The Hindu : Sport : Impressive India takes control of final Test

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Sunday, Jul 02, 2006

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Impressive India takes control of final Test

S. Ram Mahesh

— Photo: AP

STRIKE ONE: S. Sreesanth (left) celebrates after bowling Chris Gayle out for a duck.

Kingston: Slighted on day one, India responded in kind on the second morning of the fourth Test. Dismissed for 200, the touring side needed to take wickets in Saturday's first session to give the batting efforts of Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble, the previous day, respect. India scalped five big heads to barnstorm back into contention.

Sreesanth abstracted the dangerous Chris Gayle's off-peg in the first over when the left-hander played inside the line. Nought for one as three successive maidens were bowled. Then came a stirring counter-attack from Brian Lara, who walked out at No. three in place of the injured Sarwan.

Exquisite shots

The West Indies skipper flickered brilliantly, briefly. He pulled Sreesanth, who seemed to lose the calibration on his radar, before slicing one attractively through cover. A most exalted leg-glance wasn't far off. But, Sreesanth snuffed Lara out with one that flew off a length like a pea from a ripped pod, and went to third slip.

Then Kumble, who went for 11 in his first over, beat Marlon Samuels in the air for Dhoni to catch him short. Three for 53, with the cussed Shivnarine Chanderpaul looking to take the attack to the Indian leg-spinner. Munaf Patel, however, got the cagey left-hander edging a full-blooded drive outside the off-stump.

An excellent morning got better as Harbhajan trapped Ganga, who had looked solid, in front at the stroke of lunch.

On Friday, Dravid kept India in the game with an innings that commingled great mental control and the highest levels of defensive play.

As tough as the track was, and as disciplined as the West Indies bowlers were, Dravid and Laxman could have turned over the strike better in the first session, and scored more than 29 in 29 overs.

"The key was to get through the new ball," said Dravid. "Unfortunately we lost Laxman immediately after the break." The 31-year-old played a slack stroke outside off to be held at gully; the painstakingly put-together foundation was ruined. Yuvraj Singh began to strike it sweet — no little achievement considering everyone else struggled with timing. A critical juncture arrived: Yuvraj needed to stay with his skipper to ensure a score of near 300 — a total that would give India early control. But, Jerome Taylor did Yuvraj and Kaif in with the two-card trick; except, he needed only a card for each.

A sharp yorker beat Yuvraj's lofty back-lift and hit shoe, as the left-hander limped off. Kaif was given a bouncer that liftedDhoni slashed fatally, to leave India at 91 for six. Anil Kumble, who averages over 25 in his last ten Tests, made his second successive forty to give his skipper crucial support, putting on 93 in 29.2 overs for the seventh wicket, and falling two deliveries before the second new ball was due.

India — 1st innings: W. Jaffer b Taylor 1, V. Sehwag c Sarwan b Collins 0, V.V.S. Laxman c sub-Morton b Bravo 18, R. Dravid c Ramdin b Collymore 81, Yuvraj lbw b Taylor 19, M. Kaif c Lara b Taylor 13, M.S. Dhoni c Bravo b Collymore 3, A. Kumble b Bravo 45, Harbhajan (not out) 9, S. Sreesanth b Taylor 0, M. Patel c Ramdin b Taylor 0. Extras (b-2, lb-2, nb-2, w-5) 11. Total (in 87.4 overs) 200.

SCOREBOARD

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Sehwag), 2-3 (Jaffer), 3-34 (Laxman), 4-58 (Yuvraj), 5-78 (Kaif), 6-91 (Dhoni), 7-184 (Kumble), 8-197 (Dravid), 9-200 (Sreesanth).

West Indies bowling: Collins 19-7-34-1, Taylor 18.4-4-50-5, Bravo 24-3-68-2, Collymore 19-11-17-2, Chanderpaul 5-0-17-0, Gayle 2-0-10-0.

West Indies — 1st innings: C. Gayle b Sreesanth 0, D. Ganga lbw b Harbhajan 40, B. Lara c Jaffer b Sreesanth 26, M. Samuels st. Dhoni b Kumble 2, S. Chanderpaul c Dhoni b Patel 10, D. Bravo (batting) 0. Extras (nb-1, w-1) 2. Total (for five wkts. in 25.2 overs at lunch) 80.

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Gayle), 2-42 (Lara), 3-53 (Samuels), 4-72 (Chanderpaul), 5-80 (Ganga).

India bowling: Sreesanth 9-3-34-2, Munaf 8-3-14-1, Kumble 8-3-32-1, Harbhajan 0.2-0-0-1.

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