Familiar pitches have helped, says match-winner Rampaul

Ravi Rampaul

AHMEDABAD, India, CMC – Fast bowler Ravi Rampaul said Monday his experience of playing on subcontinent-type wickets in his homeland Trinidad, has benefited him greatly in the ongoing series against India.

He snatched four for 57 in a Man-of-the-Match performance to help West Indies beat the hosts by 16 runs in the third One-Day International and stay alive in the five-match series.

India won the first two games to lead 2-1. “I would say getting those early breakthroughs proved to be the key point in the match when we bowled,” Rampaul said afterward.

Ravi Rampaul

“We got up to a good score thanks to some great batting from (Darren) Sammy and (Andre) Russell but we still had a big job to do with the ball.

“I am used to bowling on these slow, low wickets as they are similar to what I play on in Trinidad. Also, the experience of playing here (in India) for Trinidad and Tobago in the Champions League as well as in the World Cup has helped me a lot.” West Indies, sent in to bat, were struggling at 181 for five in the 45th over before Sammy (41) and Russell (40) arrived to pummel 79 off 34 balls in an unbroken sixth wicket stand, to fire the tourists to 260 for five.

Rampaul then removed captain Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir for first-ball “ducks” to leave India on eight for two in the second over, and returned later in the innings to make key strikes.  “Early wickets were the key. My strategy was to bowl wicket to wicket and it was good that I got the ball to swing as well,” Rampaul explained.

“We wanted to have a go at the Indian middle order early. Finally we have a win on the tour and it means a lot to us as a team. We came close on quite a few occasions and tonight (Monday) we got the reward. We will look for more in the coming matches.”
West Indies will look to level the series in the fourth ODI scheduled for tomorrow in Indore.