Chennai, Jan 27: India blew away a blazing start given by rookie opener Robin Uthappa
and were restricted to 268 by the West Indies in the third
cricket one-dayer here today.
Uthappa smashed a hurricane 70 and his tempo was sustained
by Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Rahul Dravid who hit sparkling
half-centuries before a late order collapse undid their good work.
Tendulkar answered his critics with an orthodox 60 while Dravid made an enterprising
57 but their dismissals within three runs proved to be a turning point.
After being 232 for three in the 35th over when Tendulkar fell, the Indians
could add only 36 runs in the next 13 overs.
More criminally, they failed to use their full quota of 50 overs.
Dwayne Bravo, after conceding 19 runs in the first over,
returned with 4-39 while Chris Gayle (2-57) and Jerome Taylor
(2-45) benefited from the Indians' hara-kiri.
Uthappa provided the Indians a flying start with his 41-ball knock. The Karnataka
batsman plundered 11 fours and two sixes while adding 88 runs for the second
wicket Suresh Raina (23).
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