5, trailing the Indian first innings total by 19 runs.

Post Lunch session

India's sole hope of getting an early breakthrough was grassed by VVS Laxman off Ashish Nehra's bowling as the focus shifted to Ridley Jacobs's century. And Jacobs did not disappoint, slapping a slower ball from Zaheer straight over the bowler's head to overhaul the Indian first innings total of 513 for 9 declared.

After a couple of overs he swung hard at Laxman for a huge six that disappeared into the city. Raising his arms, Jacobs celebrated his second Test century, which came off 172 balls, with nine fours and five sixes. And for the first time ever in Test cricket the wicketkeepers of both teams had scored centuries in the same match.

Ganguly finally decided to rest his main bowlers and tossed the ball to Laxman and Rahul Dravid to bowl their off-cutters. Dravid finally got India the first wicket of the day, when Jacobs, playing his slog-sweep shot that fetched the majority of his runs, found Laxman at mid-wicket taking a sharp catch.

Jacobs made 118 off 206 balls in the West Indies total of 548 for 6 as the match petered towards a draw. All the Indian players, barring wicketkeeper Ratra, turned their arm around even as Mervyn Dillon scored a quickfire 31.

At tea, the hosts were 591 for 6, with Chanderpaul still batting on 125 runs, which came off 454 balls.

Post Tea session

Even as a mockery of the game continued well past tea, Chanderpaul batted as if he was battling to save the match. Dillon, on the other hand, swung carelessly at the part-time bowlers to help the Windies cross the 600-run mark for the first time since 1995.

India, preserving its pace bowlers -- something they should have done since yesterday afternoon - bowled all 11 players, including Wasim Jaffer, who picked two wickets, Laxman and Dravid, who bagged a wicket each, and wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra.

Jaffer had Dillon dragging the ball onto the stumps while Pedro Collins holed out to substitute fielder Harbhajan Singh in the deep. Sanford slogged Laxman to long-on for Zaheer to complete a simple catch.

Skipper Carl Hooper finally declared at 629 for 9 and both captains decided to call it a day.

With the series level one-all and one Test left to be played in Jamaica, a fast bowler's paradise, both teams will have a lot to play for.

Ajay Ratra won the man of the match award for his gritty maiden ton.

Scoreboard

Day 4
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Day 2
Day1