Dravid, Sachin Miss Centuries, Rain-Ruined Fifth Test Drawn

GEORGETOWN, Guyana: West Indies completed a 1-0 win in their Test series against India, April 21, after the rain-ruined fifth and final match petered out into the inevitable draw.

The draw became a certainty after two-and-a-half days’ play were lost at the Bourda ground, which lies below sea level and suffers from frequent tropical downpours. There was no cricket between the close on Thursday, the first day, and mid-afternoon Sunday, the fourth day.

Consequently, West Indies, who reached 145 for three at the close in reply to India’s first innings’ 355 all out, won the series thanks to their 38-run win in the third Test in Barbados.

A fairly meaningless final day saw West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul underline his rich form with an innings of 58 not out, his fourth score over 50 in the series.

Earlier former India Captain Mohammad Azharuddin completed 5,000 runs in Test cricket. He reached the milestone in his 83rd Test when he had scored 20, although he was out 11 runs later. Earlier Skipper Sachin Tendulkar had made 83 runs and Rahul Dravid was unlucky to miss his century by 8 runs, out chasing a wide ball.

Tendulkar said: "We played bad cricket on the fourth day of the Barbados Test match for those three hours. Otherwise, looking back, we have done decently on this tour." [India were poised to win that Test but surprisingly out for 81 runs. They had to score only 120 runs to win].

The teams now face each other in four one-day internationals which begin in Trinidad with back-to-back matches, April 26 and 27 at Queen’s Park Oval.

Once India, who lost their remaining five wickets for 75 runs, had been bowled out, the West Indies batsmen appeared intent on getting in some practice for the limited over games.

There were strokes of all descriptions from Chanderpaul, whose 443 runs at an average of 73.83 made him the most prolific batsman of the series toppingng batsman Stuart Williams and left- hander world record holder Brian Lara.

ng pair Chanderpaul and Williams shared 72 at better than a run-a-minute for the first wicket.

Williams hit five fours and a six as he made 44 off 46 balls before playing back to leg-spinner Anil Kumble’s googly and out lbw.

His replacement Lara brought the crowd to its feet when he smashed six fours and a six off 16 balls in 31 minutes. In one over, he hit Kumble for three fours to various points along the leg-side boundary.

Lara then lifted Sunil Joshi for a straight six, but in trying to repeat the shot off the same bowler, he lofted a catch to Navjot Sidhu at mid-off and was out for 30.

Chanderpaul, whod the innings with Williams because Sherwin Campbell was sidelined with sinusitus, carried on to reach his 50 in just under two hours off 89 balls.

Carl Hooper, his third partner, was run out for one when he was left stranded by Chanderpaul, who failed to respond to his call for an extra run.

Chanderpaul and Courtney Browne, not out 0, were at the crease when play ended.

Earlier, off-spinner Hooper had captured three wickets as India, 241 for four overnight, were bowled out for 355 just before the tea interval. (Reuter)

Score Board 

India first innings

 A.Jadeja c Browne b Bishop       8

 N.Sidhu c Hooper b Walsh        36

 R.Dravid c Hooper b Rose        92

 S.Tendulkar c & b bishop        83

M.Azharuddin c Browne b Rose         31

   N.Mongia c Hooper b Rose             39

   A.Kumble c Walsh b Hooper            15

   S.Joshi c Browne b Chanderpaul        7

   D.Ganesh c Browne b Hooper            7

   A.Kuruvilla c bishop b Hooper         5

   V.Prasad not out                      0

   Extras (b-8, lb-8, w-3, nb-

   Total                               355

   Fall of wickets: 3 7-322

.

   Bowling: Ambrose  (nb4, w1), Bishop 31-9-61-2

(nb3), Rose  (nb4), Walsh  (nb1), Hooper

18-7-34-3, Chanderpaul 29-8-56-1 (nb1, w2).

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