India were on course for another win with the bowlers taking four quick wickets during the rain-curtailed pre-lunch session, but the rains returned just a few minutes before the scheduled resumption of play.
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Richards, who retired with an average of more than 50, then became more general in his observations of West Indian batting. He had skipper Holder for company, and by tea time the two weren’t looking uncomfortable at the crease at all as the West Indies crossed the 300-mark in the 79th over. The three before Chase were Nehemiah Perry against Australia in 1999, Alf Valentine against India in 1953 and Tommy Scott against England in 1930. It is always tough for a side to save a Test match after being dismissed for a paltry 196 in the first innings.
This was also the first draw registered at the Sabina Park since 1998. India declared their innings at 500 runs for 9 wickets. An ending which made him the man of the moment, thanks to an unbeaten 137 which helped West Indies bat out the last day of the second Test at Kingston.
The spinners couldn’t get much purchase from the pitch either, which was shorn of day five characteristics and the batsmen did not have much difficulty in negotiation the Indian bowling.
Roston Chase has joined elite company, with West Indies escaping with an unlikely second Test draw against India in Jamaica. That’s so rare it has only happened five times in all of Test history.
Starting the day at 48/4, West Indies ended at 388/6. The match between West Indies and India was the first without a victor in 18 years at the venue. We all know Virat has been just brilliant in recent months but credit to Rahane as well who has been the rock of Gibraltar in the middle order and once again proved by getting another Test hundred at Jamaica. It equaled the previous record – 22 maximums in a clash between the Windies and South Africa in Basseterre in 2010. With 98.1 overs on the final day, they were supposed to get back-to-back Test victories in a series away from home.
Well, it’s early days and Kohli might think it was just one of those days when things didn’t go right for the bowlers. There had been no rain since play on day four had been called off and not a cloud was in sight today. And it shocked the Indian bowling for a bit, as R Ashwin admitted later after the first day’s play. He made 127 and 100 not out against South Africa in Delhi in December. The day started bright and sunny though, and Rahane quickly got to his Test fifty off 93 balls.
Three is also the number of fifties that India opening batsman KL Rahul has converted into hundreds.
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He picked up only one wicket, his first of the series, when he trapped Wriddhiman Saha lbw for 47. They badly wanted the rain gods to help them and the Gods did oblige them with just about 16 overs on Day 4.
