India scripted a new chapter to their cricketing history by securing theirfirst series win in the Caribbean in 35 years with a 49-run victory in thefourth and final Test against the West Indies on Sunday.
The Indians snubbed a late fightback by the hosts who, chasing a target of269, recovered from a top order collapse and took the attack to the rival campbefore being all out for 219 on the third day at the Sabina Park.
Anil Kumble proved to be the talisman once again with six for 78 and singlehandedly hussled the West Indian lower order into submission to give India amemorable victory with two full days to spare.
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India's last series win in the West Indies came in 1971 under Ajit Wadekar.
The 1-0 triumph was also the team's first outside the sub-continent in twodecades - with the exception of the victory in Zimbabwe last year - since the2-0 win over England in 1986.
Nevertheless, the Indians had to endure some anxious moments as theCaribbeans threatened to pull off a coup through a gallant performance by thetail-enders.
Young wicketkeeper batsman Denesh Ramdin hit an unbeaten 62 and lifted thehome team from 128 for six through partnerships of 36 and 39 runs with JeromeTaylor (20) and Pedro Collins (3).
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The last four West Indian wickets produced 71 runs and some flutter in thestomach for the visitors.
But the resistance cracked under the relentless pressure applied by Kumblewho bowled 22.4 overs.
Speedster Sreesanth was another valuable performer with 3-38. The 22-year-oldseamer provided the early breakthroughs before Ramnaresh Sarwan (51) and DwayneBravo (33) put on 70 runs for the fifth wicket to stem the rot.
Sreesanth triggered the slide with the scalp of Chris Gayle in his very firstover and also claimed the other opener Daren Ganga before his first spell wasthrough.
The Kerala youngster returned to get rid of Sarwan with a peach of a deliverywhich moved off the seam and took the edge of the bat to Rahul Dravid at firstslip.
The scalp of Sarwan was the key in the overall context as the right-handerkept the innings glued with an extremely fine innings.
Sarwan first shared an hour-long stand with Shivnarine Chanderpaul (13)before the latter fell leg before wicket to Kumble, making West Indies reel at56 for 4.
Then Sarwan and Bravo both departed within two runs of each other.
Bravo tried a mighty hoik on the onside against Kumble only to find hisstumps rattled.
Bravo had got emboldened when similar tactics against Kumble in his previousover had produced amazing dividends.
He twice lifed Kumble over widish long on for fours and then slogged him onknees at the mid-wicket fence for third straight boundary.
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Sarwan raised his half century from 94 balls when he off-drove Sreesanth tothe fence.
Ramdin kept the fight going till the end with a lusty 84-ball innings thatcontained eight fours and a towering six off Kumble.
He nursed number 10 batsman Collins through a potentially match-winningninth-wicket stand before the latter became Kumble's fifth victim of theinnings.
The sixth wicket for the master leg-spinner in the form of Corey Collymorewho tried to cut and was caught behind.
Earlier, West Indian pacers Collymore and Taylor cut short the Indian secondinnings to 171 to give the hosts a glimmer of hope.
Collymore picked his fourth five-wicket haul of 5-48 while Taylor, whoclaimed his maiden fiver in the first innings, returned with 4-45.
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India, who resumed the third day's play on 128 for 6, were all out after 80minutes of play, adding 43 more runs.
Dravid, India's vanguard of hope who was unbeaten on 62 at the start of theday's play, was dismissed for 68 after a delivery from Collymore kept low.
Collymore accounted for Kumble (10) when he got the overnight batsman to edgea catch to the slip cordon.
Harbhajan Singh struck a couple of hefty blows and Sreesanth actually sloggeda six over long on against Taylor.
Sreesanth departed when he came down the track to Taylor and then sparred acatch to Lara in the slip cordon.
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Harbhajan was the last man dismissed, in a similar fashion, and it gave Larahis fifth catch of the match.
PTI
