India paid the price for another sloppy batting performance as the WestIndies comfortably overhauled their moderate target for a four-wicket victoryin the third one-dayer today.
The Indians made a complete hash of a splendid start provided by back-to-formVirender Sehwag and ended up with a disappointing 245 for nine at the WarnerPark.
The West Indians, led by a masterly century by man of the match RamnareshSarwan, kept their cool against some late fightback by the visitors and won witha ball to spare to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Sarwan, playing his 100th one-dayer, smashed an unbeaten 115 from 119 ballsand his composed knock guided the hosts through some tense final moments.
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West Indies needed six from Sreesanth's final over, and when Dwayne Bravo (1)was run-out off the second and the third was a dot ball, the equation was downto four runs from the final three balls.
Sarwan thrashed the fourth delivery to extra cover where captain Rahul Dravidmisfielded giving the batsman two runs and now it was two required from thefinal two deliveries.
Sarwan hit the penultimate ball to the extra cover boundary to clinch it forthe hosts.
Earlier, Sehwag cracked a brilliant 97 from 82 balls and put on 112 runs withMohammad Kaif (61) at a run-a-ball rate before the wickets began to fall in aheap.
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The Indians were coasting along merrily at 211 for 3 in the 38th over beforethree run-outs and a few careless shots pulled them down to a moderate total.
The collapse saw India lose six wickets for only 42 runs in the last 15 oversand instead of looking at a figure of 300 and beyond, the tourists were gaspingto make it to 250 runs.
While chasing, Sarwan received critical support from Shivnaraine Chanderpaul(58) and their 106-run fifth wicket stand was critical to the West Indies'victory.
The pair came together after skipper Brian Lara (5) had departed to a catchin the slips, his flick off Harbhajan Singh taking the outside edge, and theWest Indies had slipped to 131 for 4 in the 29th over.
A critical moment of the innings came when Chanderpaul strained his hamstringmuscle in the 32nd over with the score reading 143 for 4.
The doughty left-hander sought a runner instead of returning to the pavilionand it paid handsome dividends as the pair took apart the Indian attack inclinical fashion.
Sarwan also had a 85-run third wicket stand with opener Chris Gayle who made40 before edging a catch off Ajit Agarkar behind the stumps.
The right-hander, left stranded on 98 in the second match in Kingston onSaturday, suffered no such agony today.
Offie Ramesh Powar (0-59) was to suffer the most from Sarwan who collectedboundaries at will off the stocky bowler, including two huge sixes over long on.
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India won the toss and chose to bat first on a wicket which was expected toget slower as the day progressed.
Dravid left in the first over when he missed an on-drive against Ian Bradshawand was ruled out leg before wicket.
Bradshaw also picked up India's second wicket when he clean bowled SureshRaina though the innings by then had acquired a momentum through Sehwag.
The right hander reached his half century off just 43 balls with seven foursand one six as he took a heavy toll of the West Indies' opening bowlers.
Even though India lost two early wickets, they had raced to 91 for 2 at the15-over stage.
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Sehwag played a flowing innings with swashbuckling square cuts and soaringhits.
Kaif was an able foil and the two put on a century stand for the third wicketoff only 99 balls.
Sehwag made a dash towards his century as he lofted Bravo out of the groundand then banged Chris Gayle over the long-off fence.
He then swatted a four off Bravo past the wicketkeeper but was then ruled outleg before wicket which hit his outstretched boot, way down the track but wellin the line of stumps.
Sehwag took only 82 balls to raise 97 runs with nine fours and three sixes.
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Still there was no sign of an imminent collapse as Kaif and new-man MahinderSingh Dhoni went about collecting their singles without much ado.
A couple of run-outs in quick succession however were to change the scenariocompletely.
Dhoni (15) started the rot when he chose to go for a run off a misfield bybowler Gayle who recovered in time to throw down the non-striker's end.
Kaif was cross with himself when he made the ground but his bat was up in theair when wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh Jr broke the stumps.
Kaif made 61 from 89 balls with two fours.
Irfan Pathan played too early at a Marlon Samuels off-break and spooned areturn catch to the bowler while Powar was horrified to see a Ramnaresh Sarwanleg-spin miss his sweep and roll down to his stumps off his pads.
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The third run-out of the innings was amateurish, to say the least.
Agarkar made a drive back to the non-striker's end and took off for a singleeven as the ball had deflected only a couple of feet leaving no option toVenugopala Rao but to saunter down the track without any purpose.
PTI
