Monday, July 3 2006 15:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kingston (Jamaica): India defeated the West Indies by 49 runs in the fourth Test at Sabina Park on Sunday. The win gave them the series 1-0, their first win in the Caribbean since 1971, and their second overall in the West Indies.

Veteran spinner Anil Kumble took 6 for 78 to end the West Indian second innings, with just eight balls left for the day, as they chased 269 to win and were bowled out for 219.

Indian captain Rahul Dravid was the man-of-the-match and man-of-the-series.

Medium-pacers Sreesanth and Munaf Patel provided the early breakthroughs in the West Indian second innings. Sreesanth got rid of the openers, Chris Gayle and Darren Ganga, and Patel got the vital wicket of West Indian skipper Brian Lara.

Kumble then took charge on a wicket which the ball kept low but played easier than on the first two days. Four of his six victims were leg before, all given by umpire Brian Jerling, who had been so hesitant to give any leg before decision in his favour in the previous Test.

For the West Indies , Ramnaresh Sarwan (51) and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (62 not out) played valiant knocks, especially Ramdin, who came in at the fall of the sixth wicket with the West Indian total at 128. He batted bravely with the tail, adding added 65 with the last three batsmen.

In the end, it was too much for Ramdin. His only satisfaction was that he would have given India some jitters before Kumble took two wickets in three balls in his 23 rd over to seal the win.



It was India's first major series win away in 20 years, the last having come against England in 1986. All other away wins were either in the sub-continent ( Pakistan, Bangladesh , Sri Lanka) or against minor teams ( Zimbabwe).