Redemption... Windies seek respectable close to series

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

The West Indies, still without Christopher Gayle, will today seek to end the ongoing Digicel Pearls One-Day International Series against India on a winning note when both teams face off in the fifth and final match of the series at Sabina Park, here in Jamaica.

The showdown, which is slated to bowl off at 9 a.m., will see the West Indies, who won Monday's fourth game of the series, trying to limit the Indians to a 3-2 win, and in the process gain some momentum heading into next Monday's start of the first Test, which will also be played at Sabina Park.

"Monday's win was a good one for us, as after coming close in the earlier games, we were able to get it right in all departments," said West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

"Tomorrow's game is another test, and with us improving day by day, I am looking forward to another good display, which hopefully will put us on top once more," he added.

In what will be the venue's first game since 2009, after civil unrest surrounding the extradition of Christopher Coke forced the cancellation of South Africa's tour of the country last year, the game is expected to see the return of opener Adrian Barath, who has been out for weeks due to injury.

The 21-year-old Trinidadian, who since making his West Indies debut in late 2009 has racked up an ODI average of 32.00 in eight matches, is one of two specialist openers in the squad, with the other being compatriot Lendl Simmons, who with 171 runs at an average of 42.75 is in contention for Man of the Series. Simmons is currently second in the runs table behind India's Rohit Sharma, who has 200 runs of his own.

RAVI TO MAKE RETURN

Should Simmons win the Man of the Series award it would be his second in a row, having also won the award against Pakistan in the preceding series.

Also expected to make a return to the team is fast bowler Ravi Rampaul who, after fairly decent spells against Pakistan and in the first two matches of the series, was rested for the third and fourth games in Antigua and Barbuda.

Other members of the team, who fans will be hoping will come good, include Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Darren Bravo and Kieron Pollard in the batting department.

Sarwan, who has scored the most ODI runs at this venue - 556 at an average of 61.77 - and the returning Samuels have been inconsistent in the series thus far. Bravo has been struggling to find form, while Pollard made a 84-ball 70 to top-score in the last game.

Meanwhile, the bowling unit will see Rampaul, who has so far taken seven wickets at an impressive average of 15.14 at Sabina Park, Roach and in-form all-rounder André Russell as the pace options.

Man of the Match for the fourth game, Anthony Martin, and bowling find of the year thus far, Devendra Bishoo, will lead the spin equivalent.

India have the luxury of either continuing to rest some of its senior players and giving fringe players an opportunity to prove themselves, or play their main players, given the fact that the Tests start in four days' time.

"Our aim is to end the series with a 4-1 win," said India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

"We kind of slacked off in the last game, but we are not too concerned, as we have what it takes to bounce back and will be working towards that," he added.

West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh (wkt), Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Anthony Martin, Kieron Pollard, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Lendl Simmons.

India: Suresh Raina (capt), Subramaniam Badrinath, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra, Munaf Patel, Parthiv Patel (wkt), Yusuf Pathan, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, Harbhajan Singh