A devastating spell of swing bowling by Bhuvneshwar Kumar put India in command on the fourth day of the third test against West Indies in St Lucia on Friday. 
 
Kumar ripped through the middle order and tail, moving the second new ball both ways through the air and off the seam to pick up five wickets at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet. 
 
Playing his first test in 19 months, he took five for 33 in 23.4 overs as West Indies lost their last seven wickets for 23 runs to be all out for 225 in the first innings. 
 
India then reached 157 for three by the close of play, 285 runs ahead, leaving captain Virat Kohli to ponder the best time to declare on the final day on Saturday.&nbsp; 
 
All of Kumar&#39;s dismissals were achieved with quality deliveries, three caught in the slips, one bowled and one lbw.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;That was a spell of consistent, high-quality swing bowling,&quot; said former West Indies player Jeffrey Dujon on television commentary. 
 
&quot;He gave all the batsmen trouble, swung it in, swung it out, set up Marlon Samuels beautifully and really didn&#39;t move too much from that tight off-stump line.&quot; 
 
Samuels was perhaps Kumar&#39;s most prized scalp, out for 48 when he was beaten by an inswinger that he chopped on to his stumps. 
 
One run earlier Jermaine Blackwood was caught at second slip off Kumar for 20. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite top-scored for West Indies with 64. 
 
Kohli went cheaply in India&#39;s&nbsp;second innings, trapped lbw by Miguel Cummins for four after making just three in the first knock. 
 
Ajinkya Rahane (51) and Rohit Sharma (41) were unbeaten at stumps. 
 
.(Reuters)

Playing his first test in 19 months, he took five wickets for 33 in 23.4 overs

A devastating spell of swing bowling by Bhuvneshwar Kumar put India in command on the fourth day of the third test against West Indies in St Lucia on Friday. Kumar ripped through the middle order and tail, moving the second new ball both ways through the air and off the seam to pick up five wickets at the Darren Sammy Stadium in Gros Islet. Playing his first test in 19 months, he took five for 33 in 23.4 overs as West Indies lost their last seven wickets for 23 runs to be all out for 225 in the first innings. India then reached 157 for three by the close of play, 285 runs ahead, leaving captain Virat Kohli to ponder the best time to declare on the final day on Saturday. All of Kumar's dismissals were achieved with quality deliveries, three caught in the slips, one bowled and one lbw. "That was a spell of consistent, high-quality swing bowling," said former West Indies player Jeffrey Dujon on television commentary. "He gave all the batsmen trouble, swung it in, swung it out, set up Marlon Samuels beautifully and really didn't move too much from that tight off-stump line." Samuels was perhaps Kumar's most prized scalp, out for 48 when he was beaten by an inswinger that he chopped on to his stumps. One run earlier Jermaine Blackwood was caught at second slip off Kumar for 20. Opener Kraigg Brathwaite top-scored for West Indies with 64. Kohli went cheaply in India's second innings, trapped lbw by Miguel Cummins for four after making just three in the first knock. Ajinkya Rahane (51) and Rohit Sharma (41) were unbeaten at stumps. .(Reuters)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar's five-wicket haul puts India on front foot against WI

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc toiled hard against Sri Lanka&#39;s top order today to leave the hosts on 216 for five at tea on the opening day of the second Test in Galle. 
 
Sri Lanka were looking confident after Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera&#39;s 108-run stand, but their departure after lunch saw the hosts in some trouble. 
 
Skipper Angelo Mathews, with his unbeaten 49, then ensured Sri Lanka stay in the hunt after electing to bat first on a bright sunny day. 
 
He has Dhanajaya de Silva (9 not out) for company. 
 
Starc (3-44), who marked the day with his 100th Test wicket, denied first-match centurion Mendis his second consecutive ton after getting the in-form batsman caught behind for 86. 
 
Off-spinner Nathan Lyon got the first wicket of the afternoon session after sending Perera (49) trudging back to the pavilion. 
 
Mathews came to the crease with a positive mindset as he made the reverse-sweep his stock shot against Lyon. His 55-ball stay was laced with two fours and three sixes. 
 
Earlier Mendis 137-ball stay was laced with 10 fours and two sixes as he entertained a lively home crowd at the Galle International Stadium. 
 
(AFP)

Skipper Angelo Mathews, with his unbeaten 49, ensured Sri Lanka stay in the hunt after electing to bat first

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc toiled hard against Sri Lanka's top order today to leave the hosts on 216 for five at tea on the opening day of the second Test in Galle. Sri Lanka were looking confident after Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera's 108-run stand, but their departure after lunch saw the hosts in some trouble. Skipper Angelo Mathews, with his unbeaten 49, then ensured Sri Lanka stay in the hunt after electing to bat first on a bright sunny day. He has Dhanajaya de Silva (9 not out) for company. Starc (3-44), who marked the day with his 100th Test wicket, denied first-match centurion Mendis his second consecutive ton after getting the in-form batsman caught behind for 86. Off-spinner Nathan Lyon got the first wicket of the afternoon session after sending Perera (49) trudging back to the pavilion. Mathews came to the crease with a positive mindset as he made the reverse-sweep his stock shot against Lyon. His 55-ball stay was laced with two fours and three sixes. Earlier Mendis 137-ball stay was laced with 10 fours and two sixes as he entertained a lively home crowd at the Galle International Stadium. (AFP)

Aussie bowlers chip away against Sri Lanka

Australia faced an uphill struggle to save the first Test against Sri Lanka&#39;s rampant spinners after losing three early second innings wickets Friday while trying to chase down a formidable target of 268. 
 
The tourists were precariously placed at 83 for three, with skipper Steve Smith unbeaten on 26, when bad light forced an early end to play for the fourth day running in Pallekele. 
 
The world number one Test team still need another 185 runs for victory on the final day on Saturday, when Sri Lanka&#39;s trio of spinners will expect to capitalise on their early inroads against the tourists. 
 
The hosts&#39; leading left-arm spinner Rangana Herath struck in only the second over of the Australian innings when he bowled vice-captain David Warner for one. 
 
Usman Khawaja started positively with three fours but he was ruled leg before wicket to off-spinner Dilruwan Perera when he attempted a sweep shot after making 18, leaving Australia reeling at 33/2. 
 
Then the debutant Lakshan Sandakan joined the party with a ball that turned sharply and bowled opener Joe Burns, who had looked well set on 29. 
 
One run later, first innings top scorer Adam Voges was ruled lbw to Perera for no score, but the batsman reviewed the decision successfully. 
 
With the ball turning alarmingly, Smith and Voges then suppressed their urge to play attacking shots while keeping the scoreboard ticking over with some sharply run singles. 
 
&quot;It should be an interesting game if we get the full quota of 90 overs... We are still confident,&quot; Australia batting coach Stuart Law told reporters. &quot;We saw Sri Lankans sweeping a lot. Our guys being a bit taller, sweep shot is a bit difficult so we try to use our feet,&quot; Law said. 
 
Aussie rearguard, Smith&#39;s 54-ball innings has not featured any boundaries so far, while his partner Voges was batting in a similarly steadfast mood, reaching nine at the close of play off 25 deliveries. 
 
Australia&#39;s struggles against the Sri Lankan bowlers further underlined the importance of Kusal Mendis&#39; superb maiden Test century in what has been a low-scoring Test. 
 
No other player on either side has passed 50. After starting the day unbeaten on 169, Mendis only managed another seven runs before he played away from his body to a full length delivery from Mitchell Starc to be caught behind by wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. 
 
Starc was the pick of the Australian bowlers, finishing the innings with figures of four for 84. Herath and Nuwan Pradeep added 30 runs for the last wicket off 29 deliveries before the Sri Lanka innings ended after substitute fielder Moises Henriques took a spectacular catch at extra cover. 
 
Sri Lanka, who were 282 for six overnight, eventually managed to reach a total of 353, 267 runs ahead of the Australians. 
 
It was a remarkable turnaround after they conceded a first innings lead of 86 to the tourists, who were presented with the mace as the world&#39;s number one team on the eve of the match. 
 
Much of their hopes of victory will rest on the shoulders of the 38-year-old Herath, who took four wickets in the first innings and has a reputation of cleaning up on the last day in home Tests. &quot;Pleasingly, a few balls started to turn quite sharply before the players came off for bad light,&quot; said Sri Lanka&#39;s head coach Graham Ford. 
 
&quot;Hoping tomorrow that a few things will go our way, and we&#39;ll be able to press home and hopefully finish off with a big victory,&quot; he said. The second Test will be held in Galle from August 4-8 and the third in Colombo from August 13-17. 
 
(AFP)

Sri Lanka, who were 282 for six overnight, eventually managed to reach a total of 353, 267 runs ahead of the Australians

Australia faced an uphill struggle to save the first Test against Sri Lanka's rampant spinners after losing three early second innings wickets Friday while trying to chase down a formidable target of 268. The tourists were precariously placed at 83 for three, with skipper Steve Smith unbeaten on 26, when bad light forced an early end to play for the fourth day running in Pallekele. The world number one Test team still need another 185 runs for victory on the final day on Saturday, when Sri Lanka's trio of spinners will expect to capitalise on their early inroads against the tourists. The hosts' leading left-arm spinner Rangana Herath struck in only the second over of the Australian innings when he bowled vice-captain David Warner for one. Usman Khawaja started positively with three fours but he was ruled leg before wicket to off-spinner Dilruwan Perera when he attempted a sweep shot after making 18, leaving Australia reeling at 33/2. Then the debutant Lakshan Sandakan joined the party with a ball that turned sharply and bowled opener Joe Burns, who had looked well set on 29. One run later, first innings top scorer Adam Voges was ruled lbw to Perera for no score, but the batsman reviewed the decision successfully. With the ball turning alarmingly, Smith and Voges then suppressed their urge to play attacking shots while keeping the scoreboard ticking over with some sharply run singles. "It should be an interesting game if we get the full quota of 90 overs... We are still confident," Australia batting coach Stuart Law told reporters. "We saw Sri Lankans sweeping a lot. Our guys being a bit taller, sweep shot is a bit difficult so we try to use our feet," Law said. Aussie rearguard, Smith's 54-ball innings has not featured any boundaries so far, while his partner Voges was batting in a similarly steadfast mood, reaching nine at the close of play off 25 deliveries. Australia's struggles against the Sri Lankan bowlers further underlined the importance of Kusal Mendis' superb maiden Test century in what has been a low-scoring Test. No other player on either side has passed 50. After starting the day unbeaten on 169, Mendis only managed another seven runs before he played away from his body to a full length delivery from Mitchell Starc to be caught behind by wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. Starc was the pick of the Australian bowlers, finishing the innings with figures of four for 84. Herath and Nuwan Pradeep added 30 runs for the last wicket off 29 deliveries before the Sri Lanka innings ended after substitute fielder Moises Henriques took a spectacular catch at extra cover. Sri Lanka, who were 282 for six overnight, eventually managed to reach a total of 353, 267 runs ahead of the Australians. It was a remarkable turnaround after they conceded a first innings lead of 86 to the tourists, who were presented with the mace as the world's number one team on the eve of the match. Much of their hopes of victory will rest on the shoulders of the 38-year-old Herath, who took four wickets in the first innings and has a reputation of cleaning up on the last day in home Tests. "Pleasingly, a few balls started to turn quite sharply before the players came off for bad light," said Sri Lanka's head coach Graham Ford. "Hoping tomorrow that a few things will go our way, and we'll be able to press home and hopefully finish off with a big victory," he said. The second Test will be held in Galle from August 4-8 and the third in Colombo from August 13-17. (AFP)

Sri Lankan spinners corner Aussies in tricky chase

Australia&#39;s bowlers ripped through Sri Lanka&#39;s brittle batting lineup to dismiss the home side for 117 early in the middle session on the first day of the opening test at Pallekele today. 
 
Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and off-spinner Nathan Lyon shared six wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Steve O&#39;Keefe picked up two apiece as the hosts were shot out shortly after lunch. 
 
Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva (24) was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, who have lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England. 
 
Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat on a dry pitch in the first match of the three-test series. 
 
Any hopes Mathews had of enjoying a strong start were soon shattered, however, after Australia pace duo Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc ensured the tourists took full control with the new ball by reducing the hosts to 18-3 inside 10 overs. 
 
Left-armer Starc, making his comeback after a long injury layoff, sent back Dimuth Karunaratne, with the opening batsman failing to get the umpire&#39;s leg before wicket verdict overturned on review. 
 
The 25-year-old Hazlewood, bowling an impeccable line and length, then dismissed Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva and returned for another spell before lunch to lure Dinesh Chandimal into an edge behind to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. 
 
Left-arm spinner Steve O&#39;Keefe, who was included alongside Lyon, was brought on in the ninth over by Australia captain Steve Smith and he was rewarded when he dismissed Mathews. 
 
Lyon found a lot of turn from the surface and picked up his three wickets from just seven deliveries after the lunch interval as Sri Lanka&#39;s batsman appeared keen to return to the pavilion as quickly as they departed it. 
 
Rangana Herath became Starc&#39;s second victim and Australia&#39;s ninth after Smith successfully overturned the umpire&#39;s &#39;not out&#39; decision for leg before on review. 
 
O&#39;Keefe finished off proceedings when he captured his second wicket of the innings with the removal of Nuwan Pradeep. 
 
Injury-ravaged Sri Lanka, ranked seventh in the world, also handed a debut to left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan against the world&#39;s top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia. 
 
(Reuters)

Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva was the top scorer for Sri Lanka

Australia's bowlers ripped through Sri Lanka's brittle batting lineup to dismiss the home side for 117 early in the middle session on the first day of the opening test at Pallekele today. Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and off-spinner Nathan Lyon shared six wickets, while Mitchell Starc and Steve O'Keefe picked up two apiece as the hosts were shot out shortly after lunch. Debutant all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva (24) was the top scorer for Sri Lanka, who have lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England. Earlier, Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews had won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to bat on a dry pitch in the first match of the three-test series. Any hopes Mathews had of enjoying a strong start were soon shattered, however, after Australia pace duo Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc ensured the tourists took full control with the new ball by reducing the hosts to 18-3 inside 10 overs. Left-armer Starc, making his comeback after a long injury layoff, sent back Dimuth Karunaratne, with the opening batsman failing to get the umpire's leg before wicket verdict overturned on review. The 25-year-old Hazlewood, bowling an impeccable line and length, then dismissed Kusal Mendis and Kaushal Silva and returned for another spell before lunch to lure Dinesh Chandimal into an edge behind to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill. Left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe, who was included alongside Lyon, was brought on in the ninth over by Australia captain Steve Smith and he was rewarded when he dismissed Mathews. Lyon found a lot of turn from the surface and picked up his three wickets from just seven deliveries after the lunch interval as Sri Lanka's batsman appeared keen to return to the pavilion as quickly as they departed it. Rangana Herath became Starc's second victim and Australia's ninth after Smith successfully overturned the umpire's 'not out' decision for leg before on review. O'Keefe finished off proceedings when he captured his second wicket of the innings with the removal of Nuwan Pradeep. Injury-ravaged Sri Lanka, ranked seventh in the world, also handed a debut to left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan against the world's top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia. (Reuters)

Australia dismiss Sri Lanka for 117 in opener

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and opted to bat on a dry pitch in the first test of the three-match series against Australia at Pallekele today. 
 
The injury-ravaged hosts, ranked seventh in the world, handed debuts to all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva and left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan. 
 
Mathews side, who lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England, are missing pacemen Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera while Suranga Lakmal was also ruled out from the match due to an ankle complaint. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s obvious, we&#39;ll have a bat,&quot; Mathews said after his counterpart Steve Smith called wrongly at the toss. 
 
&quot;Pitch looks pretty good but it can turn, probably around day two. We would like to put the runs on the board.&nbsp;We&#39;ve got a good set of young players you can look forward to.&quot; 
 
Australia captain Smith had earlier informed that the world&#39;s top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia, will go into the match with two slow bowlers in off-spinner Nathan Lyon and left-armer Steve O&#39;Keefe. 
 
Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc was back after a long injury layoff to lead Australia&#39;s pace attack. 
 
Smith, who is yet to lose a test when leading the side, said he would also have batted first had he won the toss. 
 
&quot;Looks like a pretty dry wicket and they&#39;re playing about four spinners so would have had the bat,&quot; said Smith, who is ranked number one among test batsmen in the world.&nbsp;&quot;(Opener David Warner)&#39;s back, which is pretty exciting for us, he is in great form so hopefully he&#39;s got some runs in this match.&nbsp;It&#39;s been a great prep and the boys are ready to go.&quot; 
 
Teams: 
 
Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Steve O&#39;Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon 
 
Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan 
 
(Reuters)

All-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva and left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan make their debuts with this match

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews won the toss and opted to bat on a dry pitch in the first test of the three-match series against Australia at Pallekele today. The injury-ravaged hosts, ranked seventh in the world, handed debuts to all-rounder Dhananjaya de Silva and left-arm slow bowler Lakshan Sandakan. Mathews side, who lost their last two test series in New Zealand and England, are missing pacemen Dhammika Prasad and Dushmantha Chameera while Suranga Lakmal was also ruled out from the match due to an ankle complaint. "It's obvious, we'll have a bat," Mathews said after his counterpart Steve Smith called wrongly at the toss. "Pitch looks pretty good but it can turn, probably around day two. We would like to put the runs on the board. We've got a good set of young players you can look forward to." Australia captain Smith had earlier informed that the world's top-ranked test side, who have won just one out of their last 15 tests in Asia, will go into the match with two slow bowlers in off-spinner Nathan Lyon and left-armer Steve O'Keefe. Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc was back after a long injury layoff to lead Australia's pace attack. Smith, who is yet to lose a test when leading the side, said he would also have batted first had he won the toss. "Looks like a pretty dry wicket and they're playing about four spinners so would have had the bat," said Smith, who is ranked number one among test batsmen in the world. "(Opener David Warner)'s back, which is pretty exciting for us, he is in great form so hopefully he's got some runs in this match. It's been a great prep and the boys are ready to go." Teams: Australia: David Warner, Joe Burns, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (captain), Adam Voges, Mitchell Marsh, Peter Nevill, Steve O'Keefe, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon Sri Lanka: Dimuth Karunaratne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews (captain), Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Perera, Rangana Herath, Dilruwan Perera, Nuwan Pradeep, Lakshan Sandakan (Reuters)

Sri Lanka opt to bat against Australia in first test

Ravichandran Ashwin completed a magnificent all-round performance with seven wickets to bowl India to a crushing victory by an innings and 92 runs on the fourth day of the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua on Sunday. 
 
His haul of seven for 83 off 25 overs followed his third Test hundred - 113, is India&#39;s massive first innings total of 566 for eight declared at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. 
 
Resuming their second innings following on at the overnight position of 21 for one, the West Indies were dismissed for 231 in another abject batting display, despite half-centuries by Marlon Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite and a ninth-wicket stand of 95 between Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo (45). 
 
This result was India&#39;s largest margin of victory in a Test match outside of Asia. 
 
&quot;We were really eager to get going in this series,&quot; said a delighted Indian captain Virat Kohli after the match. 
 
&quot;Everything came together nicely, from the batting performance to dismissing the West Indies twice. We went with three seamers because of the amount of grass on the wicket and it worked for us.&quot; 
 
 
&quot;Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Wicketless throughout the first innings and for the first nine overs of his second innings effort, Ashwin scythed through the heart of the home side&#39;s batting in the afternoon session, reaping a five-wicket haul and then finishing off the match with the last two wickets just after tea to give India a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. 
 
He was fortunate to claim his first wicket, opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika adjudged caught at the wicket for a painstaking 31 in over three hours at the crease.&nbsp; 
 
But there was no doubt about the demolition effected thereafter, including dismissing Samuels for his first half-century in 12 Test innings, as six wickets tumbled for 44 runs. 
 
&quot;Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell this afternoon and I&#39;m glad I was able to deliver,&quot; said Ashwin, reflecting on his superb performance with the ball. 
 
&quot;I wasn&#39;t getting the right sort of rhythm yesterday but today was very different.&quot; 
 
Such was the speed of the collapse that India looked on course to complete the win well before the tea interval. 
 
However Brathwaite and Bishoo offered resistance that was entertaining for the few home fans in the stands and more than a little irritating for Virat Kohli and his men who were kept waiting to celebrate a comprehensive win. 
 
Brathwaite finished unbeaten on 51, his third half-century in as many Tests, but with just one wicket for 242 runs so far in his young career, his value as a frontline bowler remains highly questionable. 
 
&quot;We obviously need to bowl a bit better,&quot; said a downcast West Indies captain Jason Holder in the aftermath of the heavy defeat.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I`m not sure what we can expect from the pitch for the next Test in Jamaica. It&#39;s been a bit flat of late but we`ll have to see what our options are when we get there.&quot; 
 
Apart from earning the West Indies a modicum of respect, the ninth-wicket pairing`s defiance also embarrassed the frontline batting which once again failed to cope with India&#39;s potent combination of pace and spin. 
 
Umesh Yadav got his team off to the perfect start in the morning, the fast bowler claiming the important wicket of Darren Bravo without any addition to the overnight score.&nbsp; 
 
Samuels then made the most of a narrow escape when an appeal for a catch to the wicketkeeper off Mohammed Shami was turned down after consideration of the television replays. 
 
Amid growing questions about his place in the side following 11 consecutive Test innings of scores lower than 20, the elegant right-hander stroked 11 fours in an even 50 before being bowled by Ashwin.&nbsp; 
 
His demise came just after Jermaine Blackwood fell for his second duck of the match and Ashwin added the wickets of Roston Chase and captain Jason Holder to turn the match into a formality. 
 
Wrist-spinner Amit Mishra accounted for Shane Dowrich in the midst of the rout before Brathwaite and Bishoo held up the victory celebrations. 
 
Fittingly, it was left to Ashwin to claim the final two wickets in the space of three deliveries and make his team even heavier favourites going into the second Test beginning on Saturday in Jamaica. 
 
(AFP)

This result was India's largest margin of victory in a Test match outside of Asia

Ravichandran Ashwin completed a magnificent all-round performance with seven wickets to bowl India to a crushing victory by an innings and 92 runs on the fourth day of the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua on Sunday. His haul of seven for 83 off 25 overs followed his third Test hundred - 113, is India's massive first innings total of 566 for eight declared at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Resuming their second innings following on at the overnight position of 21 for one, the West Indies were dismissed for 231 in another abject batting display, despite half-centuries by Marlon Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite and a ninth-wicket stand of 95 between Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo (45). This result was India's largest margin of victory in a Test match outside of Asia. "We were really eager to get going in this series," said a delighted Indian captain Virat Kohli after the match. "Everything came together nicely, from the batting performance to dismissing the West Indies twice. We went with three seamers because of the amount of grass on the wicket and it worked for us." "Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell" Wicketless throughout the first innings and for the first nine overs of his second innings effort, Ashwin scythed through the heart of the home side's batting in the afternoon session, reaping a five-wicket haul and then finishing off the match with the last two wickets just after tea to give India a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. He was fortunate to claim his first wicket, opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika adjudged caught at the wicket for a painstaking 31 in over three hours at the crease. But there was no doubt about the demolition effected thereafter, including dismissing Samuels for his first half-century in 12 Test innings, as six wickets tumbled for 44 runs. "Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell this afternoon and I'm glad I was able to deliver," said Ashwin, reflecting on his superb performance with the ball. "I wasn't getting the right sort of rhythm yesterday but today was very different." Such was the speed of the collapse that India looked on course to complete the win well before the tea interval. However Brathwaite and Bishoo offered resistance that was entertaining for the few home fans in the stands and more than a little irritating for Virat Kohli and his men who were kept waiting to celebrate a comprehensive win. Brathwaite finished unbeaten on 51, his third half-century in as many Tests, but with just one wicket for 242 runs so far in his young career, his value as a frontline bowler remains highly questionable. "We obviously need to bowl a bit better," said a downcast West Indies captain Jason Holder in the aftermath of the heavy defeat. "I`m not sure what we can expect from the pitch for the next Test in Jamaica. It's been a bit flat of late but we`ll have to see what our options are when we get there." Apart from earning the West Indies a modicum of respect, the ninth-wicket pairing`s defiance also embarrassed the frontline batting which once again failed to cope with India's potent combination of pace and spin. Umesh Yadav got his team off to the perfect start in the morning, the fast bowler claiming the important wicket of Darren Bravo without any addition to the overnight score. Samuels then made the most of a narrow escape when an appeal for a catch to the wicketkeeper off Mohammed Shami was turned down after consideration of the television replays. Amid growing questions about his place in the side following 11 consecutive Test innings of scores lower than 20, the elegant right-hander stroked 11 fours in an even 50 before being bowled by Ashwin. His demise came just after Jermaine Blackwood fell for his second duck of the match and Ashwin added the wickets of Roston Chase and captain Jason Holder to turn the match into a formality. Wrist-spinner Amit Mishra accounted for Shane Dowrich in the midst of the rout before Brathwaite and Bishoo held up the victory celebrations. Fittingly, it was left to Ashwin to claim the final two wickets in the space of three deliveries and make his team even heavier favourites going into the second Test beginning on Saturday in Jamaica. (AFP)

?Ashwin spins India to crushing 1st Test victory against West Indies

West Indies vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite has admitted that his side will face an uphill task against overwhelming favourites India and insisted that the hosts will need to produce an all-round performance to begin the four-match series on a winning note. 
 
The 23-year-old opener observed that his side&#39;s batsmen need to be perseverant on sluggish surfaces while bowlers need to be disciplined in terms of line and length to maintain stranglehold over the Virat Kohli-led side in the opening Test starting at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground today. 
 
&quot;I think the main thing with these pitches in the Caribbean is patience and I think once we carry that both facing their pacers and spinners we will make some big targets. You know it`s important for that first innings total,&quot; Brathwaite was quoted as saying by the WICB website. 
 
&quot;Will need that 300 and above and once we do that we put ourselves in a good position to go forward in the game positively. Looking at their batting again it`s not going to be easy but we are accustomed to these conditions so we know once we get our lengths right and we bowl to some specific field. We will be good,&quot; he said. 
 
Brathwaite, however, said he was satisfied with the performance of bowlers and batsmen during the camp session in Barbados last weekend. 
 
He said, &quot;The bowlers got some good spells and the batsmen got some good spells from the bowlers and the assistant bowlers that came and help. Also I think the guys are looking well coming from that camp. I think we are ready for this series&#39;&#39;. 
 
The opener also stated his primary motive will be to provide a solid foundation for his side so that middle order batsmen can capitalise on it to post big totals. 
 
(ANI)

The opener stated his primary motive will be to provide a solid foundation for his side so that middle order batsmen can capitalise on it

West Indies vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite has admitted that his side will face an uphill task against overwhelming favourites India and insisted that the hosts will need to produce an all-round performance to begin the four-match series on a winning note. The 23-year-old opener observed that his side's batsmen need to be perseverant on sluggish surfaces while bowlers need to be disciplined in terms of line and length to maintain stranglehold over the Virat Kohli-led side in the opening Test starting at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground today. "I think the main thing with these pitches in the Caribbean is patience and I think once we carry that both facing their pacers and spinners we will make some big targets. You know it`s important for that first innings total," Brathwaite was quoted as saying by the WICB website. "Will need that 300 and above and once we do that we put ourselves in a good position to go forward in the game positively. Looking at their batting again it`s not going to be easy but we are accustomed to these conditions so we know once we get our lengths right and we bowl to some specific field. We will be good," he said. Brathwaite, however, said he was satisfied with the performance of bowlers and batsmen during the camp session in Barbados last weekend. He said, "The bowlers got some good spells and the batsmen got some good spells from the bowlers and the assistant bowlers that came and help. Also I think the guys are looking well coming from that camp. I think we are ready for this series''. The opener also stated his primary motive will be to provide a solid foundation for his side so that middle order batsmen can capitalise on it to post big totals. (ANI)

It's not going to be easy against India, says West Indies Vice-Captain Brathwaite

England won their first series win on Australian soil on Saturday produced a sustained and outstanding defensive effort to keep Australia at bay before a late Owen Farrell try clinched a 23-7 win to take the three game series 2-0. 
 
England clung on to a six-point lead for much of the second half and stood firm in the face of relentless Australian attacks, though the Wallabies will face questions after their refusal to take kickable shots at goal with the scores so tight. 
 
It was England&#39;s relentless defence under suffocating pressure that was ultimately decisive as they repelled wave after wave of assaults on their line from a Wallabies side desperate to square the series. 
 
England now leapfrog Australia into second in the world rankings and have set their sights on dethroning world champions All Blacks, who earlier sealed their series over Wales 2-0. 
 
&quot;We want to be the best team in the world and we want to win the series 3-0. If the All Blacks were in this situation now what would they be thinking? You know, if doesn&#39;t mean you cant change the team, they&#39;d be thinking 3-0. So they beat Wales, didn&#39;t they? They&#39;d be thinking 3-0. If we want to be the best team in the world we want to think 3-0. We know Australia will come back, they&#39;re a well coached, driven team so we&#39;re anticipating quite a feisty encounter at Sydney,&quot; England coach Eddie Jones said to journalists. 
 
The series win was a personal triumph for Jones, the former Wallabies mentor who was left heartbroken by Jonny Wilkinson&#39;s last minute drop-goal in the 2003 World Cup final that gave England victory over the hosts in Sydney. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a win for English rugby in total, it&#39;s a win for the fans, it&#39;s a win for the Rugby Football Union (RFU), it&#39;s a win for the supporters. You know, we&#39;re all in this together. It&#39;s a win for the English media, now you got bragging rights over the Australian media,&quot; he said with a grin to the reporters. 
 
Crestfallen Wallabies coach Michael Cheika lamented his side&#39;s failure to find a way through despite their dominance of possession. 
 
&quot;You have to pay credit to England, they played very well. In both games so far they&#39;ve played very smart, you know, and they&#39;ve played in the right areas and they&#39;ve played well at the ruck.They spoiled a lot of good ball for us, lot of balls squeaking out and that&#39;s well done to them, you know what I mean,&quot; said&nbsp;Cheika. 
(Reuters)

England are now second in world rankings and have set their sights on dethroning world champions All Blacks

England won their first series win on Australian soil on Saturday produced a sustained and outstanding defensive effort to keep Australia at bay before a late Owen Farrell try clinched a 23-7 win to take the three game series 2-0. England clung on to a six-point lead for much of the second half and stood firm in the face of relentless Australian attacks, though the Wallabies will face questions after their refusal to take kickable shots at goal with the scores so tight. It was England's relentless defence under suffocating pressure that was ultimately decisive as they repelled wave after wave of assaults on their line from a Wallabies side desperate to square the series. England now leapfrog Australia into second in the world rankings and have set their sights on dethroning world champions All Blacks, who earlier sealed their series over Wales 2-0. "We want to be the best team in the world and we want to win the series 3-0. If the All Blacks were in this situation now what would they be thinking? You know, if doesn't mean you cant change the team, they'd be thinking 3-0. So they beat Wales, didn't they? They'd be thinking 3-0. If we want to be the best team in the world we want to think 3-0. We know Australia will come back, they're a well coached, driven team so we're anticipating quite a feisty encounter at Sydney," England coach Eddie Jones said to journalists. The series win was a personal triumph for Jones, the former Wallabies mentor who was left heartbroken by Jonny Wilkinson's last minute drop-goal in the 2003 World Cup final that gave England victory over the hosts in Sydney. "It's a win for English rugby in total, it's a win for the fans, it's a win for the Rugby Football Union (RFU), it's a win for the supporters. You know, we're all in this together. It's a win for the English media, now you got bragging rights over the Australian media," he said with a grin to the reporters. Crestfallen Wallabies coach Michael Cheika lamented his side's failure to find a way through despite their dominance of possession. "You have to pay credit to England, they played very well. In both games so far they've played very smart, you know, and they've played in the right areas and they've played well at the ruck.They spoiled a lot of good ball for us, lot of balls squeaking out and that's well done to them, you know what I mean," said Cheika. (Reuters)

England beat Wallabies 2-0 and sweep Rugby series

England test captain&nbsp;and&nbsp;skipper, Alastair Cook, believes his batsmen are well-prepared to deal with Pakistan&#39;s fiery attack next month after getting plenty of practice in the middle against a weakened Sri Lanka side. 
 
England crushed Sri Lanka 2-0 in the three-test home series that concluded on Monday, facing little resistance from a team shorn of frontline pacemen Dushmantha Chameera and Dhammika Prasad through injury at different stages during the tour. 
 
However, Cook&#39;s side can expect a far bigger challenge from a formidable Pakistani pace attack spearheaded by left-armers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, supplemented by tricky leg-spinner Yasir Shah. 
 
&quot;They&#39;ve got a very good pace attack, backed up with spinners,&quot; Cook said after the rain-hit final test against Sri Lanka ended in a tame draw at Lord&#39;s. 
 
&quot;But we&#39;re ready for them. We scored a lot of runs against Australia&#39;s attack here last year. I think it&#39;s going to be a brilliant series.&quot; 
 
Amir will be returning to test cricket after serving a five-year ban following a spot-fixing scandal in England, while the four-test series will be Shah&#39;s first since he served a three-month suspension for a doping violation. 
 
Cook will also be delighted to have finally found a stable opening partner in Alex Hales, who finished the series against Sri Lanka as the second highest scorer on 292 runs from five innings. 
 
His performance marked a significant improvement by the 27-year-old Hales, who averaged just 17 in his debut test series in South Africa earlier this year as he struggled to make the transition from limited-overs cricket. 
 
&quot;Three scores of 80 and above from Alex Hales was really pleasing,&quot; Cook said of his eighth opening partner since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s certainly tightened up his game from South Africa and probably just learned about test cricket.&quot; 
 
It was a satisfying series for Jonny Bairstow too, the English wicketkeeper-batsman emerging as the top-scorer and walking away with the man-of-the-series award. 
 
Cook hailed Bairstow&#39;s batting prowess but admitted the 26-year-old had room for improvement behind the stumps. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s great to have an attacking batsman coming in and taking it to the opposition. He&#39;s been very similar to Matt Prior when he was at his best.&quot; 
 
&quot;He knows how hard he has to work at his keeping... He knows a couple of chances have gone down, but you don&#39;t become a world-class wicketkeeper overnight. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s made big strides since that South Africa series and is certainly heading in the right direction.&quot; 
 
Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7. 
 
(Reuters)

They've just come off a 2-0 win against Lanka but Pak's pace attack is going to be a lot more fiery

England test captain and skipper, Alastair Cook, believes his batsmen are well-prepared to deal with Pakistan's fiery attack next month after getting plenty of practice in the middle against a weakened Sri Lanka side. England crushed Sri Lanka 2-0 in the three-test home series that concluded on Monday, facing little resistance from a team shorn of frontline pacemen Dushmantha Chameera and Dhammika Prasad through injury at different stages during the tour. However, Cook's side can expect a far bigger challenge from a formidable Pakistani pace attack spearheaded by left-armers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, supplemented by tricky leg-spinner Yasir Shah. "They've got a very good pace attack, backed up with spinners," Cook said after the rain-hit final test against Sri Lanka ended in a tame draw at Lord's. "But we're ready for them. We scored a lot of runs against Australia's attack here last year. I think it's going to be a brilliant series." Amir will be returning to test cricket after serving a five-year ban following a spot-fixing scandal in England, while the four-test series will be Shah's first since he served a three-month suspension for a doping violation. Cook will also be delighted to have finally found a stable opening partner in Alex Hales, who finished the series against Sri Lanka as the second highest scorer on 292 runs from five innings. His performance marked a significant improvement by the 27-year-old Hales, who averaged just 17 in his debut test series in South Africa earlier this year as he struggled to make the transition from limited-overs cricket. "Three scores of 80 and above from Alex Hales was really pleasing," Cook said of his eighth opening partner since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012. "He's certainly tightened up his game from South Africa and probably just learned about test cricket." It was a satisfying series for Jonny Bairstow too, the English wicketkeeper-batsman emerging as the top-scorer and walking away with the man-of-the-series award. Cook hailed Bairstow's batting prowess but admitted the 26-year-old had room for improvement behind the stumps. "It's great to have an attacking batsman coming in and taking it to the opposition. He's been very similar to Matt Prior when he was at his best." "He knows how hard he has to work at his keeping... He knows a couple of chances have gone down, but you don't become a world-class wicketkeeper overnight. "He's made big strides since that South Africa series and is certainly heading in the right direction." Pakistan will play four tests, five one-dayers and a Twenty20 International in England between July 14 and September 7. (Reuters)

England ready for Pakistan, says Cook

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