India steamroller Windies to complete tour sweep

INDIA completed another crushing victory over the West Indies, demolishing the home side by 257 runs on the fourth afternoon of the second and final Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Monday.

Set the improbable target of 468 late on day three, the home side tumbled in the post-lunch session, losing their last six wickets for 51 runs as they were dismissed for 210 to hand Virat Kohli’s side a clean sweep of a Test series in the Caribbean for the first time ever. The result also completed a 100 percent record for the tourists in all matches played on this tour. The 2-0 Test series triumph followed a 3-0 success in the T20 Internationals and a 2-0 victory in the One-Day Internationals, with one match ruined by rain.

Pacer Mohammed Shami and spinner Ravindra Jadeja took three wickets each as the Indians had too many varied weapons for the home side.

Shamarh Brooks completed a Test half-century but it was little consolation for captain Jason Holder who was last out, bowled by Jadeja for 39.

“This was pretty comprehensive again for us,” said Kohli. “We played good cricket and getting the result in the manner you want is crucial as a team. This is a real collective effort.”

Amid the jubilation there was concern for the welfare of key West Indies batsman Darren Bravo, who retired hurt on 23 just 15 minutes into the day’s play. He was eventually replaced by Jermaine Blackwood in the team according to the game’s new concussion protocol.

Resuming his innings in partnership with Brooks with the score at 45 for two, Bravo appeared to be feeling unwell and was attended to and subsequently led off the field.

He was struck on the back of the helmet by fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah during the final over of the third day’s play and continued batting for the remaining three deliveries of the day after receiving treatment.

Australian Marnus Labuschagne was the first concussion replacement in the history of the game last month when he replaced Steve Smith during the second innings of the second Test against England at Lord’s after Smith was struck on the neck by Jofra Archer.

Blackwood was called into duty within minutes of being drafted into the team after Shimron Hetmyer fell to yet another poor shot, caught at extra-cover to give fast bowler Ishant Sharma his second wicket of the innings.

With Bravo and Blackwood both batting in the same innings, it gave West Indies the first 12-batsman Test scorecard under the protocol.

Earlier Roston Chase was the first wicket to fall in the day after coming to the crease when Bravo went off, being trapped leg-before by Jadeja.

Blackwood dominated a 61run fifth-wicket partnership with Brooks but when he became Bumrah’s only wicket of the innings, it signalled the beginning of the end of the West Indies resistance with Brooks’ own carelessness contributing to his demise as he was run out by a direct hit from Kohli.

Despite the Indian bowlers’ dominance, it was Hanuma Vihari who earned the “Man of the Match” award for his maiden Test hundred in the first innings, which he followed with an unbeaten half-century in the second to help hasten Kohli’s declaration on day three.

(AFP) 6:30am Baseball, MLB, Texas Rangers vs New York Yankees