Ganguly takes India to a draw in Barbados tie
Saurav Ganguly hit a
defiant, unbeaten 73 as India held on for a draw on the final day
of their three-day match against Barbados at the Kensington Oval.
India trailed on the first innings by 128 after the home team
declared at their overnight 338 for four. The visitors reached 166
for five in their second innings when play was called off with a
minimum of 25 overs still scheduled to be bowled.
Openers Ajay Jadeja and V V S Laxman gave India a solid start,
adding 61 for the first wicket. But both were dismissed as three
wickets fell for just six runs to the Barbadian fast medium
bowlers.
Jadeja edged to Otis Gibson in the slips off Hendy Bryan for
32. In the same over, Bryan removed Robin Singh for a duck, Vasbert
Drakes clinging on to a remarkable catch at leg slip diving to his
left.
Drakes returned soon afterwards to extract Laxman's off stump
for 30 and India slumped to 67 for three.
Rain assisted the Indians's cause, delaying play after lunch for
90 minutes with the score at 76 for three.
After the resumption, the 24-year-old Ganguly continued to play
positively and, despite the cheap fall of wickets of Rahul Dravid
and acting captain Navjot Sidhu, both sides seemed resigned to a draw.
Ganguly hit ten fours during his top score, while Saba
Karim was unbeaten on nine in an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 45 when
umpires called off play at 5:10 pm.
Bryan was the most successful Barbadian bowler, with three
wickets for 37 runs off 17 overs. Drakes and Gibson each had
one wicket.
The third Test between India and the West Indies begins at
the same venue on Thursday.
Scoreboard at close on the final day:
India (1st innings): 210
Barbados (1st innings): 338 for four declared (overnight)
India (2nd innings):
Ajay Jadeja c Gibson b Bryan 32
V V S Laxman b Drakes 30
Robin Singh c Drakes b Bryan 0
Saurav Ganguly not out 73
Rahul Dravid c Browne b Bryan 3
Navjot Sidhu c Browne b Thompson 6
Saba Karim not out 9
Extras (b4, lb1, w1, nb7):13
Total (for 5) 166
Wickets fell at: 1/61,1/61,3/67,4/102,5/121.
Noel David, Sunil Joshi, Dodda Ganesh, Abey Kuruvilla did not bat.
Bowling: Gibson 6-0-16-0 (nb1), Thompson 11-3-34-1 (w1), Drakes
13-1-45-1 (nb5), Bryan 17-5-37-3 (nb1), Marshall 5-1-18-0, Proverbs
4-1-11-0.
Umpires: Dalton Holder, Halley Moore.
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