Trinidad, June 8: Amit Mishra picked up four wickets while giving away just 31 runs as India managed to keep the West Indies down to a modest score of 240 in the second ODI being played at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain. Mishra’s four-wicket haul allowed India to mount a strong fight back after the West Indies top order had threatened to post a big total.

It was India captain Suresh Raina who won the toss for the first time on this tour and opted to field first. India played an unchanged side from the first ODI. West Indies, meanwhile, brought in Kieron Pollard for Darren Bravo in their playing eleven.

The West Indies batting has come in for much criticism in this series. Today, though, they began well. Lendl Simmons and Kirk Edwards raised the 50-run mark in the 12th over with Edwards playing at nearly a run-a-ball. However, a beautiful legbreak delivery from Amit Mishra had Edwards (25) edge the ball to wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel. India had its first breakthrough with the West Indies score at 57.

Simmons, who had played a rash shot to get out in the first ODI, appeared to have learnt his lesson and played a grinding innings today. He scored 53 off 84 balls before he was stumped by Patel off Yusuf Pathan’s bowling. Still, at 124 for two in 26.5 overs, the game was very much in favour of the hosts.

Ramnaresh Sarwan and Marlon Samuels then produced yet another half-century partnership to consolidate the West Indies’ position. But when Samuels (36 off 32), too, was stumped by Patel off Pathan, India came roaring back into the game. Like in the first ODI, the hosts lost a flurry of wickets to negate the good work done at the start of the innings.

Sarwan (56) fell to Patel shortly after making his second half-century of the tour while Mishra trapped the dangerous Pollard (0) lbw off just the third delivery the batsman faced. Mishra further added to the hosts’ misery by dismissing Dwayne Bravo (8) and Carlton Baugh (2) off consecutive deliveries in the 44th over.

From a commanding position of 192 for three in 40 overs, the hosts slumped to 240 for the loss of nine wickets in 50 overs. Captain Darren Sammy remained unbeaten with a 19-ball 22 that also prevented the hosts from imploding entirely.

For India, Munaf Patel complemented Mishra’s effort by taking three for 35 from his 10 overs.

Brief score: West Indies240/9 in 50.0 overs (Ramnaresh Sarwan 56, Lendl Simmons 53, Amit Mishra 4/31, Munaf Patel 3/35).