The Hindu : Sport : West Indies takes handy lead

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 05, 2006

Sport

Sport

West Indies takes handy lead

S. Ram Mahesh

St. John's: West Indies extended its first innings lead to 130 on day three of the first Test here at the Antigua Recreation Ground. On Sunday, V.R.V. Singh got two, Munaf Patel and Anil Kumble took one apiece to dismiss the home side, resuming on 318 for six, for 371 from 98.3 overs.

In its second innings, India was on 16 for no loss at lunch.

Rahul Dravid, aware of the need to start well, took the new ball in the first over of the morning — the 83rd — and kept three slips and a gully to his best quick, Munaf. The rangy bowler answered his captain's call by finding a troublesome length, though he did throttle back on pace.

But, Munaf's attempt at building pressure was compromised by S. Sreesanth, who had his second bad day in a row. Munaf ginned Ramdin with one that left all of the right-hander save his bat edge. After three indifferent overs for 14 from Sreesanth, V.R.V. Singh was brought on.

The fast-bowler from Punjab got Bradshaw, his first Test wicket, with nasty short ball that forced the fend off, and the ensuing mixture of relief and confidence helped him step his bowling up a level.

A level India could have done with on Saturday on a track that had begun to ease slightly. For the fast-medium bowlers bar Munaf struggled to find the length needed consistently enough on day two. When they pitched it up, Gayle bent at both knees and allowed his arms a free reign. When they dragged it short, he extended his lean length to catch up and cuff it. His footwork, like Hemmingway's prose, was minimalist.

Gayle force

At lunch, West Indies was on 81 for one. Gayle brought up his 23rd fifty after the break with a squeezed edge to the third-man fence. His partner Sarwan was all crisp compactness. While Gayle launched himself at the ball as if there were no tomorrow, the spry right-hander from Guyana got into excellent positions from where he could push-drive the full deliveries, and cut the short ones.

Kumble — that untiring warrior — struck in the second ball after drinks in the middle session.

Gayle (72, 91b, 13 fours, one six) steered to first slip. This ended the 119-run alliance that helped West Indies take the opening round: 137 for two in pursuit of India's first innings score of 241.

Brian Lara banished any withdrawal pangs that might have set in with a thrillingly pulled six. But, Munaf had the West Indies skipper caught at point to give India the faintest chance of getting back. Sarwan flicked Kumble — who was bowling noticeably slower — and followed it up with a cut, as the islanders went to tea at 182 for three.

A tuck off the hip had brought Sarwan his half-century and 4000 Test runs, but it was curtains first ball after tea. Kumble discharged a flatter, faster one — a copyright delivery along with his finger-flicked googly — and Sarwan was in front. Then, the match turned further away from India.

Dwayne Bravo took dramatic charge. All that is great about Caribbean cricket finds expression in this all-rounder. Marvelously athletic, Bravo, commands interest whether he is covering turf in those ductile strides of his, or leaping across to catch on his follow through. His batting retains a refreshing, unapologetic abandon.

The great Kumble was picked up over the on-side with wrists, and cut off the stumps, fine to third-man. Bravo even had the temerity to skip down to the leg-spinner in an over that went for 12. No surprise that Chanderpaul, who Bravo put on 73 with, went unnoticed.

By the time Bravo left to a brilliant piece of work by Dhoni, he had made 68 (92b, 11 fours); his side was 41 ahead. A few words on the stumping, for it made the grade on many levels. Sehwag's delivery came through bat and pad, bounced alarmingly, and Bravo over-balanced just a little: the toughest combination of events for a keeper to deal with.

SCOREBOARD>

India — 1st innings: 241.

West Indies — 1st innings: C. Gayle c Dravid b Kumble 72, D. Ganga lbw b Munaf 9, R. Sarwan lbw b Kumble 58, B. Lara c Yuvraj b Munaf 18, S. Chanderpaul c Dhoni b Sehwag 24, D. Bravo st. Dhoni b Sehwag 68, D. Ramdin c Dhoni Munaf 26, I. Bradshaw c Yuvraj b V.R.V. Singh 33, D. Mohammed (not out) 19, F. Edwards c Dhoni b V.R.V. Singh 4, C. Collymore lbw b Kumble 0;Extras (b-2, lb-14, nb-22, w-2) 40; Total (in 98.3 overs) 371.

Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Ganga), 2-137 (Gayle), 3-159 (Lara), 4-182 (Sarwan), 5-255 (Chanderpaul), 6-282 (Bravo), 7-331 (Ramdin), 8-359 (Bradshaw), 9-370 (Edwards).

India bowling: Sreesanth 16-1-96-0, Munaf 28-7-80-3, V.R.V. Singh 15-1-61-2, Kumble 27.3-6-86-3, Sehwag 12-2-32-2.

India — 2nd innings: W. Jaffer (batting) 1, V. Sehwag (batting) 14; Extras (lb-1) 1; Total (for no loss in 4 overs at lunch) 16.

West Indies bowling: Edwards 2-1-6-0 , Collymore 2-0-9-0.

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