India v West Indies Third Test Result: A thrilling draw

Bat and ball / Jamie "The Pacman" Pacheco / 26 November 2011 /

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West Indies skipper Darren Sammy celebrates after his side secured a draw in a match India should really have won

"Ashwin defended the penultimate ball of the match to ensure India couldn’t lose but having hammered the last ball to long on, didn’t run hard enough to get back for two and was run out at the strikers’ end to mean the match ended a draw."

The final day of the Third Test produced one of the most entertaining days of Test cricket ever seen as India fell one run short, Ravichandran Ashwin failing to get them over the line.

India and the West Indies treated cricket fans to one of the most entertaining finales to a Test match ever seen, with all four results possible going into the last over of the match. It eventually ended a draw.

For much of the first four days a draw had appeared to be a near-certainty as first the West Indies (590), then India (482), racked up big first-innings totals. These included centuries by Darren Bravo for the Windies and a debut Test century for Ravichandran Ashwin. Sachin Tendulkar was on course for his 100th international tonne before falling for 94.

The Windies started day five on 81/2 and the draw traded at odds of 1.04, not surprisingly given the state of the match. But a horrible collapse by the West Indies' batting order, which included five players being dismissed for two or less, meant a game was very much on the cards with India chasing 243 off 65 overs. Gautam Ghambir went early but Virender Sehwag (60), Rahul Dravid (33) and VVS Laxman (31) all made good contributions at a reasonable rate and with Virat Kohli still at the crease and having passed fifty, it looked very much like India would chase the total down provided they didn't lose a flurry of wickets. The loss of MS Dhoni slowed India's progress but Ashwin, who had earlier taken four wickets, provided a reliable ally for Kohli, until the latter was dismissed on the very next ball after a break in play to assist injured West Indies skipper Darren Sammy.

Ishant Sharma made ten before being clean bowled and Varun Aron joined Ashwin at the crease at eighth wicket down but with India edging ever closer to victory. They traded at [1.07] with three needed off the last over but with Aron unable to get off strike till the fourth ball they then required two off the last two. Ashwin defended the penultimate ball of the match to ensure India couldn't lose but having hammered the last ball to long on, didn't run hard enough to get back for two and was run out at the strikers' end to mean the match ended a draw. A draw was backed at a high of [18.5] but India will be disappointed at not having closed out a match they really should have won.

India are [1.3] to win the upcoming ODI Series.

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