Rohit guides India to fighting win over WI

Rohit Sharma and Suresh
Raina brought up their fifty run partnership
as India inched closer to victory in the first
one day international (ODI) against the West
Indies at Port of Spain on Monday.
Earlier, Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed by
Anthony Martin soon after bringing up his
maiden half century.
Dhawan's slog sweep only found Lendl
Simmons on the deep mid wicket boundary
to leave India four down.
Subramaniam Badrinath's attempt to square
cut a Devendra Bishoo delivery only ended
up in the gloves of Windies wicket-keeper
Carlton Baugh as India lost their third
wicket.
India lost the wickets of Parthiv Patel and
Virat Kohli as they went about their chase of
215 for victory.
While a needless run out accounted for
Parthiv's wicket, Kohli slashed at a wide
wide one to be caught by Baugh off the
bowling of Ravi Rampaul.
Ramnaresh Sarwan top scored with 56 and
Marlon Samuels chipped in with a useful 55
but the rest of the batsmen failed miserably
as West Indies were kept down to 214/9 in
their 50 overs.
Harbhajan Singh took 3/32 and Praveen
Kumar along with Munaf Patel grabbed two
wickets apiece for the visitors as the home
team failed to put up a competitive total.
West Indies lost openers Lendl Simmons and
Darren Bravo inside the mandatory
powerplay overs after their skipper Darren
Sammy won the toss and elected to bat first.
Kieron Pollard was left out of the playing
eleven by the West Indies, while India
sprung a surprise by choosing to play Amit
Mishra in place of R Ashwin.
Munaf was rewarded for some excellent line
and length bowling and ended up having
Bravo caught by Rohit Sharma at a widish
slip position.
Simmons fell in an effort to up the ante as
he lofted Kumar only to find Harbhajan at
mid-off who completed an easy catch.
The Windies lost their third wicket when
Kirk Edwards top edged a pull shot to be
caught by Kohli off the bowling of
Harbhajan for 21.
Sarwan and Samuels then put on 82 runs
for the fourth wicket before the former was
caught down the leg side off Munaf's
bowling for 56.
Sarwan struck five fours during his 94 ball
innings.
Samuels then took charge and added 36
runs with Dwayne Bravo before being
bowled by Indian skipper Suresh Raina after
scoring 55 off 75 balls, a knock which
included three fours and two sixes.
There was a procession of wickets after that
as the hosts lost Bravo, Baugh, Sammy and
Devendra Bishoo for 15 runs and were in
danger of being bowled out inside their
quota of 50 overs.
Rampaul hit the last ball of the innings for a
boundary to set India a victory target of
215..