Skipper Shai Hope not pleased with quality of pitch

WEST INDIES, in their first series since the Zimbabwe debacle, received a sound trashing as India strolled to an emphatic five-wicket win with 27.3 overs to spare in the opening ODI of the three-match series at the Kensington Oval yesterday.

West Indies’ paltry 114 in 23 overs was their lowest total at the Kensington Oval since the inaugural ODI was played here in 1985 when West Indies opposed New Zealand.
Skipper Shai Hope top scored with 43 from 45 balls decorated with four fours and a six before he played an irresponsible reveres sweep and was out LBW.

In another shambolic batting performance, only Alick Athanaze, who made 22 from 18 balls with three fours and a six before his ferocious cut was brilliantly taken at point, reached 20.

Brandon King, who hit three boundaries in 17 and the recalled Shimron Hetmyer, who faced 19 balls before playing a wild and reckless sweep and was bowled for 11, were the only double-figure run scorers.
Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav mesmerised batters who seemed clueless when the ball turned, and finished with 4-6 while left-arm orthodox spinner Ravindra Jadeja had 3-31 as the Indian spin twins befuddled the batters.

India in reply reached 115-5 in 22.5 overs with Ishan Kishan hitting seven fours and a six in his 52 from 46 balls
When Shubman Gill (7) fell to Searles at 18-1, Suryakumar Yadav, who hit three fours and six in 19, joined Kishan and took the score to 54.

Gudakesh Motie, back in the side after recovering from his injury, removed Yadav before eventually dismissing Kishan at 94-4, but by then it was too little too late for the home side who have lost their nine ODIs against India.

Had West Indies, who left out Sinclair, Thomas, Joseph and Carty, not dropped three easy catches and with Motie and leg-spinner Yannic Cariah getting plenty of turn from the track, India could have lost more wickets.
Motie finished with 2-26 as Jadeja 16 and Rohit Sharma 12 were both unbeaten at the end.

Earlier, India won the toss on a day blessed with glorious sunshine and predictably opted to bowl on a track with a tinge of grass and a bit of preparation moisture.

Watched by the smallest crowd to ever watch an ODI (despite the Government purchasing tickets for school children at a reduced cost) at a venue celebrating its 50th ODI, Brandon King drove Pandya for four off the third ball of the game before Mukesh Kumar, who bowled with some pace, bowled a maiden.

The left-handed Kyle Mayers (2) cramped himself when he tried to pull a short ball that bounced and was taken at mid-on at 7-1.
Athanaze flicked Pandya for six before cover driving him for four next ball.
The Dominican pulled Shardul Thakur for four more but just when he was looking set he was removed by Kumar at 45-2 in the 8th over
King hammered Kumar for four before he was bowled by Thakur without addition to the score.
The 50 was posted in 9.4 overs from 61 balls before Hetymer joined Hope who was leading from the front with some confident shots; favouring the cover drives.

The pair took the score to 88 before Hetymer seemed to have a brain freeze and played an ill-advised swipe at Jadeja and was castled.

Rovman Powell (4) fell to Jadeja at 96-5 before Romario Shepherd, who holds the unwanted record of being the only batter to be dismissed for two first-ball ducks in a single ODI game, was stupendously taken by Virat Kholi at slip, diving full to his right as Jadeja struck again to leave the score on 96-6 as Jadeja struck.

West Indies lost their last five wickets for 18 runs after Hope was LBW playing an impetuous reverse sweep to Yadav at 114-9 before he trapped Jason Searles for a duck.

After the game Hope blamed the standard of the pitches in the Caribbean for the poor batsmanship in the West Indies
He lamented that the preparation needs to be better not only here but throughout the Region and feels it is difficult for the Batters to play with any confidence on badly prepared pitches.

The few flag-waving Indians in the stands said that they were disappointed they did get to see Kholi bat and are hoping that India bats first tomorrow in the second ODI.

The series ends in Trinidad and Tobago on Emancipation day with the third and final match.