NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Jason Mohammed has stressed the need for a more purposeful batting effort if West Indies are to bounce back in today’s pivotal fourth One-Day International against India.
West Indies went down by 93 runs in the third game of the five-match series at the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium here Friday, to find themselves on the verge of yet another series loss.
“I think the conditions were decent. The bounce was a little bit up and down but … I thought the wicket was a fairly decent one,” said Mohammed who top-scored for the Windies in a weak batting performance.
“What is important is we have a good start at the top and string together some partnerships and whichever one or two guys get set in the batting, they have to try carry on as deep as possible for the team.
“We have played decent cricket in spurts but it’s just for us to keep it more consistent and for a longer period of time, for us to come out on top.”
SKIPPER TO SKIPPER: Fast bowler Jason Holder celebrates the wicket of his opposite number Virat Kohli during the India innings on Friday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)
West Indies did well to restrict the powerful Indians to 251 for four off their 50 overs but then struggled in their run chase to slump to 87 for five in the 20th over.
Mohammed then anchored the best stand of the innings, putting on 54 for the sixth wicket with Rovman Powell (30) to put some pressure back on India.
Once they were out, however, the innings collapsed to 158 all out in the 39th over.
“I played the way that I’m accustomed playing – taking a little time to get in and then sort of accelerating a little bit. Unfortunately we didn’t have enough partnerships and that’s where we fell away in the end,” the Trinidadian said.
“We were just trying to build a partnership which we were doing very well. I was the one to try and bat through the innings and Rovman would have tried to take the chance here and there.”
India had stumbled early on, losing the key wickets of opener Shikhar Dhawan (2) and captain Virat Kohli (11) cheaply to slip to 34 for two in the 10th over. But MS Dhoni top-scored with a Man-of-the-Match unbeaten 78, opener Ajinkya Rahane got 72 while Kedar Jadhav hit a breezy unbeaten 40, as India accelerated late on to gather 100 runs from the last 10 overs and pass 250.
“I thought we were excellent in the first power-play, even up to the 40th over we were very good. Well done to the guys, and the two spinners in the middle were very excellent – Ashley (Nurse) and (Devendra) Bishoo,” Mohammed pointed out.
“We fell away a little in the end. I thought if we had given them 70, 80 runs [at the end] it would have been ideal but all in all, to restrict India for 250 was an excellent effort from the bowlers.”
