Easy pickings for India to clinch series
Hosts defeat West Indies by nine wickets in final one-dayer to canter for 3-1 success
■ way to own and race horses. It just takes a bunch of likeminded ladies to get together and create a club through which they can own horses and, hopefully, win some races.
“This particular syndicate owns about 10 horses, one of which Walking Thunder, looks a nice prospect.”
The Meydan winner is by leading freshman sire Violene, a ■ Grade 1 winner at two by Medaglia d’Oro. Meydan’s opening card, which featured six other races, was sponsored end-toend by its Pillar Partner, Emirates airline. A large crowd was in attendance to witness the first of 29 race meetings that will be held at the iconic racecourse during this season, which promises to be one of the best in Meydan’s history since it opened its doors in 2000. Racing also continues to flourish at Meydan, the sport’s headquarters in the UAE and home to the Dubai World Cup meeting each March, with a 9 per cent overall increase in purses.
Prize money has been boosted by Dh15,000 per race, with maiden races now worth Dh165,000 and conditioned allowances up to Dh240,000. ■
Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja led India’s brilliant bowling performance in a lopsided nine-wicket win against West Indies to wrap up a 3-1 series victory in the final One Day International yesterday.
Jadeja, who turns 30 next month, picked up 4-34 as the West Indies batting line-up capitulated for 104 inside 32 overs after captain Jason Holder won the toss and elected to bat at Thiruvananthapuram.
Rohit Sharma made 63 not out while India captain Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 33 as the hosts chased down their target in less than 15 overs, having lost Shikhar Dhawan early.
“I’m enjoying my game at the moment,” said Jadeja. “Whenever I come on the field, I just try to give my best. Whatever opportunity I get, I’ll try to take it with both hands.” The tourists included an extra fast bowler in Oshane Thomas, who took the place of opening batsman Chandrapaul Hemraj.
India opener Dhawan’s run of poor scores continued as he chopped on a delivery from Thomas to be out for four, going through the five-match series without a half-century.
Taking the attack to the visitors, Rohit pulled Thomas for a four to show his intent and then launched the bowler for a straight six in his next over. He hit three more sixes and five fours in his 56-ball innings to bring up his 37th ODI halfcentury after scoring 162 in the previous match in Mumbai.
West Indies’ batting again suffered a meltdown after their below-par performance in Mumbai, when they were ■ bundled out for 153. India’s fast bowlers struck early, sending back Kieran Powell and Shai Hope without scoring inside the first two overs. The touring side never recovered from the early jolts with only three batsmen managing to make double figures.
“Not the finish we were looking for,” said Holder. “We lacked consistency in the last couple of games. We didn’t bat well enough. A lot of the dismissals from our batsmen were through poor shots. I think it was a lack of application.”