CAPTAIN'S KNOCK: West Indies captain Brian Lara returned to action after missing the Cuttack match to lead his team to victory in Chennai. — Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

Chennai: A little over four years ago, Marlon Samuels compiled a century of such allure against India that the world was sure he was the next big thing. Matters haven't quite panned out that way, but at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, Samuels did enough to allay fears that he had slipped through the crevices of international cricket.

Putting to shade a frenetic 41-ball 70 by Uthappa was no little task; Samuels proceeded to do precisely that, playing under a night sky of matching prettiness.

After the West Indies did exceedingly well to restrict India, contemplating heady thoughts of 400 at one stage, to 268, Samuels, in captain Brian Lara's presence, all but sealed victory.

Drama

By the time, Ajit Agarkar had him caught behind, two short of a 100, Samuels had put his side within 49 runs of victory. The West Indies eventually won, though not before collapsing spectacularly amidst considerable drama. India leads the four-match series 2-1.

Samuels had made his way to the middle after Agarkar snared Chris Gayle with one that hinted back into the left-hander and followed it up by convincing Runako Morton to nick one that curled away like a pencil shaving from a sharpener.

Samuels square-drove Agarkar a couple of times before unveiling a stroke that drew unsubtle attention to his class. Seeing an Agarkar outswinger early, he dispensed with the preliminary of stepping towards the ball. Instead he adjusted his arms: what was to be exquisite simply grew ornate. An inside-out drive off Kumble was just as compelling.

Lack of control

Lara is a past master at putting together glorious strokes, swinging momentum inexorably as he does so. Saturday was no different. Sreesanth's lack of control — he bowled 11 wides — further fuelled a theory that has gained considerable currency in recent times: a theory that states he is ill-suited for the shortened format.

Earlier, Uthappa had just edged his first boundary, when his opening partner — and competitor for a spot on the flight to the West Indies — Gautam Gambhir left. The left-hander upper cut to Lendl Simmons, shrouded in the afternoon shadows at third man. Considering the track was a patron of strokeplay, Gambhir — and later Suresh Raina — missed opportunities to crease selectorial worry lines.

Uthappa, 21, had spent almost half an hour at the wicket during Friday's session, visualising the strokes he fancied. Not enough is known of Uthappa's imagination: if Saturday's strokes were part conceived on Friday, he paints quite a picture.

On Saturday, he frequently drove on the up, locking his wrists at impact and punching through the line with an abridged follow through. Seldom has one seen such acceleration of the bat through the striking zone. Uthappa's production of stroke square on the off-side involved a freer rein to the wrists than when he hit straight. One such square drive was hit so hard, only a puff of reddish brown dust that rose from the practice wickets confirmed that a ball had indeed passed that way.

Uthappa pulled debutant Rayad Emrit for six — arms describing the stoke arc, minimal swivel — to bring up a 32-ball 50. Lara turned to Chris Gayle after Bravo was plundered for 19 in an over. Uthappa saw out one ball, sliced a steepling catch to mid-off next ball, and departed to a delirious ovation and a Tendulkar pat on the back.

Fine effort

Tendulkar and Dravid began consolidating the expeditious start. Dravid looked in fine touch; Tendulkar meanwhile used the merest twirl of the wrists to elude the four-man inner ring for ones and twos. Both looked set to herald another spate of big-hitting, but Dravid found long-on. Lara, in a master stroke, kept mid-on up: Tendulkar tried clearing him, and Morton side-stepped, leapt, and took an excellent catch.

Things quickly unravelled thereafter. From 232 for three, the home side contrived to be dismissed with twelve balls unutilised as Dwayne Bravo finished with career-best figures. India's 200 had come in the 29th over; between overs 35 and 45, however, only 28 were eked out.

SCOREBOARD

India: R. Uthappa c Simmons b Gayle 70, G. Gambhir c Simmons b Powell 0, S. Raina c Lara b Taylor 23, S. Tendulkar c Morton b Bravo 60, R. Dravid c Emrit b Gayle 57, Yuvraj c & b Bravo 10, D. Karthik c Ramdin b Bravo 8, A. Agarkar c Morton b Samuels 2, R. Powar c & b Taylor 5, A. Kumble (not out) 3, S. Sreesanth c Morton b Bravo 1; Extras (lb-14, nb-2, w-13) 29. Total (in 48 overs) 268.

Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Gambhir), 2-95 (Uthappa), 3-126 Raina), 4-232 (Dravid), 5-237 (Tendulkar), 6-255 (Yuvraj), 7- 255 (Karthik), 8-259 (Agarkar), 9- 265 (Powar). Power Play 1: 1-10; PP2: 11-15, PP3: 16-20.

West Indies bowling: Taylor 8-0-45-2, Powell 6-1-38-1, Emrit 5-0-34-0, Bravo 9-0-39-4, Gayle 10-0-57-2, Samuels 10-0-41-1.

West Indies: C. Gayle lbw b Agarkar 0, D. Smith c Dravid b Kumble 33, R. Morton c Karthik b Agarkar 1, M. Samuels c Karthik b Agarkar 98, B. Lara c Uthappa b Powar 83, L. Simmons c Uthappa b Powar 17, D. Bravo c Raina b Sreesanth 4, D. Ramdin (not out) 4, R. Emrit (not out) 0, Extras (b-4, lb-1, w-25): 30; Total (for seven wikts., in 43.4 overs): 270.

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Gayle), 2-27 (Morton), 3-92 (Smith), 4-219 (Samuels), 5-257 (Lara), 6-261 (Bravo), 7-265 (Simmons).

Power Play 1: 1-10; PP2: 11-15; PP3: 16-20.

India bowling: Agarkar 10-1-45-3, Sreesanth 8.4-0-67-1, Kumble 10-0-67-1, Powar 10-0-53-2, Tendulkar 5-0-33-0

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