The Indian innings followed a path similar to the one the West Indians had taken earlier in the day. After settling down well, the opening pair of Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly began to go for their strokes.

Although he was timing the ball well, Sehwag struggled to find the gaps. One searing shot raced away through covers and Sehwag opened up. The long lay off from international cricket, however, meant that Sehwag was a bit rusty. Trying to drive Merv Dillon on the up and over the off side field, Sehwag (21 runs, 36 balls, 3 fours) holed out to Sarwan at mid off.

Dinesh Mongia came in at number three and forged a solid partnership with Ganguly. The Indian captain steadily grew in form and confidence, dotting the cover fence with some trademark drives.

But it was not Ganguly who really pushed the West Indians back. Mongia, in a positive frame of mind from the word go, was quick to size up the length of a delivery. When the ball was short he was onto the back foot in a flash, pulling with ease to the midwicket region. The fuller stuff got the full treatment from the wrists, being whipped past or over mid on.

At the 25 over mark Mongia was on 30 while Ganguly had 36 to his name.

After adding an invaluable 86 runs for the fourth wicket, Sarwan was undone by a good bit of captaincy from Sourav Ganguly. Bringing Virender Sehwag on to bowl in the 32nd over, the Indian captain met with success in just the 4th ball from the part time offie. Walking across his stumps, Sarwan (44 runs, 69 balls, 5 fours) was bowled off his pads.

Chanderpaul joined Hooper at the crease but could put on just 6 before tragedy struck. Dabbing the ball down to Sachin Tendulkar at short third man Hooper set off for a single. A powerful direct hit at the 'keeper's end saw Chanderpaul well short of the mark.

Ryan Hinds, in his first game of the tour, seemed completely out of sorts. Hinds (3) came down the wicket and had an almighty heave at a Sehwag delivery, only to play completely down the wrong line and be stumped.

Ridley Jacobs walked out to the middle with the score on 162/6. Not a situation unfamiliar to him. The stumper could barely get his eye in before he was sent packing. Not completely by the bowlers however. A full delivery from Yohannan went past the bat to the 'keeper as Jacobs's flashing bat hit his boot. Deceived by the sound, umpire Eddie Nichols gave the batsman out caught. A duck for Jacobs was the result.

Merv Dillon managed two runs before having his stumps broken by Agarkar. And yet, in all this, Carl Hooper stood tall. Driving through the covers with precision and power, the West Indian captain led from the front. Scoring at a brisk pace, Hooper defied the Indian bowling. Pacing his innings perfectly, Hooper gave sterling display of how a limited overs knock should be played. Unbeaten on 76 (75 balls, 6 fours, 2 sixes) Hooper watched as Agarkar cleaned up the tail.

Keeping it full and straight, Agarkar had Corey Colleymore trapped plumb in front and followed it up by uprooting Cameron Cuffy's middle stump. Agarkar ended with figures of 3/36 while Yohannan scalped 3/33. West Indies were all out for 186 in 44.5 overs.

The fact that Yohannan began his one-day international career with a maiden over helped him settle into a good rhythm and gain confidence. Enough to try out a few slower balls early on. It was not the slower deliveries that troubled the batsmen though.

Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds in sparkling form, from the Tests, began confidently. Although they were in no hurry, every delivery that was full was given the full treatment. Whether it was drives over the covers or neat flicks through the on side, there were runs to be had.

Not if you played away from the body though, Hinds learned. Driving half-cocked, the left-hander dragged one from Yohannan back onto his stumps in the 11th over of the day. Hinds (15) trudged back to the pavilion as Yohannan celebrated.

And there was more reason to celebrate just two overs later when Gayle (16) whipped Yohannan around the corner to Dinesh Mongia at square leg. West Indies were 45/2 and the crowd roared as Brian Lara walked out to the middle.

It was the perfect chance for Lara to make up for his disappointing showing in the Test matches. It was the ideal opportunity to unfurl his dazzling array of strokes. Harbhajan Singh however, had different ideas. Tempting a hesitant Lara down the track, the offie had him driving straight at short midwicket. Mohammad Kaif took a good catch low down and Lara (5) was back in the hut.

Then came the steadying influence on Ramnaresh Sarwan and Carl Hooper. Tucking the ball away superbly to the on side for quick singles, the pair kept the fielders on their toes. As if to break the monotony, Hooper planted his foot down and swept Harbhajan Singh for a clean six over midwicket. There were to be no more heroics however at the 25-over mark, where West Indies were 101/3 with Sarwan on 32 and Hooper on 21.

Remember, this match is now a 49 over a side affair after rain stopped play briefly earlier on.

For starters, the wicket is a pale shadow of its former self. Most of the grass that gave the fast bowlers something to steam in for, has been removed. There is still a bit of grass in the surface, but that will do little more than bind the soil and provide decent bounce and carry through to the keeper. The strokemakers will love that as the ball is expected to come onto the bat well.

The second major set of changes comes in the teams. At least for the visitors. There are five new faces in the Indian team - Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag, Ajit Agarkar, Murli Kartik and Mohammed Kaif. They all bring tremendous excitement to the side, being excellent fielders. Sehwag and Yuvraj are attacking batsmen, both score their runs at a strike rate of over 90.

For the West Indies, seamer Corey Colleymore and all-rounder Gareth Breese have been called up to the ODI squad. The core of their team however, remains the same as the one that played the Tests.

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly's luck with the toss seems to have changed. On winning the toss here in what is effectively the first one-dayer in a three-game series, Ganguly elected to field first. In an opportunity to make use of the conditions early on, Ganguly lets West Indies take strike.

Tinu Yohannan, who has had to be content carrying the drinks so far, makes his limited overs debut. West Indies team: *CL Hooper, BC Lara, CH Gayle, WW Hinds, RR Sarwan, S Chanderpaul, +RD Jacobs, M Dillon, RO Hinds, CE Cuffy, CD Collymore.

India team: *SC Ganguly, V Sehwag, SR Tendulkar, +R Dravid, D Mongia, Yuvraj Singh, M Kaif, AB Agarkar, Z Khan, T Yohannan, Harbhajan Singh.