Shami chips away at WI
Pacer bowls his heart out to strike twice even as stubborn Brathwaite keeps India at bay.
Mohammed Shami picked up the crucial wicket of Darren Bravo just before lunch to peg West Indies back on day three of the first Test. The hosts were 90 for three at lunch, still trailing by 476 runs in reply to India’s 566 for eight declared.
Kraigg Brathwaite (46 batting) defied the Indian bowlers along with Devendra Bishoo (12), as the duo put on 38 for the second wicket but more importantly frustrated the visitors by batting out 17.5 overs.
Brathwaite was happy to leave as many deliveries as possible, and he was helped by the wide deliveries. When the spin came on, he looked to attack R Ashwin. The breakthrough finally came as Mishra (1/7) was introduced into the attack, and Bishoo was stumped going for a sweep shot.
Bravo looked solid for a short while. Kohli changing around his bowlers too quickly perhaps helped him in this endeavour, particularly the pacers who all bowled short spells from the Sir Curtly Ambrose End. Ishant and Umesh were taken off after one and two over spells respectively.
It seemed as if Bravo would be able to take the West Indies to lunch without any further loss, but he played at an outswinging delivery that he didn’t really need to, and ended up edging behind to keeper Wriddhiman Saha.
Meanwhile, Vivian Richards has heaped praise on Kohli, describing his maiden double hundred in the Antigua Test as “magnificent” and “classy. “I think it was a magnificent hundred. To score a double hundred at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground is a formidable task in terms of what he has achieved,” Richards said. “When I met him at the hotel (before the Test series) I did say good luck, but I didn’t believe he would take it this far in terms of achieving a double. As a batsman myself, it was very pleasing to see and even though it was against the West Indies, I do appreciate seeing class and his was a classy knock,” he added.
“I think it’s very special and for those of us here in Antigua and Barbuda (too), who appreciate seeing good knocks and seeing good batsmen perform,” he said. “Those who weren’t here missed something, but I saw it and I am happy to say that it’s the first time I saw (Virat) Kohli make century and to see him complete the double. I was here to speak, so I had a very good seat and I thoroughly enjoyed that.
Mohammed Shami picked up the crucial wicket of Darren Bravo just before lunch to peg West Indies back on day three of the first Test. The hosts were 90 for three at lunch, still trailing by 476 runs in reply to India’s 566 for eight declared.
Kraigg Brathwaite (46 batting) defied the Indian bowlers along with Devendra Bishoo (12), as the duo put on 38 for the second wicket but more importantly frustrated the visitors by batting out 17.5 overs.
Bishoo looked to stay with his partner for as long as possible, and he was successful in achieving that goal. He frustrated the Indian bowlers for nearly 70 minutes, and in this interim, saw off the likes of Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Shami without much discomfort. Part of it had to do with the fact that the Indian pacers were guilty of bowling too short, especially to the night watchman. Ishant was a disappointment in particular in this scenario as skipper Virat Kohli looked at him twice to bring about a dismissal. Shami troubled Bishoo the most, but couldn’t induce an edge.
Brathwaite was happy to leave as many deliveries as possible, and he was helped by the wide deliveries. When the spin came on, he looked to attack R Ashwin. The breakthrough finally came as Mishra (1/7) was introduced into the attack, and Bishoo was stumped going for a sweep shot.
Bravo looked solid for a short while. Kohli changing around his bowlers too quickly perhaps helped him in this endeavour, particularly the pacers who all bowled short spells from the Sir Curtly Ambrose End. Ishant and Umesh were taken off after one and two over spells respectively.
It seemed as if Bravo would be able to take the West Indies to lunch without any further loss, but he played at an outswinging delivery that he didn’t really need to, and ended up edging behind to keeper Wriddhiman Saha.
Meanwhile, Vivian Richards has heaped praise on Kohli, describing his maiden double hundred in the Antigua Test as “magnificent” and “classy. “I think it was a magnificent hundred. To score a double hundred at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground is a formidable task in terms of what he has achieved,” Richards said. “When I met him at the hotel (before the Test series) I did say good luck, but I didn’t believe he would take it this far in terms of achieving a double. As a batsman myself, it was very pleasing to see and even though it was against the West Indies, I do appreciate seeing class and his was a classy knock,” he added.
“I think it’s very special and for those of us here in Antigua and Barbuda (too), who appreciate seeing good knocks and seeing good batsmen perform,” he said. “Those who weren’t here missed something, but I saw it and I am happy to say that it’s the first time I saw (Virat) Kohli make century and to see him complete the double. I was here to speak, so I had a very good seat and I thoroughly enjoyed that.
