Windies 'A' push India 'A' to the wall

MYSORE: For the third day in succession, India 'A' were left ruing their timid decision to throw away the toss as the first unofficial 'test' against West Indies 'A' seemed to be gradually slipping out of their grasp.

At close on the third day at the Gangotri Glades, an eternally grateful West Indies team exhibited their appreciation of Indian charity by pounding them at will.

At close, the visitors, after grabbing a huge 184-run lead, stretched it further by rattling up an impressive 130 for three on a slow but crumbling pitch on Friday.

If 'A' team cricket is all about learning, there is at least one invaluable lesson Cheteshwar Pujara would have absorbed by now: the toss is the captain's call. He might discuss with other players, coach, etc, but he is the one in the hot seat.

Perhaps coach Lalchand Rajput, with an opening batsman's in-built suspicion of fresh pitches, talked him into fielding first. Or, perhaps it was an error of judgment.

But the call was all Pujara's and he, an accomplished frontline batsman, will be devastated after seeing the deterioration in the pitch.

India's best chance to get back into the game was in the morning when the pitch played at its best. It was also the time when overnight batsmen Manpreet Juneja and Harshad Khadiwale batted with assurance. Juneja was on top of the bowling.

Unfortunately for him, West Indies' skipper Kirk Edwards did not miss a trick. He set defensive fields for paceman Miguel Cummins and left-arm spinner Nikta Miller while waiting for the effects of the roller on the pitch to wear off.

Juneja, 47 overnight, coasted to 84 with an ease that belied the challenge of a slow, two-bounce pitch. Khadiwale, a lot more limited in scope, played well within himself as the fourth-wicket pair added 75 runs.

The introduction of double left-arm spin changed the equation rapidly. Permaul Veerasammy and Miller, both bowling flat and a steady line, found purchase in the surface.

Juneja (84; 154balls, 11x4) was trapped in front by a delivery that shot through low. Two more wickets fell for the addition of a mere two runs to wreck the Indian innings beyond repair.

Miller, who bowled right through the Indian innings on Friday, came away with four for 61 while Veerasammy scalped 5 for 85.

Both had bowled in excess of 30 overs apiece and that, perhaps, was the reason the West Indies did not enforce the follow-on.

Brief Scores:

West Indies 'A': 429 & 130-3 (Powell 68, Brathwaite 34; Rasool 2-41) vs India 'A': 245 (Juneja 84, Motwani not out 28; Permaul 5-85, Miller 4-61).

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Shweta Pandey

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