Cricket Live

Mahendra Singh Dhoni put in a monumental rearguard effort to score 95 of an Indian total of 188 in the second ODI against West Indies at the Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.

Mediumpacers Ravi Rampaul and Dwayne Bravo combined superbly with quickie Jerome Taylor to knock the stuffing out of the Indians early on to have them reeling for 82 for 8. At that stage India threatened to do worse than their lowest total against West Indies, 99.

The problem began very early on with Taylor getting a ball to tail away late against Dinesh Karthik, who came forward and edged to the keeper. Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma both departed without scoring, the first slashing at a wide one and the second driving away from the body without moving his feet. At 7 for 3 India had got off to the worst possible start.

Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni then steadied Indian nerves in a mini partnership that showed that there were no devils in this shiny, hard pitch. When the mediumpacers put in an earnest effort there was purchase, but the Indian top order failed to apply themselves as well as they can.

Yuvraj, in the middle of a purple patch, played the most delectable short-arm flick off Rampaul that sailed over the square-leg boundary for six, following it up with a drilled square-drive in front of point. But Rampaul got his revenge soon when Yuvraj (35) was tempted into a flashy shot outside off that resulted in an outside edge.

Wickets tumbled in a heap for the second time in the innings and a shake 54 for 4 turned into a disastrous 82 for 8 as Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh and Praveen Kumar all failed to make it to double figures.

Just when it seemed that all was lost, Dhoni began to shield RP Singh. Dhoni played well within himself, only kicking into top gear against the left-arm spin of Suleiman Benn to launch a six over long-on. With RP providing stodgy if inelegant company Dhoni controlled the innings, showing just why he is regarded so highly by the opposition. When Dhoni finally fell on 95, he was the last man to be dismissed, and had added an unlikely 101 with RP, who faced 75 balls for his 23. India ended on 188, well below what they would have wanted when the day began, but well in excess of what seemed possible at the halfway mark of the innings.