Ashwin bowls India to huge win

North Sound (Antigua), July 24

India registered an innings and 92 run victory over West Indies in the first Test as Ravichandran Aswhin produced an off-spin masterclass to grab a seven-wicket haul. Had it not been for the dogged ninth-wicket partnership of 95 runs between Devendra Bishoo and Carlos Brathwait, West Indies would have lost by a greater margin. 

Post lunch, it was an extended session of play which proved enough for India to force a win. But first they had to break the 67-run partnership between Rajendra Chandrika (31) and Marlon Samuels (50). The two batsmen began in the same vein, trying to play for time, and in doing so, the latter reached his half-century off 74 balls, raising hopes of a fightback.

But the hopes were short-lived as Chandrika inside-edged an Ashwin delivery in the 36th over, and Wriddhiman Saha took a fine catch.  It started the slide for West Indies as the off-spinner found the opening he was looking for. 

In the very next over, he removed Jermaine Blackwood (0) for a second duck in the match, with skipper Virat Kohli holding a magnificent diving catch at midwicket. Then came the best moment for Ashwin — a beautiful delivery beat Samuels’ straight bat and knocked back his off-stump in the 42nd over.

Four overs later, Ashwin had Roston Chase (8) caught at forward short leg and the West Indies’ resistance was more or less over.

At the other end, Amit Mishra (1-42) trapped Shane Dowrich (9) LBW and then Ashwin returned in the 54th over to 

complete his first five-wicket haul outside the sub-continent by bowling Jason Holder (16) through the gate. — Agencies

8 Times West Indies have been asked to follow-on in a home Test – three times each vs India and England, twice vs Australia. The last time they were asked to follow-on was also vs India at St Lucia in June 2006.

Scoreboard

India 1st innings 566/8 d 

West Indies 1st innings

K Brathwaite c Saha b Yadav 74

R Chandrika c Saha b Shami 16

D Bishoo  st Saha b Mishra 12

D Bravo c Saha b Shami 11

M Samuels Saha b Shami 1

J Blackwood c Rahane b Shami 0

R Chase c Kohli b Yadav 23

S Dowrich not out 57

J Holder c Saha b Yadav 36

C Brathwaite b Yadav 0

S Gabriel b Mishra 2

Extras (b 4, lb 2, w 2, nb 3) 11

Total (all out; 90.2 overs) 243

Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-68, 3-90, 

4-92, 5-92, 6-139, 7-144, 8-213, 9-213

Bowling 

I Sharma 20-7-44-0

U Yadav 18-8-41-4

M Shami 20-4-66-4

R Ashwin 17-5-43-0

A Mishra 15.2-4-43-2

West Indies 2nd innings

K Brathwaite lbw b Sharma 2

R Chandrika c Saha b Ashwin 31

D Bravo c Rahane b Yadav 10

M Samuels b Ashwin 50

J Blackwood c Kohli b Ashwin 0

R Chase c sub (KL Rahul) b Ashwin 8

S Dowrich lbw b Mishra 9

J Holder b Ashwin 16

C Brathwaite not out 51

D Bishoo c Pujara b Ashwin 45

S Gabriel b Ashwin 4

Extras (nb 5) 5

Total (all out; 78 overs) 231

Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-21, 3-88, 

4-92, 5-101, 6-106, 7-120, 8-132, 9-227

Bowling 

I Sharma 11-2-27-1

M Shami 10-3-26-0

U Yadav 13-4-34-1

R Ashwin 25-8-83-7

A Mishra 19-3-61-1