India break 35-year jinx, clinch Test series in Carribean

Kingston, Jamaica, July 3 (UNI) Anil Kumble grabbed six wickets as India won their first Test series in the Caribbean in 35 years, beating West Indies by 49 runs on the third day of the fourth and final match here.

Chasing 269 for victory, West Indies were all out for 219 in 69.4 overs with Kumble being their main tormentor as he took six wickets for 78 runs.

With this victory Rahul Dravid's team became the first Indian team in 35 years to clinch a Test series victory in the Caribbean.

The last time India won a series here was in 1971 an Ajit Wadekar led team won 1-0.

India were led well from the front by Dravid who played two crucial knocks of 81 and 68 on a track that offered most assistance to bowlers in this series so far. Harbhajan Singh's five-wicket haul in first innings and Kumble's six wickets in the second innings also helped the Indians in raising this victory.

Dravid was declared the Man of the Match and the Man of the Series for his contribution in the match as well as for the 496 runs he accumulated in the series. Kumble took 23 wickets in the series, the most by any bowler in either side.

West Indies top order was the main culprit for hosts' loss as they dispalyed spineless batting in the first innings getting all out for 103 in mere 33.4 overs.

However, in the second innings wicketkeeper batsman Densh Ramdin showed with his unbeaten 62 that scoring runs was possible here if the batsmen applied themselves.

Post-tea session on the third day was crucial as West Indies needed 184 runs to win with six wickets remaining. The match could have gone either way from there with Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo raising hopes of a fight back.

The two were aggressive after tea, Bravo being more belligerent as he played Kumble and Sreesanth with ample ease. Kumble changed ends, deciding to bowl from the far end but he was hit for three fours in that over by Bravo that charged the atmosphere at the Sabina Park.

Sarwan took the cue from Bravo and hit Sreesanth for a cover drive to raise his fifty. This was a fighting knock from the West Indies vice captain who battled searing pain in his left knee to come out to bat.

But the sudden spurt of runs made the duo complacent in defence.

Sarwan and Bravo got carried away by their own expectations and departed in quick succession.

Sarwan played one shot away from his body and was caught at first slips by Dravid off S Sreesanth's bowling. The Windies vice-captain made 51 and added 72 runs for the fifth wicket with Bravo before departing.

Kerala pacer Sreesanth was very impressive in this match and adapted to the situations quite well. If Sreesanth was bowling fast in the channel out side the off stump in his first spell, he came back to ball with controlled speed and wicket to wicket line with the older ball in his latter spells.

Bravo was clean bowled by Kumble for 33 and Marlon Samuels offered an easy catch to Yuvraj Singh for five to give Kumble his third wicket of the match. West Indies were reeling at 144 for seven, still needing 125 runs to win with just three wickets in hand.

It became all the more difficult difficult for them with Kumble and Harbhajan bowling in tandem.

Jerome Taylor hit a few audacious drives for his 20 but was out leg before to Kumble.

In between these falling wickets, Ramdin showed great character to keep the West Indies spirits alive till the last wicket was down.

He played with aggression to reach his fifty. He made 62 of 85 balls with eight fours and one six before running out of partners.

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