India saw their record sequence of successful chases snapped as the WestIndies pulled off a dramatic one-run victory in the second one-day internationalon Saturday.
After restricting the hosts to a modest 198 for nine, India messed up thechase with some shoddy batting performance and were eventually bowled out for197 with two balls to spare, leaving the five-match series tied 1-1.
The defeat ended India's streak of 17 wins while batting second while thelone exception among the batsmen was Yuvraj Singh whose well crafted 93 broughtthe team in sniffing distance of victory.
The Punjab left-hander slammed two fours in the last over when 11 runs wereneeded before being deceived and bowled by a slower one by Dwayne Bravo,triggering wild celebrations at the Sabina Park.
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The failure of the batsmen to apply themselves on a pitch that had sloweddown in the last two days undid the good work done earlier on the field.
Man of the match Ramnaresh Sarwan's unbeaten 98 proved to be the fulcrum ofthe hosts' innings as it lifted them first from 43-4 and then 105-6 against somemiserly performance by the Indian bowlers.
Put into bat for the second successive time, the hosts showed none of thebelligerence of the opening match at the same venue while the Indians showedmuch more accuracy with the ball and intensity on the field.
India's new ball bowlers Irfan Pathan (3-45) and Ajit Agarkar (2-25) set thetone for the proceedings with their tidy opening spells.
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Sarwan, who faced 138 balls and hit seven fours and a six, shared a 60-runstand with Marlon Samuels (19) and later in the closing stages stitched avaluable 38-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Carlton Baugh (21).
The vice-captain, who survived more than one run out chance, moved into his90s in style collecting two fours and a six off Pathan in the 49th over.
But he was stranded two short of a century as Jerome Taylor failed to rotatethe strike.
Yuvraj played a largely restrained innings which consumed 121 balls andincluded eight fours and a six.
Dismissed cheaply in the opener, he showed exemplary character to carry theIndian innings on his shoulders in energy sapping conditions.
Yuvraj featured in two vital partnerships.
He added 64 runs for the fifth wicket with Suresh Raina (27) in the middleovers to help side recover from the doldrums of 60 for four.
The left-hander then added another 47 runs for the eighth wicket with RameshPowar (12) that saw India rebound from 134 for seven to needing 22 runs of asmany balls.
Ian Bradshaw, the best bowler on view on Thursday, proved to be the nemesisagain, claiming 3-33 with his nagging length.
The left arm seamer did the early damage, having Virender Sehwag and RahulDravid in his new ball spell, before returning to remove Agarkar in the latterpart of the innings.
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Also frustrating the Indian batsmen were part-time slow bowlers Samuels(2-30) and Chris Gayle (1-33).
The West Indian fielding was also sharper that helped the bowlers maintainthe pressure on the Indian batsmen while defending a meagre total.
India won the toss and again chose to field, relying on their impressiverecord of successful chases, even though there was nothing in the conditions tofavour the bowlers.
Neither Gayle (0), centurion from the previous game, nor captain Brian Lara(14) were of any use and but for the Sarwan-Samuels association, the inningscould have been further in shambles.
Pathan set the trend with two successive maidens and the wicket of RunakoMorton (1) with a delivery which kept low and found the batsman in front of thestumps.
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Agarkar, in between those two overs, had provided India with the firstbreakthrough by inducing Gayle to flirt at an away delivery and edge it towicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for nought.
Lara flicked and square cut Pathan for two boundaries in successive overs butthe latter had his revenge when he brought the left-hander forward and guided aneasy catch to lone slip Dravid.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul clobbered Harbhajan Singh for two fours in theoff-spinner's very first over but the latter got even with a delivery which satup for the batsman to cut it hard but straight to cover fielder Mohammad Kaif.
Like Harbhajan, Powar too started poorly by conceding eight runs in his firstover but then recovered to finish with 2 for 38 from his allotted 10 overs.
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Harbhajan was similarly miserly and ended up with one for 32 from his 10overs as batsmen couldn't come to grips with his variety and guile.
Pathan came back for his second spell to clean up Bradshaw (12) and Agarkartoo chipped in with one in his final to leave the West Indies short of 200 runs.
PTI
