Karthik saves blushes after Powell rocks Indian batting

Cuttack, Jan 24 (UNI) Dinesh Karthik's gritty 63 helped India reach a modest 189 after Darren Powell broke the backbone of India's batting with four for 27 in the second ODI against the West Indies at the Barabati Stadium here today.

Karthik is fast gaining the reputation of being the crisis man in the Indian batting line-up. An unlikely hero, who has emerged out of the shadows, to assert his utility as a batsman, if not as a keeper, once again proved that the pint-sized carried a cool head. Karthik reached the maiden fifty of his ODI career off 72 deliveries in his eighth appearance for India.

The Tamil Nadu batsman was finally accounted for by Bradshaw for 63, which besides being his highest in the ODIs, will be remembered for the temperament and the pace at which it was played.

As wickets tumbled, Karthik culled runs at a healthy strike-rate of 72. The innings included seven hits to the fence. Hs 62 run partnership with Ajit Agarkar for the eighth wicket lent some respectability to the Indian score. Karthik was accounted for by Bradshaw who bowled him as the batsman tried to force the pace.

Ajit Agarkar's cameo of 40 (run out by Bravo) towards the end helped India post a fighting total. The batsman played fluently on either side of the wicket to help the hosts reach some respectability in his late flourish. His innings lasted 47 balls and was studded with four boundaries.

Earlier, India won the toss and chose to bat first on a pitch that looked dry and two-paced. Inexplicably captain Rahul Dravid chose to bat, knowing fully well that the dew could make life difficult for the bowlers later in the match.

His decision to bat first immediately backfired as the wicket displaying a devil inside with the ball stopping sometimes and at other times the ball rising sharply from good-length. The batsmen found it difficult to adjust.

If Gautam Gambhir (2) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (6) brought about their own peril, trying to negotiate deliveries that were bowled down the leg side, Sourav Ganguly (13) and Sachin Tendulkar were undone by the dual-pace of the wicket.

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