4th Test: West Indies v India at Antigua, 10-14 May 2002 CricInfo Live Report

4th Test: West Indies v India at Antigua, 10-14 May 2002
Anand Vasu

West Indies 1st innings: Lunch - Day 5, Tea - Day 5, End of match,
Live Reports from previous days

MATCH ENDS IN TAME DRAW
Ok, so the highlight of each session has been a comical event rather than anything serious. The last session however topped it all. India used all eleven members of the team to bowl at least one over, Laxman, Jaffer and Dravid all picked up their first Test wickets and West Indies declared on 629/9. Chanderpaul was unbeaten on a very patient 136 off 510 balls. The match, of course, was drawn.

This was only third time in history that all eleven members of a team had bowled. But all that is only academic. The series is now stands 1-1 with everything to play for at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. Expect some changes to both sides, and a far more exciting game.

JACOBS SCORES TON AS TEST LOSES SERIOUSNESS
After lunch, the Test turned into an extreme farce. Jacobs scoring 118 (206 balls, 11 fours, 5 sixes) was the highlight of the session. The hard hitting wicketkeeper made history of sorts. This is the first instance in the history of the game where both ‘keepers have scored centuries in a Test match. West Indies reached a mammoth 591/6 at tea.

The fact that Jacobs was dismissed by Rahul Dravid is about enough proof that this type of cricket is about the worst advertisement for Test cricket. Playing a massive across-the-line heave, Jacobs holed out to Laxman in the on side. Not before he had hit 11 clean sixes.

Then came the heightened comedy. Not wanting to tire out their main bowlers, and you can’t really blame them for that, India used 10 bowlers in all. Ajay Ratra with his pads on is the only man not to bowl. Wasim Jaffer, VVS Laxman and SS Das all sent down some gentle inviting off spin. Why, even the captain himself could not resist the temptation and send down an over that was a mixture of off spin and leg spin just before tea. Dillon knocked 14 runs off that over, and reached 31 (45 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes).

Unfussed by everything happening around him, Chanderpaul continued to occupy the crease and had 125 (454 balls, 16 fours) to his name.

JACOBS, CHANDERPAUL PILE ON THE RUNS
The final day of the fourth Test began with no chance of a result in the game. One Indian innings and half a West Indian were complete when lunch was taken. Ridley Jacobs, with his forthright style of batting reached 77 while Chanderpaul (106) in his own manner completed his third ton of the series. West Indies were 494/5.

Jacobs, coming back to the West Indian team fresh from a double-hundred in a club game appeared in prime form. Confidence personified, Jacobs bludgeoned the ball to all parts of the ground. Starting with a heave off Sachin Tendulkar that landed in stands at square leg, Jacobs unfurled a series of positive shots.

The shot of the session easily was the six Jacobs hit off Nehra. Stepping across his stumps the ‘keeper launched into an on drive, hit the ball cleanly and powerfully, sending it over the stands and onto the roof. As if to show that he could play in the offside as well, Jacobs (77 runs, 134 balls, 9 fours, 3 sixes) played two exquisite cover drives, one off the back foot and one off the front.

In stark contrast, Chanderpaul (106 runs, 349 balls, 16 fours) was cautious on the way to his third century of the tour. Taking ample time, hardly striking any boundaries, Chanderpaul eased his way to three figures. Stroking a Nehra full toss to the on side the Guyana middle order batsmen relieved the tension. As is his tradition, he knelt over and kissed the pitch.

With this score, Chanderpaul has failed just once in the series, adjudged lbw for 1 at Guyana in the second Test, where also the ball appeared to pitch well outside the leg stump. So it has been a rum tour.

The match is only of academic interest now. Jacobs is heading towards completion of a unique record – never in the history of the game have two wicketkeepers scored hundreds in the same game.