Hetmyer, Hope centuries pilot Windies to comfortable win vs India

Chennai: Battling a bouts of cramp, Southpaw Shermon Hetmyer has stances similar that of Keith Artherton and his style of play as he along with opener Shai Hope countered the Indian spinners and speedsters with panache and scant respect in guiding their team to an 

easy win. 

In his 42nd innings, man-of-the-match Hetmyer hammered a 106-ball 139 (11x4, 7x6), his fifth hundred and second against India, to power West Indies to overhaul India's big target to help his team take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series at the Chepauk Stadium here tonight.

Earlier, half centuries by young guns under-fire Rishab Pant-71 in 69 balls with seven fours and a six, an important knock, and Shreyas Iyer (70, 88 balls, 5x4, 1x6), with good knocks by Rohit Sharma (36) and Kedar Jadhav (40), powered India to 288 for eight, a total which never 

looked in sight after the famed top order collapsed, after being invited to bat.

Chasing India's 288 for eight, the visitors, powered by Hetmyer'scentury and an equal contribution by Shai Hope, who milked thebowling with ones and twos and later exploded while reaching the coveted three figure mark, made the Indian attack look pedestrian as Windies finished at 291 for two with a pair of boundaries by Nicholas Pooran (29, 23 balls, 4x4) with 13 balls to spare.

After the early loss of Sunil Ambiris (nine, 8 balls, 2x4), Hetmyerand Hope (102 not out, 151 balls, 7x4, 1x6), who curbed his attacking instincts and played second fiddle to his combative partner, added 228 in 34.3 overs, to power the team cross the final hurdle with 

consummate ease, with the dew factor not coming into the picture on a day of clear skies after two days of rain.

Hope and Pooran provided the finishing touches with 62-run standin 9.1 overs as the visitors notched up their fifth win in the venue in 13 meetings. (India 7 wins, one no result).Right through the chase, Windies were always ahead in the run ratevas the Indian bowlers proved ineffective to contain the Hermetyer and Chase.

In the chase Hetmyer survived a dropped chance by Iyer after scoring his hundred, which ultimately proved the decisive turn in the end. Runs flowed like as a cascade as Hermetyer feasted on both the seamers and the spinners, without any trouble, smoting them all 

over the ground.

If the spinners gave the air, he was quick enough to pounce to despatch into the stands, with one of the sixers touching 110 mmark (ball went out of ground), and was agile in despatching 

anything that was short on the off-side to the backward point region.

None of the bowlers made an impact as the partnership flourished as the wicket turned relatively easy, when compared to the Indian innings as it appeared slow and stroke-making made very difficult,though Indian Skipper Virat Kohli kept shuffling the bowlers seeking

a breakthrough.

When Hermtyer finally holed out to midwicket fence, it was too late as he assured that the match was very much on control, as the visitors headed to Vizag for the second match with heads high and a buoyant mood. 

Meanwhile, Hope mixed caution with aggression, as he slowed builthis innings brick-by-brick and never panicked, despite wrist spinner Kuleep troubled the batsmen with odd balls, that turned viciously as the chase boiled down to run a ball, when Chase exploded to complete his second hundred with a six and four.(UNI)