SPORTS Monday, December 4, 2017 21 Brathwaite leads Windies India tighten grip battle for survival after Kohli double Wellington New Delhi as Kohli surpassed Brian Lara the match. The Kohli-Sharma not coming out in the raigg Brathwaite was he drama that unfolded as captain with most 200 plus association yielded 135 runs post-lunch session, Keyeing his seventh BRIEF SCORE Tin the second session scores in the first session for for the fifth wicket. Sri Lanka players century as he led the West West Indies 134 and 214 for 2 of day two of the third Test his sixth double century. There was certain haze led by Chandimal Indies survival effort after (Brathwaite 79*, Hetmyer 66, Hope match between India and Sri The Sri Lankan bowlers over the stadium right from protested to Tom Blundell’s debut ton put 21*) trail New Zealand 520 for 9 dec. Lanka wasn’t a pretty sight. would have hoped to ride on the morning, but with the sun the on-field New Zealand in a seemingly (Blundell 107*, de Grandhomme 105, While Virat Kohli entertained the late momentum provided umpires Nigell unbeatable position in the first Taylor 93, Nicholls 67) by 172 runs the 15,000 strong yesterday by Lakshan Sandakan who Long and Joel Test in Wellington yesterday. crowd at the Feroz Shah had scalped Murali Vijay and Wilson Brathwaite was unbeaten Kotla with a marathon knock Ajinkya Rahane on day one, about on 79 as the tourists reached 214 for two at stumps on day of 243, unfortunately the but all that hope was dashed playing three. Shai Hope was not out 21. Indian skipper’s innings was by Rohit Sharma who scored After trailing by 386 runs in the first innings, they still overshadowed by the play at a fair clip to allow Kohli to require a further 172 to make New Zealand bat again. being halted repeatedly owing settle. Kohli eventually reached The target appeared monumental, but Brathwaite has the to poor air quality in the area, the milestone pulling one to memory of the West Indies’ last tour of New Zealand to know which eventually led to India midwicket taking a couple it is not impossible. declaring their first innings to reach his sixth double conditions. It all In the first Test on the 2013 tour they were 396 in arrears prematurely at 536 for 7. century in just over 17 started with SL players when forced to follow on. But India didn’t let up, months, as India went past taking to the field post- A Marlon Samuels double century took them to 507 in their snaring two quick wickets the 450-run mark. Soon lunch wearing masks and second innings on the fifth day and New Zealand ran out of before Angelo Mathews (57*) after, Sharma got to his roughly after 30 minutes in to time chasing a target of 112 to win. kept one end tight to take eighth Test fifty with a six play, Gamage looked in trouble Brathwaite, who was on that tour but not required for that Sri Lanka to 131 for three at over the bowler’s head. and play was halted for 13 Test, played confidently against the New Zealand attack. stumps on day two, trailing But at the stroke of minutes. Play resumed after the He featured in a 72-run partnership with Kieran Powell (40) India by 405 runs. lunch, Sharma went after umpires got in to a huddle with for the first wicket, a 94-run stand with Shimron Hetmyer (66) Before the start of day, all the a wide one from Sandakan the skippers, but India for the second wicket and has added a further 48 with Hope. talk was about Kohli scalping and the delivery took the lost Ravichandran - Expensive Wagner -Hetmyer, only 20 and playing just yet another milestone with a bottom edge of the bat to Ashwin his fourth Test, easily bettered his previous best 25 against double century. It didn’t really wicketkeeper Niroshan immediately. Pakistan seven months ago. matter that he was still 44 runs Dickwella, handing (TOI) Matt Henry, who toiled without success in the West Indies away - and it actually didn’t, the left-arm spinner first innings, took both wickets while first innings destroyer his third wicket of Neil Wagner proved expensive with none for 89. After 19 wickets fell on the first two days of the Test, there were only two on day three as the wicket browned off from the BRIEF SCORE green cover on day one when the West Indies were rolled for Sri Lanka 131 for 3 (Mathews 57*, 134 in their first innings. Chandimal 25*) trail India 536 for However there were signs in the final hour that the wicket 7 dec (Kohli 243, Vijay 155, Rohit was starting to take turn which would put more focus on 65, Sandakan 4-167) by 405 runs spinners for the remainder of the game. New Zealand resumed the day at 447-9 and added 73 runs Virat Kohli plays a shot (Picture before declaring shortly before lunch with Blundell celebrating courtesy: newindianexpress) his call up to the New Zealand Test team with an unbeaten 107 on debut. He took 10 off the opening over of the day by Miguel Cummins and continued to pile on the pressure for another 21.4 overs while Boult staunchly defied his tail-end status to hold up the other end. (AFP) Shaun Marsh puts Australia in control Adelaide armed with a pink ball under ngland face a battle to stay the floodlights, it seemed like in the second Ashes Test a recipe for the top order to be afterE a Shaun Marsh century blown away. put Australia in command on The tourists lost Mark day two in Adelaide. Stoneman, lbw to Mitchell Marsh ended on 126 not Starc for 18, before rain arrived out, taking Australia to 442-8 to wipe almost 19 overs off declared with the help of Tim the day. Paine (57) and Pat Cummins England closed on 29-1, 413 (44). behind, with Alastair Cook England spent 149 overs on 11 and James Vince yet to in the field after winning the score. Shawn Marsh plays a shot toss and when they came to With Australia 1-0 up after bat, facing an Australia attack a 10-wicket win in Brisbane, nighter in Ashes history, was But after Joe Root became it is no exaggeration to say earmarked as a must-win for the first captain in 25 years England’s hopes of retaining England in their bid to defend to field first at the Adelaide the Ashes are already under the urn. Oval, England bowled poorly Kraigg Brathwaite BRIEF SCORE huge threat, especially as the The pink ball, floodlights on day one and paid the price plays a shot England 1 for 29 (Cook 11*, Vince 0*) trail Australia 8 for 442 dec (Marsh next Test comes in Perth, and often-wet weather seemed on day two. Though England 126*, Paine 57, Khawaja 53, Overton where England have not won ideal to be exploited by the improved on their first-day 3-105) by 413 runs since 1978. likes of James Anderson and display, they spent most of This Test, the first day- Stuart Broad. Sunday in the field. (BBC).