India chase 392 to win

Other sports News

India chase 392 to win

Basseterre (St Kitts), June 27 (IANS) How things change in 24 hours! On Sunday, an hour before tea on the fourth day of the third Test against the West Indies, India faced the prospect of following on. At tea, on the final day Monday, they were chasing an improbable victory.

Brian Lara declared the West Indian second innings, 35 minutes into the day, at 172 for six, setting India a victory target of 392 in a minimum of 88 overs.

At the break, India were 200 for 2 in 55 overs, just past the half way mark, with V.V.S. Laxman batting on 50 and Rahul Dravid on 20. They have another 33 overs to get the next 192. And with Yuvraj Singh and Mahendra Singh Dhoni waiting in the dressing room.

Lara must be a little worried at this stage. He knew he had to give his bowlers enough overs to get India out but on this track there was always the risk that the strokemaking ability of the Indian batsmen make a mockery of his move.

Of course, if things continue at the same rate, he has the option to slow things down, set more defensive fields and get his bowlers to bowl a negative line.

The course of the Indian second innings was determined by the 109 first-wicket stand between Virender Sehwag (65, 75 balls, 8 fours) and Wasim Jaffer (54, 118 balls, 5 fours). There was nothing slapdash about it.

Neither Sehwag nor Jaffer played extravagantly. They were at ease, playing balls on their merit, and runs came effortlessly. If at all, Sehwag seemed restrained, boundaries did not flow from his bat as usual.

He was helped along by two chances, the first when he was on five, and India just 10, when Chris Gayle dropped a simple chance at first slip off Taylor. The second when Ramnaresh Sarwan, the straighter of two short covers, failed to hold on to a powerfully struck drive off Bravo. Sehwag was 56 then, India 94.

At lunch, India were well-placed, 109 for no loss in 26 overs, ahead of the asking rate of four. Sehwag's dismissal the first ball after lunch - Corey Collymore trapped him leg before with one that kept a bit low - was a blow to their hopes of further acceleration.

After Jaffer fell at 143, Laxman and Dravid made sure of consolidation till tea. They have added 57 runs so far, in 17 overs. Will they make their move after tea?

SCOREBOARD

Day 5, Third Test, West Indies v India, Warner Park Stadium, Basseterre (St Kitts)

West Indies (1st innings): 581

India (1st innings): 362

West Indies (2nd innings):

Chris Gayle c Dhoni b Sreesanth 3

Darren Ganga not out 66

Ramnaresh Sarwan c Dravid b Sreesanth 23

Brian Lara st Dhoni b Kumble 19

Shivnarine Chanderpaul c and b Kumble 11

Dwayne Bravo c Sreesanth b Kumble 9

Marlon Samules st Dhoni b Harbhajan 20

Denesh Ramdin not out 8

Extras (b 4, lb 7, w 1, nb 1) 13

Total (for 6 decl, 32 overs) 172

Fall of wickets: 1-3, 2-46, 3-81, 4-102, 5-120, 6-152

Bowling:

Munaf Patel 7-0-43-0 (1nb)

S. Sreesanth 6-1-19-2

Anil Kumble 12-0-60-3 (1w)

Harbhajan Singh 7-0-39-1

India (2nd innings):

Wasim Jaffer c Gayle b Collins 54

Virender Sehwag lbw Collymore 65

V.V.S. Laxman batting 50

Rahul Dravid batting 20

Extras (b 5, lb 3, w 1, nb 2) 11

Total (for 2 wkts in 55 overs) 200

Fall of wickets: 1-109, 2-143

Bowling:

Pedro Collins 14-1-43-1 (1nb, 1w)

Jerome Taylor 9-1-38-0 (1nb)

Corey Collymore 11-3-34-1

Marlon Samuels 10-0-35-0

Dwayne Bravo 7-1-36-0

Chris Gayle 4-0-6-0

Latest News

Star stuff

India chase 392 to win