Thaindian News

Roseau (Dominica), July 9 (IANS) V.V.S. Laxman was dismissed in a freak manner by a harmless leg-break of Shivnarine Chanderpaul on the third day of the final Test between India and the West Indies here when he, having scored his third consecutive fifty of the series, looked set for a big score.

Chanderpaul, once a part-time leg-spinner, has not bowled in a Test for four years but skipper Darren Sammy had to bowl him as he had only three bowlers at hand with paceman Ravi Rampaul ill and off the field.

Chanderpaul kept pitching his legbreaks outside the off stump and Laxman kept leaving them alone. In his second over, the West Indian pitched again wide off the stumps and Laxman let it go to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh.

Trying to balance himself, Laxman lifted his right heel a fraction off the ground and an alert Baugh quickly whipped off the bails. Third umpire Joel Wilson adjudged the Indian stumped and out.

Some felt the dismissal was debatable since the ball was deemed dead as the batsman left the ball alone and it rested in the wicketkeeper’s gloves. Though Laxman’s heel went up after the ball was still in the hands of the wicketkeeper, there was an element of doubt on the time lapse between the collection of the ball and Laxman lifting his heel.

However, former ICC Panel umpire from India, Krishna Hariharan had little doubt that Laxman was adjudged out correctly.

“Laxman was out, there was no doubt,” Hariharan said.

Interestingly, Laxman was Chanderpaul’s ninth wicket in record 133 Test appearances and the West Indian was overjoyed.