India Wins Besides Thundering Batting by Kieron Pollard

Kieron Pollard played a blasting innings of 119 runs for West Indies but could not save them from defeat in the fifth and final One Day International.

India thrashed 267 runs for the loss of six wickets in the allocated 50 overs and the Windies managed 233 runs after their innings was folded back in 44.1 overs. The match was played at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Cheapuk, Chennai, on December 11, 2011.

Player of the match Manoj Tiwary scroed crucial 104 against West Indies in the fifth and final ODI at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Cheapuk, Chennai.
Player of the match Manoj Tiwary scroed crucial 104 against West Indies in the fifth and final ODI at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Cheapuk, Chennai.

Manoj Tiwary from India was declared ‘Player of the match’ for his autonomous batting.

The stand in Captain of India, Gautam Ghambir won the toss and went in to open the innings with Ajinkya Rahane who was brought back in the side. He was unable to justify his selection and was declared leg before wicket by Kemar Roach on the third ball of the day without opening his account. The first wicket fell at just one run and misery was added when Parthiv Ptel was bowled on the next ball and that too, without scoring.

India was stranded when Tiwany joined in with Ghambir under the critical batting conditions. The duo steadied the innings watchfully and kept the score board moving by odd boundaries. They added 83 runs for the third wicket as Ghambir was trapped lbw off Anthony Martin on 31 vruns.

Tiwani and Virat Kohli incorporated the innings by positive batting and flow of runs was obvious. Manoj Tiwary dispatched his century on the fourth ball of the 38th over and was retired hurt on the very next ball at 104 runs off 126 balls with one six and 10 fours. They produced a match winning partnership of 117 runs for the third wicket and the tempo was carried on by Virat Kohli.

He tried to accelerate the scoring but was gone after scoring 80 runs as India scored 267 runs after losing six wickets in 50 overs.

Roach and Martin claimed two wickets each and Sunil Naraine got one for the visitors.

West Indies was stunned when Irfan Pathan shook them on the very first ball of the match by claiming the wicket of Lendl Simmons. That was the beginning of collapse for them and they could not recover from the early misery. Their top order was vanished by the lethal bowling of India and they were restricted to 78 runs when half of their side was gone in 15.5 overs.

Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard scored his first ODI century against India. His hard hitting 119 couldn't help West Indies to avoid defeat.

Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell put breaks on the Indian invasion and brought stability to the innings. They believed in aggression rather than being defensive and Pollard preferred sixes over the reeling boundaries.

The partnership was cruising when Russell was unluckily run out at 53 runs off 42 balls which included three sixes and 5 fours.

The sixth wicket produced 89 runs and Kieron Pollard carried on punishing the bowlers but no batsman supported him at the other end. The game turned as ‘One man show’ and Pollard took charge with a solo show with towering sixes. He earned maiden century on the first ball of the 43rd over when Kohli dropped his catch at long on and the ball rolled over the fence.

West Indies had lost their nine wickets until then and it was left to Kieron Pollard to take them through to the victory. He was caught at long off by Rahane on the bowling of Suresh Raina while trying to hit another six. He played a majestic knock of 119 runs off 110 balls with the assistance of 10 skied sixes and just 4 fours.

India won the match by 34 runs and registered their name in the history book by a convincing series win of 4-1.


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