Getting early wickets was key to victory: Rampaul

Ahmedabad: After bowling West Indies to a splendid 16-run win over India, Man-of-the-match Ravi Rampaul said the early breakthroughs was the key to his side`s triumph in the third ODI here on Monday.

"I would say it was getting early breakthroughs," said Rampaul at the post-match press conference when asked if that was the key point of the match or the whirlwind stand of 91 between his captain Darren Sammy and Andre Russell. Rampaul said the important lesson that he had learned on his visits to India with the Trinidad and Tobago squad for the Champions League matches was to bowl stump to stump. "My two visits for the Champions League have helped. The key to bowling on these pitches is to keep line and length, bowl wicket to wicket," said the 27-year-old pace bowler. Rampaul`s excellent figures of 4 for 57 in 8.5 overs included the wickets of India skipper Virender Sehwag and one down Gautam Gambhir for first ball blobs. Sehwag was dismissed by the bowler with a late out swinger which the dashing opener tried to drive and edged to wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin, while Gambhir was foxed by a ball that moved in a shade as the left-handed batsman shouldered arms and was trapped in front. Rampaul also gave credit to debutant off-spinner Sunil Narine and Marlon Samuels for backing up him and the other fast bowlers very well. "The spinners bowled very well and kept it tight. Narine bowled well and kept up the pressure. We also stuck to our plans," he said. Rampaul did not see the Motera Stadium wicket here as a difficult one to bat on. "It was not a difficult wicket to bat on," said the bowler, who had impressed in the preceding Test rubber too which the West Indies lost 0-2. Rampaul, a man of few words, also expressed the hope that his team would continue do well in the remaining two matches at Indore and Chennai by sticking to their plans. PTI