Clinical West Indies crush India by 103 runs

The West Indies' bowlers produced a clinical performance, after Kieron Pollard and Lendl Simmons laid the foundation with fluent fifties, to crush India by 103 runs in the fourth One-day International, at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, in Antigua, on Monday.

- Scorecard

Sent in to bat after Suresh Raina won the toss, Pollard top-scored with a typically aggressive 70 off 72 balls, and opener Simmons notched a fluent 67 off 78 deliveries, to lift the hosts to 249 for eight -- their highest total in the series -- after the Indian bowlers had them in a spot of bother at 89 for four.

In reply, India crumbled in the face of some disciplined work from the hosts' bowlers, especially Anthony Martins and Andre Russell who shared seven wickets between them, and were bundled out for 146 in 39 overs.

The victory not only broke a sequence of three successive defeats but also restored some pride for the West Indies.

India made three changes to the squad, bringing in Ravichandran Ashwin, Manoj Tiwary and Ishant Sharma.

Tiwary, playing in place of Shikhar Dhawan, failed to capitalise on the opportunity, edging Darren Sammy to Carlton Baugh, but Parthiv Patel picked a few useful boundaries to set it up for India.

However, after getting his eye in, Patel drove one uppishly for Sammy to complete a fine left-handed catch off his own bowling.

Same was the case with Virat Kohli (22), who was out courtesy a smart piece of work by Baugh off the bowling of leg-spinner Martin.

Subramaniam Badrinath looked out of sorts from the start. The West Indian bowlers, especially Russell, troubled him with the short stuff and the all-rounder had the Chennai batsman caught behind.

Though the top order was the back in the pavilion with not much on the board, there was still hope for India as long as the in-form Rohit Sharma and skipper Raina were at the crease.

But Martin had other ideas as he lured Raina with a fuller length delivery, which the batsman hit straight to Pollard at midwicket.

Yusuf Pathan, who has the reputation of throwing away his wicket, lived up to the billing by playing an unnecessary shot against Simmons that could not clear long-off.

When Sharma top-edged a Martin delivery to give Darren Bravo a simple catch in the circle, it was as good as over for India.

Russell added to his kitty by dismissing Kumar, who gave a simple catch to Sammy.

Ashwin crossed double figures but the rest of the batting folded up all too easily, handing the hosts a consolation win.

Earlier, despite some early setbacks, Simmons was in command, finding the fence with ease.

After his dismissal, Pollard took over, and in the company of Carlton Baugh did the repair work with a solid half-century partnership.

But just when the hosts threatened to pile a huge score, Pollard went for an expansive shot against Ashwin that found Ishant at long-off.

The lanky Ishant had given India the perfect start, dismissing Danza Hyatt as early as the second over of the match.

Kumar then had the experienced Ramnaresh Sarwan caught at point by Sharma.

Simmons rebuilt the innings, and in the company of Darren Bravo put together a fifty partnership for the third wicket, but Mishra cut short the flourishing stand, having Bravo caught at deep midwicket in the 16th over.

The leg-spinner, who is having a good series, struck again eight overs later when he trapped Marlon Samuels in front of the wicket to leave the hosts reeling at 89 for four.

The West Indies were dealt a body blow when Simmons, who looked in good touch during his stay at crease, was run-out by an agile Tiwary.

But before falling victim to Tiwary's acrobatic act, Simmons played some effective shots to prop his team. There was a pull over backward point and a heave over wide long-on for another boundary off Ishant.

After a late cut against Pathan, Simmons came into his own, unleashing three sixes, two off Mishra and one against Ishant, before getting out.

Pollard's first boundary was a streaky one over point, but thereafter he produced some stunning shots.

The burly Trinidadian took time to settle but cut loose by hitting Mishra down the ground and then flicked Kumar over the midwicket fence in the next over.

Opting for the batting powerplay in the 44th over, Pollard smacked Mishra over midwicket and, a delivery later, glanced him past fine-leg for a four.

Russell, having hit a sparkling 92 in the last match, was in his stride straightaway, hitting Ashwin back over his head for a four.

In the next over, he collected a four and a six off Mishra. But Kumar came back to take the wickets of Carlton Baugh (39) and Russell off successive deliveries.